Dedicates a portion of the state highway system to Clara H. Barton

◆ The sponsor's argument

Why Pamela Helming says this is needed

Clarissa (Clara) Harlowe Barton was a pioneer, nurse, educator, and humanitarian who transformed the delivery of disaster relief and wartime medical aid in the United States. Born in 1821, in a small farming community in Massachusetts, Clara began her career as a teacher. She later worked in the United States Patent Office as the first women to hold a federal government job. During the American Civil War, she found her true calling. Known as the" Angel of the Battlefield," she personally tended to wounded soldiers on the front lines and provided much needed supplies, often risking her own life to save others. In the 1870s, Barton learned about the recently formed Red Cross humani- tarian organization in Europe. Upon this discovery, she was determined to ensure that the United States have its own version of this group. Clara served as President of the American branch of the society, with the first local Red Cross Chapter being founded on August 22, 1881, in the village of Dansville, New York. This very first Chapter still stands in the Village, preserving her tireless work and legacy. In honor of her undeniable place in not just New York, but national history, this legislation dedicates a portion of state route 63 in Dans- ville, New York, to Clara H. Barton. This dedication is located in the village where it all began, serving as a reminder of Clara Barton's lifelong commitment to the humanitarian cause.

This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.