[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 1]
[Senate]
[Pages 6-15]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  HONORING SENATOR MIKULSKI AS SHE BECOMES THE LONGEST SERVING FEMALE 
                                SENATOR

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I have another resolution at desk. I ask it 
be now considered.
  The VICE PRESIDENT. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 4) honoring Senator Barbara Mikulski 
     for becoming the longest serving female Senator in history.

  (Applause, Senators rising.)
  The VICE PRESIDENT. Without objection, the resolution is approved and 
the preamble is agreed to.

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  The resolution (S. Res. 4) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                               S. Res. 4

       Whereas the Honorable Barbara Mikulski has had a long and 
     distinguished career as a United States Senator from the 
     State of Maryland;
       Whereas Senator Mikulski was first elected to the United 
     States Congress as a member of the House of Representatives 
     in 1976, where she served until winning election to the 
     Senate in 1986;
       Whereas Senator Mikulski is the first woman to be elected 
     to statewide office in Maryland;
       Whereas in the 103rd Congress, Senator Mikulski was the 
     first woman to be elected Assistant Senate Democratic Floor 
     Leader;
       Whereas Senator Mikulski was the first woman in the Senate 
     Democratic Leadership, serving as Secretary of the Senate 
     Democratic Conference in the 104th through the 108th 
     Congresses;
       Whereas in 1997, Senator Mikulski became the most senior 
     woman serving in the Senate;
       Whereas Senator Mikulski is the first woman to serve on the 
     Appropriations Committee of the Senate and the first woman to 
     chair the Appropriations Committee's Subcommittee on 
     Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies;
       Whereas Senator Mikulski has not only had a path breaking 
     career, but has won the admiration and respect of colleagues 
     on both sides of the aisle for her hard work, passionate and 
     effective advocacy, commitment to social and economic 
     justice, and willingness to serve as a mentor and role model 
     to other Senators; and
       Whereas Senator Mikulski has now surpassed the record of 
     former Senator Margaret Chase Smith as the longest serving 
     female Senator in the history of the United States: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate recognizes and honors Senator 
     Barbara Mikulski for becoming the longest-serving female 
     Senator in history.

  Mr. REID. I move to reconsider the vote by which the resolution was 
agreed to.
  Mr. McCONNELL. I move to lay that motion on the table.
  The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I now ask unanimous consent the following 
Senators be recognized to speak on this resolution and Senator 
Mikulski's historic milestone--I would note for Senators, we will be in 
a period of morning business when we complete the business of today--
Reid of Nevada for 2 minutes, McConnell for 2 minutes, Cardin for 2 
minutes, Snowe for 2 minutes, and Mikulski for 3 minutes. I ask 
unanimous consent.
  The VICE PRESIDENT. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I came to the Senate in January 1987, in the 
same class as Barbara Mikulski. Every sixth January since, including 
today, Barbara Mikulski and I have been sworn in together. Taking that 
oath is humbling and meaningful for every Senator, but it is a little 
more meaningful this time around for Senator Mikulski, for Maryland, 
and for our country. She is now the longest serving woman Senator in 
our Nation's history.
  She has had a pathbreaking career, and that is an understatement. She 
was the first woman to serve in the Senate Democratic leadership when 
we elected her our caucus secretary and she was the first woman ever to 
serve on the Senate Appropriations Committee.
  The woman whose record she breaks was a significant Senator in her 
own right. Margaret Chase Smith of Maine was the first woman to be 
elected to both the House and the Senate.
  I know Senator Mikulski very well. She is my friend and my confidant. 
I know that more than any records, she is most proud of what she has 
done with that time, time she has dedicated to tireless, passionate, 
and effective advocacy for those who need a voice or even a hand.
  She is as committed to social and economic justice as any Senator who 
has ever served in this great Chamber and she has won the admiration 
and respect of her colleagues, both Democrats and Republican, 
especially those for whom she has given her time and her advice as a 
mentor and a role model.
  Alongside all her records and accomplishments, I will always admire 
the way she led us in one of our darkest days. As evening fell on 
Washington, DC, for the first time after the Twin Towers fell in New 
York, hundreds of Members of Congress, from the House and the Senate, 
walked outside to the steps of the Capitol. We joined hands. Then, in a 
moment of silence, Senator Mikulski suggested we all sing ``God Bless 
America.'' We did. I will never forget that moment.
  I will always remember a speech this good woman gave more than two 
decades ago. Senator Mikulski, Senator John Glenn, and I went on a trip 
to Poland, back when it was behind the Communist Iron Curtain. John 
Glenn, who, of course, was an international celebrity in addition to 
being a Senator, captivated the crowd. We were in a basement, meeting 
with some dissidents. Knowing Senator Mikulski is of Polish descent, I 
asked if she could speak next, after Senator Glenn. I thought she would 
say a few words about her heritage. I have heard a lot of speeches in 
my life, but none has ever moved me more than the speech Barbara 
Mikulski gave in that basement in Warsaw, Poland.
  Congratulations to my friend, Senator Barbara Mikulski, and the State 
of Maryland for returning such a strong public servant to the Senate on 
their behalf.
  The VICE PRESIDENT. The Republican leader is recognized.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I, too, rise to honor our colleague, 
the senior Senator from Maryland, on becoming the longest serving 
female Senator in the history of the Senate. In achieving this 
milestone, Barbara passes Margaret Chase Smith, as the majority leader 
indicated, who served the people of Maine from 1949 to 1973. As was 
indicated, she is also only the second woman to be elected to both the 
Senate and the House.
  When first elected to the Senate in 1986, Barbara was only the 16th 
woman to ever serve. Today, there are more female Senators than that in 
the 112th Congress alone.
  Barbara has served as a role model and mentor to many of them, and I 
know they are grateful for it. She has been a champion of the space 
program, scientific research, welfare reform, major transportation, 
homeland security, and environmental issues in Maryland.
  I think Barbara would be the first to tell you that becoming the 
longest serving female Senator wasn't easy. Like all streaks, including 
that of another Marylander Cal Ripken, there are a lot of bumps in the 
road. But she has made it through it all and we are happy to share in 
this milestone with her today.
  I wish to recognize Barbara not only for her accomplishment as the 
longest serving female in the Senate history but also for all of her 
many accomplishments as a Senator and for the pioneering model she has 
been to so many women in her distinguished career. Again, 
congratulations, Senator Mikulski.
  The VICE PRESIDENT. The Senator from Maryland is recognized.
  Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, Marylanders take pride in their Hall of 
Famers, from Cal Ripkin, our ``Iron Man,'' to Brooks Robinson with the 
Golden Gloves, to Johnny Unitas with the Golden Arm, to Frank Robinson, 
who was an All-Star in both the American and National Leagues. Now we 
add to that list our own Senator Barbara Mikulski, the longest serving 
woman Senator in Senate history.
  Marylanders are proud of Senator Barb not because of her length of 
service but for what she has done as a Senator and throughout her 
entire career. If you ask any Marylander what they think about Senator 
Mikulski, they will start off by saying: She is a fighter. Then they 
will say: We are glad she is on our side.
  She is an effective fighter for the people. From protecting 
neighborhoods from an unwanted highway to keeping jobs in Maryland from 
being shipped overseas, there is no more effective fighter than Senator 
Barbara Mikulski.
  She has protected our national security from her position on the 
Intelligence Committee, she has strengthened the U.S. Space Program in 
her position on the Appropriations Committee, she provided equity in 
health

