Political Quotes

“I am pleased to give this special order honoring the women Members who will be retiring next year. I am saddened that so many talented women are planning to leave Congress, and I wanted to take this opportunity tonight to express our gratitude for their many contributions during their years of service. I am going to proceed in order of years of service--first, Pat Schroeder, the dean of the women Members of Congress. Pat was elected in 1972, and became the first woman to serve on the House Armed Services Committee. During her service on that Committee, Pat has been the champion of women in the military and military families. She has also served on the Judiciary Committee for many years, where she led the fight to expand civil rights protections and reproductive rights for women. For 1979 until 1995, Pat served as the co-chair, along with Senator Olympia Snowe, of the Congressional Caucus for Women's Issues. Under their leadership, Congress approved a number of landmark bills, including the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Violence Against Women Act, the Civil Rights Restoration Act, the National Institutes of Health Revitalization Act, which made great strides in bringing equity to women's health research, and so many other reforms benefiting women and children.”