Democratic Women’s Caucus Chair Honors President Carter’s Legacy of Fighting for Women

CONTACT:    

Lizzie Johnson, lizzie.johnson@mail.house.gov (DWC)

WASHINGTON, D.C. —Today, Thursday, January 9, Americans across the country honored President Carter’s life and legacy through a national day of mourning and at his state funeral in Washington, D.C. After attending the funeral, Democratic Women’s Caucus (DWC) Chair Teresa Leger Fernández (NM-03) released the following statement on President Carter’s historic legacy supporting women and girls.

“Today, we lifted our voices in prayer and gratitude for a President who helped change the course of women’s history. During his service, President Carter empowered women leaders and worked to better the lives of women and families across the country.  He appointed five times more women judges than all previous Presidents combined, including Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who went on to become a groundbreaking Supreme Court Justice, advocating for women and girls in the highest court.

President Carter also advanced critical protections for women and girls, including by establishing the Department of Education and signing the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. He fought tirelessly to extend the deadline for the Equal Rights Amendment, which would prohibit sex discrimination in the Constitution. He recognized that women’s inequality and gender discrimination was the world’s greatest threat to development, peace, and prosperity. Our grateful nation thanks him for his service borne of love and faith. We will carry on his legacy.” 

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