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care from the HELP Committee, and she stands up for our Federal 
workers, advancing gender equity issues, and the list goes on and on 
and on.
  She has taken her social worker background, her political training 
from ward politics in east Baltimore, and her hard work ethic from her 
parents and her own common sense to be the voice for working families 
in the Halls of the Senate.
  On a personal note, I thank my friend for always being there for me, 
working together as a team for the people of Maryland. On behalf of my 
two granddaughters, my daughter, my wife, and all Americans, thank you, 
Senator Mikulski, for living the American dream and making that dream a 
reality for so many Americans.
  The VICE PRESIDENT. The Senator from Maine.
  Ms. SNOWE. Mr. President, there are certain occasions in the life of 
our Nation and this esteemed institution that are so steeped in history 
they remain indelibly etched in our minds and upon our hearts. This is 
one of those iconic moments as we share in recognizing Senator 
Mikulski's venerable achievement with her colleagues, her family, loved 
ones, friends, constituents, staff, and indeed the Nation.
  This is also a special day of pride most especially for those of us 
who are women Senators for whom Senator Mikulski has been a role model 
and mentor as well as coleading numerous efforts with Senator 
Hutchison, our senior Republican woman, to foster camaraderie among all 
of us.
  Having been privileged to know Senator Mikulski for more than 30 
years, beginning with our mutual service in the House of 
Representatives, I cannot conceive of anyone I would rather witness 
overtaking such a sacrosanct milestone than the senior Senator from 
Maryland, a beloved, vigorous champion of the people of her State and 
unquestionably the women of America.
  Indisputably, for both of her Maine colleagues, Senator Collins and 
me, the landmark occasion we are commemorating is all the more personal 
and poignant given we are both colleagues and dear friends of Senator 
Mikulski and also direct inheritors and beneficiaries of Senator 
Margaret Chase Smith's groundbreaking service. It is in that light that 
I am deeply privileged today to stand at the very desk she once graced, 
and having sat across her desk when I first met her in Washington years 
ago, to also pay tribute to Senator Smith by wearing her pin given to 
me by a very good friend from Maine, Susan Longley, one of the actual 
pins in which Senator Smith would famously place the trademark rose she 
wore daily on the floor of the Senate.
  Indeed, there are numerous similarities between Senator Margaret 
Chase Smith and Senator Mikulski that transcend longevity. They both 
live the ideals of hard work and earning their own way in life. Senator 
Mikulski, the proud descendent of Polish immigrants, worked in her 
parents' grocery store during her formative years in Baltimore, and 
years later, after she graduated from college, acquired a master's 
degree and pursued the noble calling of social work.
  Senator Smith was a textile worker, telephone operator, newspaper 
woman, teacher, and an office manager. The point is, neither started at 
the top, but they most certainly arrived there. Senator Smith rose from 
the humblest beginnings to represent Maine in the House of 
Representatives and the Senate for more than 32 distinguished years 
with unequalled courage, civility, compassion, and integrity. She was a 
visionary of endless firsts, but, undoubtedly, Senator Smith will best 
be remembered for the moment during her only second year in the Senate, 
with truly uncommon courage and principled independence, she 
telegraphed the truth about McCarthyism during the Red Scare of the 
1950s with her renowned ``Declaration of Conscience'' speech on the 
Senate floor. In 15 minutes she had done what 94 of her colleagues, 
male colleagues I might add, had not dared to do, and in so doing 
slayed a giant of demagoguery prompting American financier Bernard 
Baruch to say: Had a man made that speech, he would have become the 
next President of the United States.
  Yet even as Senator Smith was a political pioneer, she never 
deliberately set out to establish some sort of precedent for women. 
Rather, what her life proved is that gender was not the key factor in 
public service but dedication and energy, confidence, ability, and 
sheer guts were. If those foundational qualities do not also 
encapsulate the essence of the public service of Senator Barbara 
Mikulski, then I do not know what does.
  It is, therefore, all the more appropriate and fitting that of anyone 
it would be a person of Senator Mikulski's legislative stature who 
would exceed Senator Smith's length of service in the Senate.
  As if this benchmark established today were not enough, on March 17, 
2012, we will all be back on the floor of the Senate because Senator 
Mikulski will become the longest serving female Member in the history 
of the Congress, House or Senate. She probably did not even have a 
chance to think about that one.
  Moreover, like Senator Smith, Senator Barbara Mikulski has always 
brought an unyielding tenacity, a cornerstone of her fighting spirit 
and character, that has time and again been reflected in her 
legislative fight on behalf of the people she represents. This will not 
be a news flash to my colleagues or even those, our new colleagues, who 
will soon discover that taking no for an answer is simply not in 
Senator Mikulski's vocabulary nor her DNA. As she has often said, she 
is not ``caffeine free.'' And nowhere have I witnessed that ardent 
focus and commitment more intensely than in Senator Mikulski's 
signature battle for equity in women's health research, one that 
Congresswoman Pat Schroeder and I were waging from the House side as 
well.
  We all set aside our partisan labels at a time when, incredibly, 
women and minorities were systematically excluded from clinical medical 
trials at the National Institutes of Health, trials that often made the 
difference between life and death.
  At a pivotal juncture, Senator Mikulski tackled this travesty head on 
and launched a key panel of stakeholders, as she can do, to explore the 
shocking discriminatory treatment which further galvanized national 
attention, and, in the end, we produced watershed policy changes that 
to this day are resulting in lifesaving medical discoveries for 
America's women.
  Ultimately, what we are celebrating today are two legislative 
juggernauts who have defined the standard of principled public service 
by exemplifying a special bond of trust that should exist between the 
governing and the governed. They have seen problems confronting their 
constituencies and the Nation and left no stone unturned to solve them. 
They recognized injustice and acted boldly to quell it. They have given 
a voice to the voiceless, power to the powerless, and they were always 
at one with those they represent because they never ever forgot their 
roots.
  That is why, as Senators from the State of Maine, where Senator 
Margaret Chase Smith's legacy has been forever enshrined, Senator 
Collins and I are profoundly honored to share in this rarified moment 
as Senator Mikulski assumes the historic mantle of longest serving 
woman in the Senate. Indeed, it bodes well for the venerable 
institution of this Senate and our great Nation to have the senior 
Senator from Maryland to be at the vanguard of our ranks.
  Congratulations.
  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, the Senate boasts many persuasive voices, 
but there are few stronger than that of Senator Barbara Mikulski. To 
call her a trailblazer does not do justice to her long and storied 
career in Congress, representing the people of Maryland and advancing 
women's rights, civil rights, and justice for all Americans. This week, 
she becomes the Senate's longest serving woman Senator in U.S. history.
  First elected to the House of Representatives in 1976, and to the 
Senate in 1986, Senator Mikulski has served the people of Maryland with 
honor and

