On the recordJanuary 25, 2011
on January 5, 2011, Senator Barbara Mikulski of Maryland became the longest-serving female Senator in the history of our country. Breaking this record, which was set by an extraordinary woman in her own time Margaret Chase Smith of Maine--is only one of many milestones Barbara Mikulski has reached during her tenure in elective office. Additional milestones are: first female Democrat to serve in both Chambers of Congress; the first female Democrat elected to the Senate without succeeding a husband or a father; and the first female to chair one of the most sought-after Appropriations subcommittees. The history books will rightly mark these achievements for the benefit of generations to come. In addition, Barbara Mikulski is known and will be remembered as a fierce fighter for the people of Maryland, an advocate for working families, the small business owner, and seniors looking for help and support in their later years. Her advocacy for and in defense of Federal workers is legendary. They may be faceless bureaucrats to some, but to Senator Mikulski they are her friends and neighbors. And they most certainly have found a champion in Barbara Mikulski. Every day, she brings that definitive fighting spirit to the Senate, championing the causes she holds dear--women's health, extended access to higher education, the concerns of our Nation's veterans and the advancement of our space program, to name just a few.
