Women's History Month, 2023, 13297-13298 [2023-04547]

Agencies

• Executive Office of the President

[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 42 (Friday, March 3, 2023)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 13297-13298]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-04547]




                        Presidential Documents 



Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 42 / Friday, March 3, 2023 / 
Presidential Documents

[[Page 13297]]


                Proclamation 10527 of February 28, 2023

                
Women's History Month, 2023

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                During Women's History Month, we celebrate the 
                countless women who have fought tirelessly and 
                courageously for equality, justice, and opportunity in 
                our Nation. We also reaffirm our commitment to 
                advancing rights and opportunities for women and girls 
                in the United States and around the world. We are 
                mindful that we are building on the legacy of both 
                recognized trailblazers and unsung heroines who have 
                guided the course of American history and continue to 
                shape its future.

                The full participation of women is a foundational tenet 
                of democracy. Women--often women of color--have been on 
                the frontlines, fighting for and securing equal rights 
                and opportunity throughout our country's history as 
                abolitionists, civil rights leaders, suffragists, and 
                labor activists. Women continue to lead as advocates 
                for reproductive rights, champions of racial justice, 
                and LGBTQI+ equality. Throughout history, these women 
                have opened the doors of opportunity for subsequent 
                generations of dreamers and doers. As community 
                leaders, educators, doctors, scientists, child care 
                providers, and more, women power our economy and lead 
                our Nation. As first responders and service members, 
                they stand watch over our lives and liberties. As 
                innovators, entrepreneurs, and essential workers in 
                every industry, they represent the very best of 
                America.

                But despite significant progress, women and girls 
                continue to face systemic barriers to full and equal 
                participation in our economy and society. Last year, 
                the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, stripping 
                away a constitutional right from the American people 
                and the ability of millions of women to make decisions 
                about their own bodies, putting their health and lives 
                at risk. Disparities persist in economic security, 
                health care, and caregiving responsibilities, 
                especially for women and girls of color. Those who 
                perform critical work, including those who care for our 
                children and our families, are too often overlooked, 
                underpaid, and undervalued.

                Ours is the only Nation in the world established upon a 
                profound but simple idea--that all people are created 
                equal. My Administration is committed to upholding that 
                idea and to making its promise real for every American. 
                That is why I created the Gender Policy Council to 
                advance gender equity and equality across the Federal 
                Government. It is why I released the first-ever 
                national gender strategy to promote the rights and 
                opportunities of women at home and abroad, which 
                outlines my Administration's commitment to equal access 
                to education, economic security for women and families, 
                health care, and freedom from gender-based violence. As 
                we implement the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the 
                CHIPS and Science Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act, 
                we are working to reduce barriers so that women can 
                access new jobs in sectors where they have been 
                historically underrepresented. I have signed historic 
                legislation to ensure equal protection for pregnant 
                women and nursing mothers in the workplace. And I 
                strengthened and reauthorized the Violence Against 
                Women Act, a major milestone in our ongoing efforts to 
                ensure all people can live free from violence. Finally, 
                in December 2022, I was proud to sign the Respect for 
                Marriage Act and defend the rights of LGBTQI+ and 
                interracial couples.

[[Page 13298]]

                My Administration will continue to defend reproductive 
                freedom to ensure that all Americans--regardless of 
                their gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, 
                gender identity, or income--have the ability to make 
                the choices that are right for themselves and their 
                families. I have taken executive action to safeguard 
                access to reproductive care, including medication 
                abortion, help ensure women can receive emergency 
                medical care, protect patients' privacy and access to 
                accurate information about their reproductive rights, 
                and combat discrimination in the health care system. I 
                continue to call on the Congress to pass a Federal law 
                restoring the protections of Roe v. Wade so all women 
                in every State have the right to choose. And my 
                Administration released the first Blueprint for 
                Addressing the Maternal Health Crisis to save lives and 
                address systemic discrimination that many women face 
                every day in our health care system, including women of 
                color, women in rural communities, and women with 
                disabilities.

                Leading our efforts is the most diverse group of women 
                at the highest levels of Government in United States 
                history, including Vice President Kamala Harris and a 
                record number of female cabinet secretaries. Together 
                with the most diverse set of judges ever nominated to 
                the Federal bench--including Supreme Court Justice 
                Ketanji Brown Jackson--women are seated at every table 
                where decisions are being made.

                This month, as we continue our work to advance gender 
                equity and equality, let us celebrate the contributions 
                of women throughout our history and honor the stories 
                that have too often gone untold. Let us recognize that 
                fundamental freedoms are interconnected: when 
                opportunities for women are withheld, we all suffer; 
                and when women's lives are improved, we all gain. Let 
                us strive to create a Nation where every woman and girl 
                knows that her possibilities know no bounds in America.

                NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of 
                the United States of America, by virtue of the 
                authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws 
                of the United States, do hereby proclaim March 2023 as 
                Women's History Month. I call upon all Americans to 
                observe this month and to celebrate International 
                Women's Day on March 8, 2023, with appropriate 
                programs, ceremonies, and activities. I also invite all 
                Americans to visit WomensHistoryMonth.gov to learn more 
                about the vital contribution of women to our Nation's 
                history.

                IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 
                twenty-eighth day of February, in the year of our Lord 
                two thousand twenty-three, and of the Independence of 
                the United States of America the two hundred and forty-
                seventh.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

[FR Doc. 2023-04547
Filed 3-2-23; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3395-F3-P