[[Page 9]]

distinction. In Congress, she has remained committed to her roots in 
public service, which began as a social worker in Baltimore, helping 
at-risk children and helping seniors. After 5 years on the Baltimore 
City Council, Marylanders in the State's third congressional district 
sent Senator Mikulski to Congress, where she has continued her hard 
work and tireless advocacy for women and families.
  Atop her list of priorities has been giving voice to issues 
concerning women's health. She worked to establish the National 
Institutes of Health Office of Women's Health and to implement 
standards to ensure that all women have access to quality mammography. 
She fought to expand access to maternity care. Most recently, through 
Senator Mikulski's leadership, the historic Affordable Care Act 
included strong antidiscrimination provisions to ensure that being a 
woman is no longer a pre-existing condition.
  In early 2009, Senator Mikulski further proved she is, in fact, a 
force to be reckoned with, when her tireless efforts to advance the 
Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act resulted in that legislation being one of 
the first laws to be signed by President Obama. Since the Supreme 
Court's 2007 decision in Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire, Senator Mikulski 
worked relentlessly to restore congressional intent and reverse the 
Court's decision to give employers blanket immunity for their 
discriminatory pay practices. The Ledbetter Fair Pay Act restored 
victims' ability to file suit for pay discrimination, and was an 
important step forward in ensuring that all workers receive equal pay 
for equal work.
  I have been honored to work with Senator Mikulski in her capacity as 
chairwoman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, 
Justice and Science, where she has championed important programs to 
support state and local law enforcement, crime victims, and critical 
support programs for victims of domestic violence. I share her 
commitment to investing in the men and women who are charged with 
keeping our communities safe, and providing important support to 
victims of violence.
  There is no question that Senator Mikulski is a leader in the Senate. 
As the dean of the Women of the Senate, she serves as a mentor to other 
women Senators who join the Chamber. She is a dedicated public servant, 
a strong voice for women, a consensus builder. She has said she is 
``first and foremost the Senator from Maryland and the Senator for 
Maryland.'' For more than three decades, many of us have been proud to 
call her a friend.
  I join with many others in congratulating Senator Mikulski on this 
historic achievement.
  (At the request of Mr. Reid, the following statement was ordered to 
be printed in the Record.)
 Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I rise to congratulate my 
friend and colleague, Barbara Mikulski, who is now the longest-serving 
woman in the history of the U.S. Senate.
  Barbara has been a forceful advocate for the people of her beloved 
Maryland and a role model for women everywhere--beginning with her 
election to the Baltimore City Council in 1971, to her election to the 
House of Representatives in 1976, to her election to the Senate in 
1986.
  Barbara is a pace-setter in the fight for equality for women. When I 
first ran for the Senate in 1992, Barbara reached out to me to offer 
her support, for which I am grateful, and she welcomed me when I joined 
the Senate.
  Barbara is indomitable, not only in the fight for equality for women 
but in the broader fight for human rights for all mankind. I am proud 
to have worked alongside Barbara in opposing tyranny in Burma, in 
pushing to restrict cluster munitions that pose a grave threat to 
innocent people around the world, and in pushing to free Burmese 
democratic leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
  And I am proud to work with her on the Senate Select Committee on 
Intelligence, which I chair, where I know I can count on Barbara to do 
the hard work required to oversee America's intelligence agencies and 
keep America safe.
  Any discussion of Barbara would be incomplete without acknowledgment 
of her effort to improve bipartisanship in the Senate--something sorely 
needed right now--an effort aided by her monthly bipartisan dinners for 
women Senators.
  These dinners bring us together and make the Senate a more hospitable 
place for women. But they are more than that. These dinners are a way 
to forge relationships and friendships that transcend party lines. 
These gatherings have created a community of interests among Senators 
of divergent backgrounds and political views. I think that is a very 
big contribution.
  So I want to salute you, Barbara. I am proud to call you colleague 
and friend. And I look forward to working with you for many more years 
to come.
  Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to my 
colleague and friend, Senator Barbara Mikulski.
  Earlier today, when Senator Mikulski took the oath in this Chamber to 
serve, protect, and defend the U.S. Constitution, she became the 
longest serving woman in the history of the Senate.
  Senator Mikulski is no stranger to making history, and today she has 
made history once again.
  When Senator Mikulski was first sworn in as a Senator in 1987, she 
was the first Democratic woman Senator elected in her own right. And, 
along with Senator Kassebaum, she was one of only two women in the 
Senate at the time.
  Today, 17 women were sworn in on the Senate floor and I know many of 
us might not be here today without Senator Mikulski's support and 
encouragement. She truly is the dean of the women in the Senate.
  Senator Mikulski and I became very close friends when I joined the 
House of Representatives in 1983. She was always someone I respected 
because she was always focused on making life better for the middle- 
and working-class people she serves.
  When I first thought about running for the Senate, Senator Mikulski 
was the first person I went to see, and she gave such sage advice. She 
said ``You'll love it here in the Senate because you have an ability to 
help the people you serve.'' Senator Mikulski told me it would be the 
toughest thing and the best thing I would ever do.
  I give Senator Mikulski such credit. That is the role she has played 
with so many women Senators from both sides of the aisle. She regularly 
brings the women of the Senate--together Republicans and Democrats--for 
a friendly dinner.
  One of Senator Mikulski's wonderful gifts is her humor. When she and 
I served together in the House, women were unable to use the main 
facilities of the House gym. Along with Geraldine Ferraro, Olympia 
Snowe, Barbara Kennelly and others, we worked together to ``integrate'' 
the House gym.
  At the House gym, a friend would lead us in exercises. One time, she 
said to us: ``OK everyone, hands on your hips.'' Senator Mikulski 
retorted, ``If I had hips, I wouldn't be here.''
  That is so typical of her style--warm, funny and to the point. It 
brought us all together.
  And it is one reason why this daughter of east Baltimore has been 
such an inspiration to millions of women across our country.
  Senator Mikulski is an accomplished legislator and leader who knows 
how to get the job done.
  She has long fought to protect the health and well-being of women and 
their families.
  Not only did she support the historic health care reform legislation 
that is making sure every American has access to quality, affordable 
insurance, but Senator Mikulski fought to make the legislation stronger 
for women. I was proud to stand with her to pass an amendment that 
guarantees women will have access to the preventive care they need such 
as screenings for breast, ovarian and cervical cancer.
  Senator Mikulski championed the Mammography Quality Standards Act, 
which requires mammography facilities across the Nation to meet uniform 
quality standards. This law has saved lives by improving preventive 
care that

