Bill Text: CA SR25 | 2019-2020 | Regular Session | Enrolled

California Senate Resolution 25 (Prior Session Legislation)

Bill Title: Relative to Women’s Military History Week.

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Passed) 2019-03-21 - Read. Adopted. (Ayes 36. Noes 0. Page 390.) [SR25 Detail]

Download: California-2019-SR25-Enrolled.html

Enrolled March 22, 2019

Passed IN Senate March 21, 2019

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2019–2020 REGULAR SESSION

Senate Resolution

No. 25

Introduced by Senator Caballero
(Coauthors: Senators Bates, Chang, Galgiani, Grove, and Skinner)

March 06, 2019

Relative to Women’s Military History Week.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

SR 25, Caballero.

WHEREAS, January 24, 2019, marks the sixth anniversary of the lifting of the ban on women in combat; and

WHEREAS, This groundbreaking decision overturns a 1994 Pentagon rule that restricted women from artillery, armor, and infantry, among other combat roles, even though, in reality, women have frequently found themselves in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. According to the Pentagon, hundreds of thousands of women have been deployed in those conflicts; and

WHEREAS, Former United States Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta initiated the lifting of the ban on women in combat in 2013. On December 3, 2015, former United States Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter directed the full integration of women into all military branches; and

WHEREAS, Over the past two decades of conflict, women have served with valor in combat zones, often under fire, but had been prevented from officially holding combat positions under the 1994 Direct Ground Combat Definition and Assignment Rule, which generally barred women from assignment to units below brigade level when the unit’s primary mission was direct ground combat; and

WHEREAS, Approximately 300,000 women in uniform have served in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Female service members have earned more than 10,000 combat action badges and Bronze Stars, respectively, and at least 12 Bronze Stars with Valor. Women have served in intelligence gathering, as combat pilots, field artillery officers, chaplains, special operations civil affairs officers, and even members of the ultra-secretive Delta Force; and

WHEREAS, Women have served bravely in every major United States conflict since the American Revolutionary War. Our current servicewomen are able to serve due to the incredible work of women of past generations; and

WHEREAS, As stated by then-Secretary of Defense Panetta, “Women have shown great courage and sacrifice on and off the battlefield, contributed in unprecedented ways to the military’s mission, and proven their ability to serve in an expanding number of roles.” Panetta added, “[R]escinding the [1994 ban on women in combat] is to ensure that the mission is met with the best qualified and most capable people, regardless of gender”; and

WHEREAS, Since the lifting of the ban, three women have already made history by being the first to graduate from the United States Army Ranger School, the Army’s premier combat leadership course, proving to themselves and to the world that women can meet men’s standard for combat; and

WHEREAS, In March 2018, the first influx of female Marines arrived at the Camp Pendleton Marine Combat Training course for integrated training, graduating in April 2018; and

WHEREAS, As a country based on freedom and opportunity, regardless of creed, race, gender, or sexual orientation, we must demonstrate the same opportunity in our armed forces, while maintaining the same standard of excellence our military has set; and

WHEREAS, Our military exists to fight our nation’s wars and to defend our Constitution and our freedom. Opening up combat roles to women will add to military excellence, not subtract from it; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, That the Senate hereby recognizes “Women Warriors” by proclaiming the week of March 18, 2019, to March 22, 2019, inclusive, as Women’s Military History Week in California; and be it further

Resolved, That the Senate encourages Californians to recognize the contributions of women to our military and our freedom, the courageous sacrifices that women have made while serving our country with heroism, and the historic lifting of the ban on women in combat on January 24, 2013; and be it further

Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.