Patsy T. Mink: “I rise today to join in celebrating the contributions of Corrine ``Lindy'' Claiborne Boggs on the Occasion of the 25th…”

“I rise today to join in celebrating the contributions of Corrine ``Lindy'' Claiborne Boggs on the Occasion of the 25th Anniversary of the Founding of the Congressional Women's Caucus. I was one of only 16 women Members of the House of Representatives in March 1973, when Lindy began her tenure after winning a special election to fill the seat of her beloved husband, Congressman Hale Boggs. Fourteen of the women Members were Democrats and two were Republicans. Lindy knew how to be an effective legislator from the start. She already knew a great many of the Members and was knowledgeable about House procedure and protocol. In 1976, she became the first woman to chair a national political convention, presiding over the nomination of President Jimmy Carter. In 1977, Lindy and 14 other women representatives held the first meeting of the Congresswomen's Caucus in the Congresswomen's Reading Room. From the beginning, the focus of the caucus was on issues with special relevance to women, since our representation among the general Membership of the Congress was so small. The Caucus was a bipartisan organization from its inception, showing that Democratic and Republican Congresswomen could work together on issues to improve the lives of women and their families.”