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can lead to early diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer.
  When we saw how little health science and research addressed women's 
health, Senator Mikulski and I helped lead the fight for health equity. 
We helped create the National Institutes of Health Office of Women's 
Health to study women's needs and health issues.
  Senator Mikulski believes everyone should be fairly paid for a hard 
day's work. We stood together as vocal advocates for the Lilly 
Ledbetter Fair Pay Act--a historic bill by Senator Kennedy that is now 
the law of the land.
  And, as a member of the Appropriations Committee, Senator Mikulski 
has fought for critical funding to clean up and protect Maryland's 
treasured Chesapeake Bay.
  Senator Mikulski's tenacity is undeniable. Several years ago, she was 
mugged one evening outside her home in Baltimore. A man pushed her to 
the ground and grabbed her purse.
  Even though she is only 4 feet 11 inches, Senator Mikulski fought 
back and defended herself.
  Yes, Senator Mikulski stands up for herself and stands up for the 
people of Maryland. She has fought hard for change and equal rights. As 
she likes to say, there are times when you need to ``(s)quare your 
shoulders, suit up, put on your lipstick and get ready for battle.''
  Senator Mikulski has always been out in front. She has used her role 
as the senior woman in the Senate to focus on issues that matter to her 
constituents. Her power lies in her ability to organize people. That is 
one reason she is so beloved by her colleagues--we love it when she 
brings us together on issues.
  I stand today to honor my good friend, a trailblazer and a mentor, 
Senator Mikulski.
  Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, it is a great honor to join in recognizing 
and celebrating my colleague, the senior Senator from Maryland. Senator 
Barbara Mikulski became the longest serving woman Senator in our 
Nation's history today when she completed the oath to begin her fifth 
term in the Senate. Indeed, this is not the first time Senator 
Mikulski's name will be etched in history for her groundbreaking 
service: she was the first woman elected to statewide office in 
Maryland and the first female Democrat to serve in both Chambers of 
Congress.
  During her 24 years in the Senate, she has won the admiration of her 
colleagues for her resolve, hard work and dedication to her 
constituents. It is an honor to call Senator Mikulski a friend. As 
representatives of neighboring States, we have often had the 
opportunity to work together on issues of regional importance. I can 
never thank her enough for her commitment to NASA-Wallops, one of many 
examples in this regard.
  Today marks a special milestone in the Senate's history. I join my 
colleagues in commending Senator Mikulski, not only for her enormous 
service to this body and to our country but as someone who has been a 
tireless advocate for her home State of Maryland.
  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I want to add my voice to the many others 
heaping deserved praise onto Senator Barbara Mikulski, who sets a 
record today as the longest serving woman in the history of the U.S. 
Senate.
  Tough but compassionate, an effective advocate for Maryland and for 
the national interest, Senator Mikulski has achieved more than just 
longevity. She has been an energetic and effective advocate for the 
interests of children, a staunch ally of seniors, a defender of 
services for our veterans, and a supporter of efforts to involve all 
Americans in solving our Nation's problems through service and 
voluntarism. Her support of education and scientific research promises 
benefits that will last long after we all have departed the Senate.
  I have been a proud partner with her on making commonsense changes to 
our Nation's immigration system. She also has been a strong advocate 
for Federal programs that promote manufacturing, such as the Commerce 
Department's Manufacturing Extension Program and the Technology 
Innovation Program.
  Senator Mikulski is rightly seen as a mentor and leader of women who 
come to the Senate. The successes of the many female Senators who have 
been the beneficiaries of her guidance stand as a testament to the 
power of her example.
  Senator Mikulski has admirably brought the lessons of her early 
career as a social worker to her work in the Senate, understanding that 
real families with real problems are looking to us for solutions.
  The people of Maryland and of this Nation are fortunate to have the 
benefit of her service. I am proud to call her a colleague and a 
friend. I congratulate her on her accomplishment and I await the many 
more achievements I know are to come.
  Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, it is a great pleasure to offer my 
heartfelt congratulations to Senator Barbara Mikulski on becoming the 
longest-serving woman in Senate history. While this is a milestone to 
celebrate, the true cause for celebration is not just Senator 
Mikulski's decades of service to this chamber, but her lifetime of 
service to her beloved Baltimore, her state of Maryland, and our 
Nation.
  This occasion has a special meaning for Senator Snowe and me. As she 
begins her 25th year in the Senate, Senator Mikulski now surpasses my 
personal role model in public service, Senator Margaret Chase Smith. 
Just as the Great Lady from Maine inspired Senator Snowe and me as well 
as countless other young women of my generation to serve, Senator 
Mikulski inspires the young women of today.
  As a new Senator in 1997, I was one of those tutored by Senator 
Mikulski. She taught me the ropes of the appropriations process and 
instituted regular bipartisan dinners for the women of the Senate.
  It has been a privilege to work with Senator Mikulski for 14 years. 
During that time, I have come to know her as a fighter, a trailblazer, 
and as a dear friend. She is committed to the people of her state and 
of America.
  Senator Mikulski is, above all, a hard worker. Growing up in East 
Baltimore, she learned the value of hard work at her family's grocery 
store. Her commitment to making a difference in her neighborhood led 
her to become a social worker, helping at-risk children and the 
elderly.
  Her activism and understanding of community needs led to her first 
successful run for public office, the Baltimore City Council in 1971. 
Five years later, she came to Washington as a member of Congress, 
representing Maryland's 3rd District.
  After 10 years of service in the House, she was elected to the Senate 
in 1986. In so doing, she became the first Democratic Senator elected 
in her own right. The people of Maryland wisely returned her to office 
in 1992, 1998, 2004, and again in 2010.
  Senator Mikulski's longevity is only the preface to her story of 
exceptional accomplishment. She has fought for increased access to 
higher education and for improved health care for our seniors. I am 
proud to have fought at her side on those issues, as well as for 
increased Alzheimer's research, improved women's health care, and 
enhanced educational opportunities for nurses.
  Working with her on the Appropriations Committee, I have witnessed 
firsthand how seriously she takes her responsibility to the American 
taxpayers.
  Throughout her life in public service, Senator Mikulski has lived by 
one guiding principle: her obligation is to help our people meet the 
needs of today as she helps our Nation prepare for the challenges of 
tomorrow. It is an honor to congratulate the Great Lady from Maryland 
for her many years of service, and to wish her many more.
  Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I rise to honor a distinguished colleague, 
Senator Barbara Mikulski, who is celebrating a major milestone--today 
becoming the longest serving female in Senate history.
  Elected to the House in 1976 and the Senate in 1986, Senator Mikulski 
is the first woman to win statewide office in Maryland, the first 
female Democrat to

