S1322 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 13, 2019 ENROLLED JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 1, SENATE for every adult woman, some lawmakers per- Whereas, all these milestones illuminate SIXTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF chance hoped suffrage would entice more and strengthen Wyoming’s heritage as the WYOMING women to the state; and ‘‘Equality State’’; and Whereas, some lawmakers may have be- Whereas, December 10, 2019 marks the 2019 GENERAL SESSION lieved that women’s suffrage was consistent 150th anniversary of the date women’s suf- A Joint Resolution recognizing December with the goals articulated in post-Civil War frage became law. 10, 2019 as Wyoming Women’s Suffrage Day. Amendment XV to the United States Con- Now, therefore, be it resolved by the members 1Whereas, Wyoming is often referred to as stitution guaranteeing the ‘‘right of citizens of the Legislature of the State of Wyoming: the ‘‘Cowboy State,’’ its more apt sobriquet of the United States to vote shall not be de- Section 1. That the Wyoming legislature is the ‘‘Equality State’’; and nied or abridged by the United States or by commemorates 2019 as a year to celebrate Whereas, women, like all persons, have al- any state on account of race, color, or pre- the one hundred fiftieth (150th) anniversary ways inherently held the right to vote and vious condition of servitude’’; and of the passage of women’s suffrage. participate in their government; and Whereas, some lawmakers inherently knew Section 2. That the Wyoming legislature is Whereas, Wyoming was the first govern- that guaranteeing the right of women to proud of its heritage as the first state to rec- ment to explicitly acknowledge and affirm vote was, simply, the right thing to do; and ognize the right of women to vote and hold women’s inherent right to vote and to hold Whereas, the Territorial Legislature ad- office, hereby affirming its legacy as the office; and vanced a suffrage bill stating, ‘‘That every ‘‘Equality State.’’ Whereas, this inherent right, at the found- woman of the age of twenty-one years, resid- Section 3. That the Secretary of State of ing of the United States, was inhibited; and ing in this territory, may, at every election Wyoming transmit a copy of this resolution Whereas, women, at the founding of the to be holden under the laws thereof, cast her to the National Women’s Hall of Fame in United States, were also prevented from vote. And her rights to the elective franchise support of Esther Hobart Morris’ induction holding office; and and to hold office shall be the same under into the Women of the Hall. Whereas, women’s suffrage—the basic en- the election laws of the territory, as those of Section 4. That the Wyoming legislature franchisement of women—began to burgeon electors’’ and that ‘‘This act shall take effect encourages its citizens and invites its visi- in the United States in the 1840s and contin- and be in force from and after its passage’’; tors to learn about the women and men who ued to gain momentum over the next dec- and made women’s suffrage in Wyoming a re- ades, despite the oppressive atmosphere in Whereas, when invited to join the Union, ality, thereby blazing a trail for other states, which women were not allowed to divorce demanding that women’s suffrage be re- and eventually the federal government, to their husbands or show their booted ankles voked, the Wyoming Legislature said, ‘‘We recognize the inherent right of men and without risk of public scandal or worse; and will remain out of the Union one hundred women alike to elect their leaders and hold Whereas, during the 1850s, activism to sup- years rather than come in without the office. port women’s suffrage gathered steam, but women’’; and f lost momentum when the Civil War began; Whereas, in July 1890, Esther Hobart Mor- and ris presented the new Wyoming state flag to RECOGNIZING OLD GLORY HONOR Whereas, in the fall of 1868, three (3) years Governor Francis E. Warren during the FLIGHT after the American Civil War had ended, statehood celebration, making Wyoming the Union Army General Ulysses S. Grant was 44th state to enter the Union and the first Ms. BALDWIN. Mr. President, today elected President, and chose John Campbell with its women holding the right to vote and I rise to recognize the Old Glory Honor to serve as Governor of the Wyoming Terri- serve in elected office; and Flight organization, as it makes its tory; and Whereas, the United States did not endorse maiden flight to Vietnam to bring 53 Whereas, Joseph A. Carey, who was there- women’s suffrage until 1920 with the ratifica- veterans back to the place where they after appointed to serve as Attorney General tion of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Con- risked their lives for our Nation. I