A group of bipartisan lawmakers are working to celebrate the centennial anniversary of women's suffrage next year with the founding of a new museum dedicated entirely to the accomplishments of women in the U.S.
"It is difficult to empower women, if you don't even recognize them," said Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.), the author of the pending Smithsonian Women's History Museum Act.
"What better way of inspiring young women — and men — than by knowing the contributions of those that went ahead."
If passed, the bill will establish a new national museum that showcases and honors women's historical achievements in a variety of fields including art, science, and the military, among others. The legislation currently has 293 co-sponsors in the House.
"Women's contributions to the development of our nation and society are immense," Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) said in a statement. "As the first museum in the United States dedicated to the full story of women's history, this museum will tell the diverse story of the women who helped shape America."
The lawmakers stress that the museum is vital for accurately depicting U.S. history, which is dominated by the achievements of men and ignores those of women. The legislation notes, for instance, that only 9 out of 91 statues in the U.S. Capitol's National Statuary Hall are of women and cites a study that found only 10 percent of American history textbooks detail the contributions of women. The bill also mentions how only one out of the National Park Service's 44 national monuments honor women: the Belmont-Paul Women's Equality National Monument, which President Obama designated in 2016.
"The American people need and deserve a museum dedicated to telling the story of American women," Jane Abraham, the chair of the American Museum of Women's History Congressional Commission, said in a statement. "Women's history is as rich as it is vast and to truly learn about and celebrate our country's history, women's contributions must be showcased in a dedicated museum."
<i>President Obama at the inauguration of the Belmont-Paul Women's Equality National Monument in 2016. The historic house was designated to honor National Woman's Party benefactor Alva Belmont and founder Alice Paul. Photo Credit: Shutterstock</i>
The House bill was also accompanied by a Senate version that was co-sponsored by Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.). Both bills were introduced in March to coincide with Women's History Month
"American women have made invaluable contributions to our country in every field, such as government, business, medicine, law, literature, sports, entertainment, the arts, and the military," Collins said in a statement. "A museum dedicated to women's history would help ensure that future generations understand what we owe to those American women who have helped build, sustain, and advance our society."
Sen. Feinstein added that a Smithsonian museum "would be a fitting and long-overdue way to properly recognize women's contributions to our nation's narrative."
Neither bill is scheduled for a vote in Congress, yet supporters aim to pass the legislation by the end of 2020 to honor the passing of the 19th Amendment, which granted women the right to vote in the U.S.
Despite challenges like inflation, labor and product shortages, and the Omicron variant, holiday sales saw record levels of growth this year, according to a new report from Mastercard SpendingPulse. The group reports on national retail sales across all payment types, finding that holiday sales rose at the fastest pace in 17 years this year. Mastercard senior advisor and former chariman and CEO of Saks Incorporated Steve Sadove joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Dr. Saralyn Mark, COVID-19 leader at the American Medical Women's Association and former senior medical advisor at the White House, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell, where she says people should reconsider their plans for New Year's Eve due to the high transmissibility of the Omicron variant and adds that we should be using the resources at our disposal to make the best decisions.
2021 was a wild ride for the world of cryptos. Both Bitcoin and Etherum hit new all-time highs, as well as other coins like SHIB-INU. According to several experts, crypto is here to stay and is expected to blast off in the year 2022 as more and more people invest in the crypto world. The host of "The O Show" Wendy O, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
According to recent new polls, Americans are becoming more and more skeptical about tech companies. A number of respondents revealed their distrust of companies like Apple, Instagram, Facebook, and even Tik Tok. They say that they believe it is time for government agencies to step in to take action in order to protect users' personal information and data. Technology Reporter at AXIOS Ashley Gold, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
Over the past year, the new love for gaming has created a huge demand for the consumption of content on streaming platforms. All this has caused a rise in gaming influencers all over the world. Founder of Viral Nation Joe Gagliese and Digital Video Executive Andrew Wall, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
The U.S. population has dipped to its slowest rate since the nation's founding. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the population grew just point 0.11% from 2020 to 2021 due in part to decreased international migration, decreased fertility, and increased mortality from the pandemic. Paul Overberg, reporter at the Wall Street Journal, joined Cheddar to discuss what's behind the record slow growth in population and why it has negative implications for the economy and the nation.
Carlo and Baker kick off the weirdest week of the year with all the news you missed over the holiday weekend, including calls for the CDC to shorten its isolation window as Omicron sweeps through the country.
The 2022 Winter Olympics will be without some of hockey's biggest players. The NHL and the NHL Player's Association have agreed to not participate in the men's hockey tournament at the Games in Beijing next year. The league has been forced to postpone some games because of a rise in COVID-19 cases among players. Washington Post sports reporter Samantha Pell joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss what this could mean for the Winter Olympics and the sport of hockey.
Baron Davis and Kate Hudson want you to bring cannabis home for the holidays. The cannabis-infused seltzer brand Cann released a new spot featuring the actress and former NBA player. The campaign comes hand in hand with Cann's launch of a new holiday bundle, which includes its product with Hudson's King Street Vodka. Davis and Hudson are also Cann investors. Cheddar cannabis reporter Chloe Aiello spoke to Davis about his involvement with the company and its new campaign.