[[Page 11]]

serve in both the House and the Senate, and the first female Democrat 
elected to the Senate in her own right.
  As one of the most effective Senators, Senator Mikulski used her 
experience as a social worker and activist to ardently work on behalf 
of her constituents giving them a strong voice in the U.S. Senate. A 
leader in the Senate she has successfully fought for a variety of 
issues ranging from women's rights to protecting our law enforcement.
  Throughout our 8 years of serving together in the House and 24 years 
in the Senate, Senator Mikulski and I have worked on many issues 
together. We have a strong bipartisan relationship that is reflected in 
the numerous accomplishments we have achieved working together as the 
chair and ranking member on the CJS appropriations subcommittee. I have 
always appreciated Senator Mikulski's candor, sense of humor, and 
willingness to cross party lines to work in the best interest of our 
Nation.
  Mr. President, I congratulate Senator Mikulski on reaching this 
historic milestone today. I am honored to call Senator Barbara Mikulski 
my colleague but prouder to call her my friend.
  Mrs. GILLIBRAND. Mr. President, I rise today to join my colleagues in 
honoring the Senator from Maryland, Barbara Mikulski--the longest 
serving woman in the history of the U.S. Senate.
  It has been an honor to serve with Senator Mikulski in my 2 years in 
this body. She quickly became a dear friend and a valuable mentor--just 
as she has been for all of her other female colleagues as the dean of 
the women Senators.
  It wasn't until 1932 that Hattie Caraway became the first woman ever 
elected to the U.S. Senate. And it wasn't until a half century later--
1986--that against all odds, Barbara Mikulski became the first 
Democratic woman ever elected to the Senate in her own right.
  Now the longest serving woman in this Chamber's entire history, 
Senator Mikulski is showing just what is possible when you ignore 
conventional wisdom, never stop fighting for what is right and just, 
and honor our commitment to the families that elect us every single 
day.
  One of her hallmark battles has been the fight for equal pay for 
equal work for women. This is not only an issue of justice, but an 
economic imperative. Even today, for every dollar a man makes, a woman 
makes just 78 cents--a disparity that is even worse for women of color. 
Latino women make just 53 cents, and African-American women make just 
62 cents for every dollar a man makes. I know Senator Mikulski won't 
give up until we correct this outrageous injustice.
  She also fought to strengthen our laws against domestic violence, and 
open up access to health screenings and treatment that can save lives. 
And, she led the fight against insurance companies that made being a 
woman a pre-existing condition.
  Senator Mikulski has always fought to protect women's health and a 
woman's right to choose. Last year, I was proud to stand with her to 
defeat the dangerous Stupak amendment that would have denied lifesaving 
reproductive care for the women of this country--a victory we would not 
have won without Senator Mikulski.
  In the words of Eleanor Roosevelt, ``the battle for the individual 
rights of women is one of long standing, and none of us should 
countenance anything which undermines it.''
  It is that spirit--never backing down in the face of injustice--
Senator Mikulski is one of the strongest voices we have for women in 
this country and women around the world.
  And every single day she's paving the way for more women in leading 
roles in America. There still may only be 17 women serving in the 
Senate today, but with her leadership and her strong voice, Senator 
Mikulski is showing the young women and young girls of this country 
that women's voices matter and are needed in the public debate.
  Whether it is here on Capitol Hill or in State capitols around the 
country or heading small business or the boardrooms of major companies, 
Senator Mikulski is helping to inspire the next generation of women 
leaders by showing that our voices solve problems and lead to change.
  Each of us owe her a debt of gratitude for her vision and pioneering 
spirit.
  Thank you, Senator Mikulski, and congratulations on your historic 
achievement. It is an honor to work with you, and I hope to serve with 
you for many years to come.
  Mrs. McCASKILL. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize Senator 
Barbara Mikulski for her trailblazing career in the U.S. Senate. As we 
begin the 112th Congress today, Senator Mikulski will begin her fifth 
consecutive Senate term making her the longest serving female Senator 
in American history. She joins legendary Maine Senator Margaret Chase 
Smith in the history books today. This accomplishment is a testament to 
her dedication to the State and the people of Maryland, and a 
commitment to serve which I aim to emulate with my constituents in 
Missouri. She is, quite simply, a remarkable, dedicated, focused and 
perseverant woman and these attributes have led to this wonderful 
moment in her continued service.
  Starting out as a social worker in Baltimore, and later becoming a 
member of the Baltimore city council, Senator Mikulski went on to 
become a U.S. Representative for the Third Congressional District of 
Maryland for 10 years. In 1986, she was elected to the U.S. Senate 
where she has served ever since.
  Barbara Mikulski has continuously broken barriers for women and made 
history in her over 40 years as an elected official. And yet, in this 
112th Congress, even as we mark this historic moment for women in the 
Senate, Senator Mikulski carries on her career in such a way that sets 
aside the pomp and circumstance of making history and instead remains 
focused on the most basic, pure and selfless form of public service.
  In closing, although Senator Mikulski's tenure in the Senate as a 
woman is an important milestone, I believe that it will ultimately be 
the Senator's leadership fighting for women, children, seniors and 
veterans which will be her lasting legacy in Congress. I have had the 
fortunate opportunity to work with Senator Mikulski on some of this 
historic legislation for women and families, including the Lily 
Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act to protect against pay 
discrimination, and the TRICARE Dependent Coverage Extension Act which 
expanded health insurance for military families.
  I want to congratulate Senator Mikulski on her pioneering career in 
civil service and on making history in the U.S. Senate today; I am 
humbled to be working on historic legislation alongside my colleague 
from Maryland.
  Mr. ROCKEFELLER. Mr. President, I want to join my colleagues in 
congratulating Senator Barbara A. Mikulski as she becomes the longest 
serving female Senator in American history.
  Senator Mikulski and I began our Senate careers in the 1980s, and it 
has been my privilege to serve with her. We have worked together on 
many, many issues, including 975 bills. Two hundred eighty-five of 
those bills passed the Senate and 184 were signed into law, including 
the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 in the last Congress. I am 
proud of our combined accomplishments and to call her my colleague and 
friend.
  It is a great honor to serve with Senator Mikulski. Senator Mikulski 
and I have more in common than some know. My life-changing experience 
with the VISTA program in the 1960s fueled my commitment to public 
service in much the same way Senator Mikulski's experience as a social 
worker in Baltimore fueled hers. Our early experiences remain the 
foundation of our shared commitment to quality health care for all 
people. Senator Mikulski and I have worked tirelessly together to 
expand access to cancer screenings and increase funding for medical 
research, including Alzheimer's disease. I was proud to stand with 
Senator Mikulski last year to pass historic health care