am of the Wyoming Territory, issued a formal stitution; and legal opinion that no one in Wyoming could Whereas, despite the passage of the 19th honored to pay tribute to this impor- be denied the right to vote based on race; Amendment, women of color continued to tant first flight and to honor their sac- and face barriers with exercising their right to rifices. Whereas, the first Wyoming Territorial vote, as American Indian men and women The all-volunteer organization, Old Legislature, comprised entirely of men, re- were not recognized as United States citizens Glory Honor Flight, was founded in quired consistent and persistent inveigling permitted to vote until the passage of the In- 2009 by individuals who had a dream of to warm to the notion of suffrage; and dian Citizenship Act of 1924, and ongoing ra- creating an honor flight experience for Whereas, abolitionist and woman suffrage cial discrimination required the passage and activist, Esther Hobart Morris, was born in military veterans in northeast Wis- implementation of the Voting Rights Act of consin. A dedicated board of volunteers Tioga County, New York, on August 8, 1812, 1965; and and later became a successful milliner and Whereas, achieving voting rights for all launched the first official flight on Oc- businesswoman; and women required firm and continuing resolve tober 27, 2009, when they hosted 95 Whereas, Esther Hobart Morris, widowed in to overcome reluctance, and even fervent op- World War II veterans on a trip to our 1843, moved to Peru, Illinois, to settle the position, toward this rightful enfranchise- Nation’s Capital to experience first- property in her late husband’s estate and ex- ment; and hand the national memorials honoring perienced the legal hardships faced by Whereas, Wyoming, the first to recognize women in Illinois and New York; and American military servicemembers. women’s suffrage, blazed a trail of other The honor flight’s mission is to cre- Whereas, Esther Hobart Morris married noteworthy milestones, such as Louisa John Morris, a prosperous merchant, and in Swain, of Laramie, casting the first ballot by ate a safe and memorable experience 1869 moved to the gold rush camp at South a woman voter in 1870; and for veterans who call Wisconsin home. Pass City, a small valley situated along the Whereas, in 1870 the first jury to include Until now, each honor flight has taken banks of Willow Creek on the southeastern women was in Wyoming and was sworn in on place within a single day, sending vet- end of the Wind River Mountains in the Wyo- March 7 in Laramie; and erans to Washington, DC, to thank ming Territory just north of the Oregon Whereas, Esther Hobart Morris was ap- them for all they sacrificed to keep our Trail; and pointed to serve as justice of the peace in Nation safe and free. Since its incep- Whereas, William Bright, a saloonkeeper, February 1870, making her the first woman also from the once bustling frontier mining to serve as a judge in the United States; and tion, Old Glory Honor Flight has flown town South Pass City, was elected to serve Whereas, Wyoming women become the more than 3,500 veterans on more than in the Territorial Legislature and was elect- first women to vote in a presidential election 40 missions. ed as president of the Territorial Council; in 1892; and Through the generous support of in- and Whereas, in 1894 Wyoming elected Estelle dividuals and businesses, Old Glory Whereas, the Territorial Legislature met Reel to serve as the state superintendent of Honor Flight has grown tremendously in 1869 in Cheyenne and passed bills and reso- public instruction, making her one of the in the past decade. This month, for the lutions formally enabling women to vote and first women in the United States elected to hold property and formally assuring equal serve in a statewide office; and first time in its 10-year existence, the pay for teachers; and Whereas, the residents of the town of Jack- organization is sending 53 veterans who Whereas, William Bright introduced a bill son in 1920 elected a city council composed served in Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, to recognize the right of Wyoming women to entirely of women – dubbed the ‘‘petticoat and Thailand back to Vietnam for 2 vote; and government’’ by the press – making it the weeks. Whereas, no records were kept of the de- first all-women government in the United Wisconsinites owe a debt of gratitude bate between Wyoming territorial law- States; and to these servicemembers who answered makers, although individuals likely asserted Whereas, in 1924 Wyoming elected Nellie a myriad of motivations and intentions in Tayloe Ross to serve as governor of the great our country’s call to serve and defend supporting women’s suffrage; and state of Wyoming, making her the first the United States.