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8 Cosponsor:
9 Deidre M. Henderson
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11 LONG TITLE
12 General Description:
13 This concurrent resolution initiates the replacement of the state's statue of Philo
14 Farnsworth in the United States Capitol with a statue of Dr. Martha Hughes Cannon.
15 Highlighted Provisions:
16 This resolution:
17 ▸ requests that the Joint Committee on the Library of Congress approve the
18 replacement of Utah's statue of Philo Farnsworth in the National Statuary Hall
19 Collection in the United States Capitol with a statue of Dr. Martha Hughes Cannon.
20 Special Clauses:
21 None
22
23 Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah, the Governor concurring therein:
24 WHEREAS, 2 U.S.C. Sec. 2131 allows each state to provide two statues of individuals
25 who were citizens of the state, who are known for their "historic renown or for distinguished
26 civic or military service," for commemoration in the National Statuary Hall Collection in the
27 United States Capitol;
28 WHEREAS, Utah is currently represented by the statues of Brigham Young and Philo
29 Farnsworth;
30 WHEREAS, 2 U.S.C. Sec. 2132 allows a state to request the Joint Committee on the
31 Library of Congress to approve the replacement of a state's statue if:
32 (1) the statue to be replaced has been on display in the United States Capitol for at least
33 10 years; and
34 (2) a replacement request is made through a legislative resolution and approved by the
35 Governor;
36 WHEREAS, the statue of Philo Farnsworth has been on display in the United States
37 Capitol since 1990;
38 WHEREAS, 2 U.S.C. Sec. 2131a requires that an individual's statue may not be placed
39 in the National Statuary Hall Collection until 10 years after the individual's death;
40 WHEREAS, Dr. Martha "Mattie" Hughes Cannon is a renowned woman of Utah, the
41 first female state senator elected in the United States, and a national champion for women's
42 rights;
43 WHEREAS, although the Utah Territory granted women suffrage in 1870, Congress
44 passed the Edmunds-Tucker Act in 1887, revoking women's suffrage in the territory;
45 WHEREAS, the Utah Chapter of the National Woman Suffrage Association was
46 created in 1889 and Dr. Cannon was instrumental in that organization's fight to restore
47 women's right to vote in Utah, which effort was consummated in 1896 with the adoption of the
48 Utah Constitution;
49 WHEREAS, that same year, Dr. Cannon was elected as a member of the Utah Senate
50 and became the first female ever elected as a state senator in the United States, 24 years before
51 all women in the United States were granted the right to vote by the ratification of the
52 Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution;
53 WHEREAS, Dr. Cannon defeated her husband and other candidates to obtain her
54 Senate seat;
55 WHEREAS, during her time in the Utah Senate, Dr. Cannon was an outspoken
56 champion for public health issues and was a powerful advocate for women's rights;
57 WHEREAS, after Dr. Cannon retired from the Legislature, she continued to fight for
58 public health improvements, women's rights, and other important public policy improvements
59 until she passed away in 1932; and
60 WHEREAS, Dr. Cannon's faith, resolve, vision, and tireless efforts deserve the highest
61 honors the state can bestow:
62 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah, the
63 Governor concurring therein, in conformance with 2 U.S.C. Sec. 2132, requests that the Joint
64 Committee on the Library of Congress approve the replacement of Utah's statue of Philo
65 Farnsworth in the National Statuary Hall in the United States Capitol with a statue of Dr.
66 Martha Hughes Cannon.
67 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the statue of Dr. Cannon be unveiled in the United
68 States Capitol in August of 2020, in commemoration of the month of the 100th anniversary of
69 the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution.
70 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that no public funds be used for any cost related to the
71 creation and placement of the new statue.
72 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that, in conformance with the requirements of 2 U.S.C.
73 Sec. 2131, the statue be created in marble or bronze.
74 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be mailed to the Joint
75 Committee on the Library of Congress for its consideration.