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reform. Her commitment to opening doors for all members of our society 
is to be commended.
  Even though she stands at 4'11" and I at 6'7", we have stood eye-to-
eye in supporting our veterans. And, we had many opportunities for 
collaboration as she was working on the Appropriations Committee and I 
chaired the Veterans' Affairs Committee. It is easy to work with 
someone like Senator Mikulski who is so committed to her values and the 
people she represents.
  The first female senator, Rebecca Latimer Felton of Georgia, only 
held office for 1 day in 1922, having been appointed by Governor Thomas 
Hardwick upon the death of Senator Thomas Watson. During her first and 
last Senate address, she said ``When the women of the country come in 
and sit with you, though there may be but a very few in the next few 
years, I pledge that you will get ability, you will get integrity of 
purpose, you will get exalted patriotism, and you will get unstinted 
usefulness.'' Rebecca Felton's words forecast Senator Mikulski. There 
is no question that she has brought all of these skills and attributes, 
and much more, to the U.S. Senate over these last 24 years.
  In some ways it is hard to believe Senator Mikulski is now the 
Senate's longest serving female Senator. She does a great job, and I 
understand she takes on the additional role of mentor to many new 
female Senators. I am thankful for that contribution which surely 
strengthens our entire Senate.
  The people of Maryland made a wise choice in reelecting this 
remarkable Senator. I look forward to celebrating her next milestone in 
just over 2 years when she will become the longest serving female 
Member in the history of Congress.
  Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I rise to recognize and congratulate my 
good friend from Maryland, Senator Barbara Mikulski, on today becoming 
the longest serving female Senator in the history of the Senate. This 
is an achievement that takes courage and passion and commitment, three 
things all of us who know her so well know she has in abundance.
  Even more important than honoring my friend on the length of her 
service today, I believe it is important to recognize what she has done 
with that service. The senior Senator from Maryland, over her 24 years, 
has established herself as a trailblazer, a legislator, a leader, and, 
above all, a fighter for her people and her State. But to me and to all 
the other women Senators who have followed in her footsteps, she is 
simply a mentor. She is the Senator who has offered us guidance, taught 
us to be fearless, and who has set a standard for all women Senators to 
follow.
  From the first time I ever spoke to Senator Mikulski, one thing was 
clear. She didn't run for the Senate to be one woman Senator. She ran 
to be one of many. I first came to the Senate in 1992, the so-called 
year of the woman. I can remember a lot of the press that year being 
about how our incoming class of four women Senators would open the door 
to changes in the culture of the Senate. But when I got here, I quickly 
realized that door had not only already been opened, it had been broken 
down by Senator Mikulski. She was the first female Democrat to serve on 
the Senate Appropriations Committee, and she was also the very first 
one to take all the new women Senators under her wing. Senator Mikulski 
realized back then there was no rule book for women in the Senate. So 
she took it upon herself to help guide the way. She drew on her own 
experiences to make the transition for all of us easier. She organized 
seminars, taught us about working together, taught us about the 
legislative process and the rules on the floor and the many more subtle 
rules off the floor. In short, she showed us the ropes, and she has 
been doing it ever since.
  But her work doesn't end with helping women Senators get their foot 
in the door. I don't know if it is because she was a social worker 
before she came to Washington, but one thing Senator Mikulski knows is 
that relationships matter. That is why she has worked to make sure that 
once women Senators get here, we are working together on both sides of 
the aisle. It is why she brings Republican and Democratic women 
together for dinners, so we can find common ground and help solve 
problems. While Senator Mikulski knows it is important and courageous 
to be the first, she also understands the first ones have to be 
responsible and successful so others can and will follow. It is because 
she has done her job so well that other women have been able to follow 
in her footsteps, and she has done her job well.
  Senator Mikulski is here today as the longest serving woman Senator 
not by accident or by happenstance. She is here because she earned it, 
because the people of her State know she is an indispensable champion 
for their causes, because she works across party lines, because she 
delivers results and because, as she has said to us so many times, she 
is always ready to square her shoulders, put on her lipstick, and suit 
up for the people who need it most.
  Whether it is leading the fight for the very first bill President 
Obama signed into law that guarantees women cannot be paid less than 
men for doing the same job or fighting for seniors who rely on Social 
Security or delivering investments for firefighters, police officers, 
and first responders or standing up for all those in Maryland who 
depend on her State's environmental resources for their livelihood, 
there are few others I want in my corner like her and there are few 
others who work as hard as she does to give a voice to those who would 
not otherwise have it.
  Since Senator Mikulski was elected in 1986, she has helped guide the 
way for 22 more women Senators. Today there are 17. But she will also 
be the first one to tell us we are not yet where we need to be, that 
more women need to serve in this body. That is why she has built a team 
of women Senators behind her that continues to grow--every generation, 
every election, every year.
  Today, Senator Mikulski makes history by serving longer than any 
other woman. But I know many years from now women will have achieved a 
larger, more representative role in this body than we now have, Senator 
Mikulski will be at the very top of the list of people to thank, the 
person who not only cut the path but who went back and guided so many 
of us down it. Thanks to her, one day the remarkable accomplishment we 
are celebrating today may no longer be such a remarkable thing for a 
woman to achieve; it will be commonplace. That will be her true and 
lasting legacy.
  Mrs. HAGAN. Mr. President, I am honored to join my colleagues in 
honoring my mentor and dear friend, Senator Barbara Mikulski, on 
becoming the longest serving woman in the history of the Senate. For 
more than 24 trailblazing years, Senator Mikulski has been one of the 
Senate's fiercest advocates for women, families, and for the people of 
Maryland who have now elected her to the Senate for five consecutive 
terms. Before she arrived in Washington in 1977 as the Representative 
from the Third District of Maryland, Senator Mikulski already had a 
distinguished career in public service, working in Baltimore as a 
social worker, then a community activist, and as a city council member. 
When she was first sworn in as a Member of the House of 
Representatives, she was one of just 18 female Members. When she 
entered the Senate 10 years later as the first Democratic woman Senator 
elected in her own right, she was one of just two women in this upper 
Chamber. But while those numbers have intimidated most, they only 
motivated and emboldened Senator Mikulski. She soon impressed her 
colleagues, as she continues to do today, with her work ethic, 
determination, keen understanding of issues, humor, and her commitment 
to her constituents.
  She has broken many barriers in her career. She was the first woman 
ever elected statewide in Maryland, the first to chair an 
appropriations subcommittee, and the first woman to serve in the 
Democratic leadership. If we are no longer surprised today when we see 
women in power in Washington, it is only because we had pioneers such 
as Barbara Mikulski. As she recently told CNN: ``I might be the first, 
but I don't want to be the last.''
  There are now 17 women serving in the Senate, and Senator Mikulski, 
the

