“Women serving in our military and training in our service academies, excelling despite additional hurdles, are proof that our nation is stronger when more Americans can answer the call to serve,” said Rep. Houlahan. “Like all servicemembers and veterans, servicewomen deserve our recognition and gratitude. Today and every day, I am deeply proud to honor their service.” 

In June and July 1976, the first women enrolled in the U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Coast Guard Academy, U.S. Naval Academy, and U.S. Military Academy. In the 50 years since, more than 24,000 women have graduated from the academies. Service academy women have risen to the highest levels of military leadership, fought and led troops in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan, equaled or outpaced their male peers in every branch of the service, met male standards in ground combat arms roles, and served with distinction in roles from the infantry to submarines to pilots and astronauts. 

Due to a Trump Administration Executive Order, the services are barred from recognizing the 50th anniversary of women at service academies and from celebrating how their service has advanced military readiness and strength.  

“At any other time in this country, it would have been unthinkable to ignore this milestone, just as many of the Trump Administration and Secretary Hegseth’s slights against women servicemembers would be unthinkable,” said Rep. Houlahan. “This leadership is failing both our military servicewomen and our national security, and this moment demands we push back.” 

“In the summer of 1976, women enrolled in America’s military service academies for the first time. Plenty of powerful people tried to stop it — one general said any woman who could succeed at a service academy was ‘a freak.’ Fifty years and more than 24,000 graduates later, the verdict is crystal clear: women make our military smarter, stronger, and better,” said Rep. Goodlander. “No one asked for charity — just the opportunity to meet the standard. I was honored to celebrate this 50th anniversary with an extraordinary group of trailblazing patriots whose service inspires me every day. Don’t give up the ship!” 

“At a time when the accomplishments of women and other minorities in the military are being erased, it was important to us to acknowledge the women who not only broke barriers, but outperformed their male peers,” said Brenda S. "Sue” Fulton, Executive Director of WiSCI. “WiSCI was proud to co-host this event because we are fighting to keep our military the best in the world. That means drawing from the widest pool of talent, and making sure that the criteria for success are competence, character, and commitment – not your political or religious beliefs, not your color or gender, nothing else.”   

Rep. Houlahan hosted and honored the service of the following panelists: Kathleen Hicks, former United States Deputy Secretary of Defense; Brenda S. “Sue” Fulton, West Point, 1980; Kris Fuhr, West Point, 1985; Lieutenant General (Retired) Michelle Johnson, USAF Academy, 1981; Jeannette Gaudry, US Naval Academy, 1998; Rear Admiral (Retired) Cari Thomas, US Coast Guard Academy, 1984; Kate Smith, USAF Academy, 1982; and Kristy Kamarck, US Naval Academy 2000. 

Panelists were joined by Senator Duckworth (D-IL) and Representatives Goodlander (NH), Ryan (NY), Elfreth (MD), Vindman (VA), Tran (CA), Crow (CO), Deluzio (PA), Carbajal (CA), Conaway (NJ), and Cisneros (CA). 

The resolution commemorating 50 years of women at the service academies is co-led by Representatives Goodlander (NH) and cosponsored Ryan (NY), Elfreth (MD), Smith, Pelosi (CA), Bishop (GA), Holmes Norton (DC), Menefee (TX), Strickland (WA), Mullin (CA), Wasserman Schultz (FL), Randall (WA), Deluzio (PA), Ansari (AZ), Budzinski (IL), Beatty (OH), Carbajal (CA), Carter (LA), Barragan (CA), Cisneros (CA), Escobar (TX), Davis (IL), Dean (PA), Thompson (MI), Moulton (MA), Kaptur (OH), Johnson (GA), Courtney (CT), Clarke (NY), Stanton (AZ), Grijalva (AZ), Leger Fernandez (NM), Garcia (CA), Norcross (NJ), Tran (CA), Conaway (NJ), and Tokuda (HI). 

The full text of the resolution can be found here. 

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