[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 12]
[Senate]
[Page 15995]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO BARBARA MIKULSKI

  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, history is dotted with the stories of 
trailblazers. People who shape the public discourse at a pivotal moment 
in time or change the direction of the debate. One of those 
trailblazers is Barbara Mikulski, the longest serving woman in Senate 
history, the first woman to represent Maryland in the U.S. Senate, and 
the first woman to chair the Senate's Appropriations Committee. She is 
tough. She is direct. She is dedicated. She is a fighter. She is a 
leader.
  Barbara Mikulski has always fought for our families and our children. 
From her roots as a social worker and community activist to the levels 
of leadership in the Senate, she has held firm to her adage that she is 
not just the Senator from Maryland, she is the Senator for Maryland. 
From her first years in the Senate until now, she has promoted 
education, nutrition, healthcare, and gender equality in the Senate.
  She led our historic efforts to pass the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay 
Act--shouting from the rooftops the simple principle that women deserve 
equal pay for equal work. She continued that legacy with the Paycheck 
Fairness Act. Wouldn't it be a fitting tribute if the Senate considered 
and approved that commonsense legislation before she retires?
  Like others in this Chamber, she was a vocal and steadfast supporter 
of Violence Against Women Act and our most recent efforts to 
reauthorized and expand those lifesaving programs. She led the efforts 
to ensure that the Affordable Care Act made clear that no one should be 
discriminated against in preventive care. Who can forget her fierce 
advocacy to make the letter of the law clear that being a woman is not 
a preexisting condition?
  And when Barbara assumed the mantle chairing the Appropriations 
Committee, she brought with her the tough but fair grit that has been 
her hallmark in the Senate. When asked about earmarks, her retort was 
simple: ``I've told senators that if you're opposed to earmarks, I'll 
honor that and won't include any for your state.'' You always know 
where you stand with Barbara Mikulski.
  Thirty years ago, when she first came to the Senate, women filled 
just two seats in this body. When the Senate convenes next year, there 
will be 21. I hope it won't be another 30 years for the Senate to be 
truly representative of the country we serve.
  A lifelong Baltimore resident, ``Senator Barb'' has never forgotten 
her roots, probably because she never left. She remains a Marylander 
through and through, dedicated to her State and never forgetting that 
listening to your constituents is the most important job of all. When 
Senator Mikulski announced her retirement, she told her constituents 
that the question came down to whether she wanted to spend her time 
``raising money or raising hell to meet your day-to-day needs?'' That 
is Barbara. This rang through in her farewell speech today to the 
Senate.
  We often talk of the lions of the Senate. Barbara Mikulski ranks 
among them. I will miss her fierce advocacy, her counsel, her 
commitment, her tenacity, and her grit. I value her friendship, and we 
will miss her.

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