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dean of the women, is our leader and our champion. I was both humbled 
and honored to have her escort me when I was sworn in as a Senator 2 
years ago. That was just the beginning of her ongoing mentorship. 
Although the Senate can often be bogged down by partisanship, I 
appreciate that Senator Mikulski encourages and creates an environment 
of teamwork, respect, and friendship. But while we today mark her place 
in history as a woman Senator, she is widely regarded as one of the 
most respected, accomplished, and effective public servants in all of 
Congress. To use Senator Mikulski's own words, she showed it is not 
about gender, it is about agenda.
  She is one of the Senate's strongest advocates for science and 
technology and the importance of investing in innovation to spur our 
economy. In fact, earlier this year, I was watching a 3D movie about 
the Hubble telescope at the Smithsonian with my daughter, a scientist, 
and there was Senator Mikulski featured in the movie for her role in 
preserving the telescope's budget, a feat she calls one of her proudest 
accomplishments.
  She also wrote the Spousal Anti-Impoverishment Act, which protects 
seniors across our country from going bankrupt while paying for a 
spouse's nursing home care.
  She shepherded through the Lilly Ledbetter Act, which helps to ensure 
that no matter your gender, your race, your national origin, religion, 
age, or disability, you will receive equal pay for equal work.
  She fought tenaciously for her important amendment to health care 
reform legislation ensuring that a comprehensive list of women's 
preventive services, such as screenings for breast and cervical cancer, 
would be covered with no added out-of-pocket expenses.
  I thank Senator Mikulski for her mentorship, her leadership, and her 
fierce belief in the empowerment of women in our communities and in 
public office. I congratulate her on this tremendous accomplishment, 
and I join my colleagues in looking forward to many more years of her 
distinguished service.
  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I want to say a few words about my dear 
friend, dear colleague, someone I so admire--Senator Barbara Mikulski--
on her remarkable accomplishments. Today, she took the oath of office, 
the Senator from Maryland, and made history as few others can make. 
Senator Mikulski has long been affectionately known here in the Senate 
as the dean of the women. Now she is officially the longest serving 
female Senator in the history of this great Nation.
  This distinction adds to the considerable respect and admiration I 
already have for Senator Mikulski and who she is and what she does. 
Barb, like me, came from a decidedly middle-class beginning. We often 
talk about her dad, Willie, who owned a grocery store in east 
Baltimore, and my grandfather and dad--Jake and Abe--who were 
exterminators. They were similar because they were people of the 
community. Barb would tell me that people would come in during 
difficult times--they had lost their job--and Willie would say, pay me 
when you can. It wasn't quite the same with my family, but my 
grandfather and then father, like him, felt people who had roaches or 
rats crawling through their little houses and apartments, when they 
couldn't pay, shouldn't have that service cut off for them.
  So we were both infused with that great upwardly mobile, middle-
class, help your neighbor, be part of a neighborhood, be part of a 
community feeling. Barb started her career as a social worker and made 
a name for herself when she led the fight to stop a highway project 
from destroying a historic section of her community. That is what 
launched her into politics. Like our best politicians, she came from 
the community. She didn't decide to be a politician, she came from the 
community, took on a fight, and saw how she could make government a 
friend to the people. So she went from the Baltimore City Council to 
the House of Representatives, and then, of course, to this august 
Chamber.
  Throughout that time, she has never lost sight of from where she 
came. She has fought tirelessly and effectively to protect Maryland's 
seniors, ensuring they have access to an affordable, healthy, and happy 
environment. She has been a leading advocate of medical research, 
securing billions in funding for cutting-edge research into things as 
diverse as breast cancer and Alzheimer's. She has helped countless 
women and veterans get the health care they need, and the list goes on 
and on.
  Let me say one other thing. As somebody who believes that we have to 
focus on the middle class, talk to the middle class, and have middle-
class feelings and values infused in our bones, no other Senator does 
that as well as Senator Mikulski because it is who she is and because--
being the essentially humble and modest person she is--she has never 
lost sight of where she has come from.
  So Senator Barb--as her constituents know her--you are beloved here 
as much as you are beloved in your home State of Maryland. Your sense 
of humor, your tenacity, your work ethic, your love of community, and 
your mother's crab cake recipe are unrivaled.
  It is an honor to serve alongside such an accomplished woman. Senator 
Mikulski, congratulations again. You are a great Senator and a great 
friend.
  Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, today, Senator Barbara Mikulski of 
Maryland becomes 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. She is renowned in the Halls of 
Congress for her toughness and tenacity, commanding the respect and 
appreciation of her constituents and people across the country.
  Besides these milestones and significant legislative accomplishments, 
it is also important to note Senator Mikulski's unique willingness and 
enthusiasm for mentoring others. I have been the beneficiary of her 
special attention, guidance and sage advice, as have many of my peers. 
She has helped us find our footing and navigate the peculiar ways of 
the Senate. It is truly extraordinary--and one of her most admirable 
qualities--that someone of her stature, who wields so much influence, 
always seems to be able to find the time to help and take interest in 
others, women in particular. Senator Mikulski is a remarkable leader in 
that way. She continues to serve as an inspiration to us all. I know 
she will remain a pathfinder, a visionary and a courageous leader for 
the people of Maryland and for our Nation. Another Barbara--Barbara 
Coloroso, the international bestselling author on parenting and 
teaching--once observed that ``the beauty of empowering others is that 
your own power is not diminished in the process.'' That truth holds 
special meaning for those of us fortunate enough to have been empowered 
through our association and friendship with the senior Senator from 
Maryland.

