Yesterday, the U.S. Senate passed a resolution designating 2012 the ‘Year of the Girl’ to mark the 100th anniversary of Girl Scouts. The resolution recognizes the more than 50,000,000 women in the United States that are Girl Scout alumnae and the importance of empowering girls to lead with courage, confidence, and character.

“I love the Girl Scouts and I love being a Girl Scout. For 100 years, the Girl Scouts have stood for the education and empowerment of girls,” said Senator Barbara Mikulski, who grew up as a Girl Scout as  in Baltimore. “The Girl Scouts teach character, honesty, integrity and competency in a movement that has changed America and the world. I’m so proud of all the Girl Scouts have done to fight for women and girls during their first 100 years and am thrilled to help kick off their next 100 years.”

Senator Mikulski has worked on behalf of the Girl Scouts, supporting programs such as Girl Scouts Beyond Bars which allows girls to visit mothers who are incarcerated and participate in mother-daughter troop meetings. She is co-leader of Honorary Troop 1, a Girl Scout Troop of the women of the Senate.

In addition to Senator Mikulski, the resolution was cosponsored by Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine, Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii), Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Scott Brown (R-Mass.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.), Kent Conrad (D-N.D.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Tim Johnson (D-S.D.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Ala.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Jon Tester (D-Mont.).

Download a full press release and resolution text here.