News

WASHINGTON, DC (December 21, 2024) – On Friday, in the final hours of the 118th Congress, monumental history was made. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) took to the Senate floor to pass H.R. 1318, the Women’s Suffrage National Monument Location Act, which authorizes the first ever monument dedicated to women’s history to be built on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The Women’s Suffrage National Monument Location Act now awaits the President’s signature. 

Anna Laymon, President and CEO of the Women’s Suffrage National Monument Foundation stated, “To put it simply, this is a transformational moment for our country. As we prepare to honor the 250th anniversary of American democracy, this bill ensures that the great women of American history will finally be reflected in the richness of the American stories told on the National Mall. We are grateful for the leadership and commitment of our congressional champions, led by Senator Baldwin, Senator Blackburn, Congressman Neguse, and Congresswoman Lesko, who fought for two years to secure a location for the Women’s Suffrage National Monument that will do justice to our foremothers and weave American women into the stories told on the National Mall.”  

While speaking on the Senate floor, Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) said, “the National Mall honors some of the most important features of our shared American story. Conspicuously absent from this portrayal of our Nation’s history, however, is the story of women’s suffrage… We introduced this legislation to correct this glaring omission on the National Mall.” 

Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) added “it is appropriate as we finish and complete the 118th Congress, that we set aside time and that we pass this legislation to recognize the work, the powerful work, of women who gave so much of their life to support freedom, liberty and voting rights.” 

With the passage of this historic legislation, the Women’s Suffrage National Monument Foundation will begin the work of selecting the monument’s permanent location on the National Mall. Constitution Gardens – the area of the National Mall centrally located between the World War II Memorial, the Vietnam Memorial, the Reflecting Pool, and the White House – is the preferred location for the new memorial.

While speaking on the Senate floor, Senator Blackburn added, “We have worked…to find a place that would be perfect. The [National] Mall’s Constitution Gardens is a 50-acre space dedicated during our Nation’s bicentennial as a living memorial to the founding of the Republic. And in this garden, it is appropriate that we recognize the work of women to help preserve the freedoms and the liberties that we have in this Nation.”   

Laymon added, “With the support of the U.S. House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate, and the President of the United States, our country will finally add the great women heroes of American history to the National Mall on a site deserving of their contributions to our American story.” 

Laymon continued, “This is our moment to come together and fix a glaring omission in the most visited National Park in the United States. This monument will be something every American can be proud of — a gift to future generations that will stand as a testament to our shared values and legacy. The Women’s Suffrage National Monument Foundation is excited to announce our $80 million funding goal to bring this monument to life on the National Mall. But we can’t do it alone. We need the full support of people across the nation to make this dream a reality—through your voices, your actions, and your financial contributions. We hope you join us in this once in a lifetime project at womensmonument.org.”

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ABOUT THE WOMEN’S SUFFRAGE NATIONAL MONUMENT FOUNDATION
The Women’s Suffrage National Monument Foundation was authorized by Congress in Public Law 116-217 to lead the effort to fund, design, develop, and construct the Women's Suffrage National Monument on the National Mall. The monument will serve as a lasting legacy of the longest political movement in American history and honor the generations of women who lobbied, marched, picketed, and protested in their decades-long fight for equality. For more information visit www.womensmonument.org and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

SUPPORT
The Women's Suffrage National Monument Foundation is driven by the generous financial support of our donors. Like most monuments and memorials, the Women's Suffrage National Monument will be funded in its entirety through private donations, and we need your support to tell the stories of generations of women who waged and won the battle for the ballot. Simply put, we can't do this without you. Learn more about our movement, donate, and be a part of history.

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Media Contacts:

Women’s Suffrage National Monument Foundation Media Contact
Kimberly Wallner
media@womensmonument.org