[[Page 14]]


  Mr. WHITEHOUSE. Mr. President, as we embark on a new year and a new 
Congress, I stand here today to congratulate my colleague, Barbara 
Mikulski, on becoming the longest serving female Senator in our 
Nation's history. Her work in these Halls has made our country 
stronger. And in a place where partisan rancor too often rules the day, 
she has established a legacy of service that stands as an example to us 
all.
  Her political career began in the late 1960s when she launched a 
campaign to stop the construction of a highway over historic 
neighborhoods in Baltimore. Once she won that battle, she decided to 
run for the Baltimore City Council in 1971. Forty years later, and 
following a successful stint in the U.S. House of Representatives, 
Barbara Mikulski continues to blaze an impressive trail. During her 26 
years in the Senate, she became the first woman to sit on the Senate 
Appropriations Committee, the first Democratic woman elected to Senate 
leadership, and now has crossed yet another milestone, passing Senator 
Margaret Chase Smith of Maine as the longest serving female Senator.
  It is not just the length of her service that we celebrate, it is its 
quality. No one is better at drilling down to the gist of an issue, and 
expressing it in punchy unforgettable terms. No one cheers us more than 
when she tells us to ``stand tall, square our shoulders, put on our 
lipstick and rise to the occasion.'' No one better combines the 
idealism of politics with the proactive abilities of government. As she 
told me once with a twinkle in her eye, ``I'm a reformer, and a bit of 
a ward heeler too.'' More than anything, she never forgot her roots as 
a champion for those who need one.
  In her years in the Senate, Barbara Mikulski's dedication to her 
constituents and women's rights has been clear: from becoming a 
champion of women's health issues and abortion rights, to organizing 
training seminars for woman of both parties elected to the Senate, to 
sponsoring and pushing through the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 
2009.
  During my 4 years as a U.S. Senator, I have had the great privilege 
to work with her to pass landmark health care reform legislation out of 
the HELP Committee. I also serve with her on the Intelligence 
Committee, and worked closely with her on the Senate Intelligence 
Committee's Cyber Task Force to evaluate cyber threats and issue 
recommendations to the full committee.
  And, while Rhode Island and Maryland are hundreds of miles apart, 
Barbara and her staff are truly my neighbors here in the Senate. Her 
office is next door to mine in the Hart Building. From a friendly hello 
to each other as we pass in the hall, to accompanying each other as we 
walk to the Senate floor, to the delicious treats her wonderful 
receptionist Mrs. O'Malley occasionally makes for our office, it has 
truly been a pleasure to share our little corner of the Hart Building.
  I know that all of us here in this Chamber are proud to call 
``Senator Barb'' our colleague and friend as she makes history. Her 
hard work and independent spirit have enriched the Senate and I wish 
her all the best in the years to come. On behalf of all Rhode 
Islanders, I congratulate you for this milestone in our Nation's 
history.
  The VICE PRESIDENT. The Senator from Maryland.
  Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, I thank my colleagues for their very 
warm words. Today, when I walked down the aisle, escorted by my 
esteemed partner, Ben Cardin, my former and beloved colleague, Senator 
Paul Sarbanes--when I walked down that aisle, I walked into the history 
books.
  I never set out to do that and, for me, it is a great honor to join 
Margaret Chase Smith in the history books. As Senator Snowe has said, 
and also Senator Collins on a number of occasions, Margaret Chase Smith 
and I share many things in common. Today they wear the rose, but those 
two outstanding Senators from Maine also wear the values of Maine and 
the values of Margaret Chase Smith: a strong belief in constituent 
service, staying close to the people, focusing on jobs for the State, 
being a strong supporter of innovation, and a fearless, unrelenting 
streak of independence. I hope I am like her. I know they bear that 
same set of characteristics.
  For me, it is not how long I serve but how well I serve. Service for 
me is about being connected, connected to my constituents, staying 
close to them so they do not fall between the cracks, meeting their 
day-to-day needs and also looking at the long-range needs of the 
Nation.
  Nobody comes here by themselves. Later on today I will thank my 
friends and supporters. But I want to thank the wonderful people who 
shaped me, the wonderful nuns who taught me, the school Sisters of 
Notre Dame and the Sisters of Mercy who taught me about leadership, who 
taught me about service, who taught me about my faith in Matthew 5, the 
Beatitude that said hunger and thirst after justice.
  But today as I stand here, I also think about my mother and father. I 
am filled with great emotion. I wish my mother and father were here 
today. They worked so hard for my sisters and I to have an education. 
But though they are not here with me today in the Senate gallery, I 
know they are in my heart. I want them to know they are with me when I 
fight for what we believed in.
  My father ran a small grocery store. Everybody loved my father and 
mother. They were known for honesty and integrity. When my father 
opened the grocery store every morning, he would say: Good morning. Can 
I help you? And that is the kind of values I bring to the Senate.
  Our family came from Poland. When my great-grandmother arrived in 
this country she had little money in her pocket, but she had a big 
dream in her heart. That dream was the American dream where through 
hard work, hard work and dedication, you could make something of 
yourself. You could own a home, you could have a job, you could get an 
education for your family. She did not even have the right to vote, and 
in this great country of ours, in three generations, I joined the 
Senate. She knew about hard work in terms of economic opportunity. She 
did not think too much about the Constitution, but I do--particularly 
that first amendment.
  I got into politics fighting a highway. In other countries they put 
dissidents in jail. In the United States of America, because of the 
first amendment, they put you in the United States Senate. God bless 
America.
  When I came to the Senate, though I was all by myself, I said I was 
never alone because of the wonderful way the men have treated me. The 
history of the women in the Senate is short--I might add, 4-foot-11 
short. But everything we have done we have been able to work on 
together.
  I fought for seniors to try to pass, and passed, the Spousal 
Impoverishment Act to make sure the very cruel rules of our government 
did not force people into bankruptcy when they had to turn to a nursing 
home. I worked to pass the Lilly Ledbetter bill to give equal pay for 
equal work; our wonderful work on women's health, where we broke 
barriers in terms of research. We know we have saved lives because of 
what we have done in research in our preventive health amendment, and 
for young people in national service.
  I have also fought for Maryland--whether it is cleaning up the bay or 
fighting for jobs in the Port of Baltimore, whether it is looking out 
for the Goddard Space Agency or doubling the funding at the National 
Institutes of Health. For me, again, it is all about service. I am 
fighting for a stronger economy and a safer America. For me it is not 
about the past, it is about the future. Though I break one record 
today, I want to work with all of you on both sides of the aisle to 
break other records.
  Let's break that high record of unemployment in our country. Let's 
break that record of low graduation rates in our high schools. Let's 
break the record of the longest war in American history and bring our 
troops home as safely as we can. I want to build a strong economy.
  I am going to work to build a strong economy, an innovation economy 
so we

[[Page 15]]

are able to move ahead. Today when I took my oath, I pledged that I 
want to help America be great again with a renewed self-confidence and 
achievement. I want us to be a global leader in this innovation 
economy. I want to help America be excellent again so we not only win 
Nobel Prizes--and I want us to win lots of them--but win international 
markets and win lots of them. I want to promote a sense of community 
where we look out for each other and for our community and where the 
people of the United States know they have a government on their side.
  I will close with a quote from George Bernard Shaw.

       I am convinced that my life belongs to the whole community; 
     and as long as I live, it is my privilege to do for it 
     whatever I can, for the harder I work, the more I live.
       I rejoice in life for its own sake. Life is no brief candle 
     to me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I got hold of for 
     a moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible 
     before turning it over to future generations.

  Someday in the future, someone else will break this record. Let's 
work together to break those other records.
  Thanks for everything. God bless America.
  (Applause, Senators rising.)
  The VICE PRESIDENT. The majority leader.

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