The Capitol Has Mostly Statues Of Men. A New Bill Proposes 2 Trailblazing Women.

Supreme Court Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sandra Day O’Connor could be honored with statues in the U.S. Capitol if legislation introduced by a bipartisan group of female senators on Thursday goes ahead.

Sculptures in the Capitol commemorate notable historical figures. Of the 266 in the building, 252 are of men and just 14 represent women.

The legislation introduced by Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), and co-sponsored by 17 others, including nine men, could start to change that.

They seek to add statues of O’Connor and Ginsburg, the first and second women on the Supreme Court. Ginsburg was an international feminist icon and was still serving as a justice when she died last year.

“Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sandra Day O’Connor were trailblazers long before reaching the Supreme Court, opening doors for women at a time when so many insisted on keeping them shut,” Klobuchar said in a statement.

“The Capitol is our most recognizable symbol of Democracy, a place where people from across our country have their voices represented and heard. It is only fitting that we honor their remarkable lives and service to our country by establishing statues in the Capitol.”

Other lawmakers offered similar sentiments and highlighted the women’s efforts in breaking barriers and paving the way for other women as champions of equality and as inspiration for women and girls everywhere.

“From Justice O’Connor’s being the first female justice on the Supreme Court to Justice Ginsburg’s efforts on equal citizenship rights—their leadership has made a difference for women and families for generations to come,” Murkowski said.

The House companion to the legislation was also introduced Thursday by members of the Democratic Women’s Caucus and Bipartisan Women’s Caucus. 

The Bipartisan Women’s Caucus said in a statement that the tribute is “long overdue.”

“Their presence in our Capitol is a reminder that a woman’s place is everywhere,” the group said.