12,858 Days and Counting

Senator Barbara Mikulski first took office on January 3rd, 1977 as a member of the House of Representatives. On Saturday, she became the longest-serving woman in Congressional history, having served 12,858 days.

Let’s reflect on that for a moment. Any way you slice it, that is a really long time.

An EMILY’s List hero - and our first candidate back when she ran for the Senate in 1986 - Senator Mikulski has been a fierce advocate for women every single one of her 12,858 days in Congress. Last month, during the Blunt Amendment hearings, she took the Senate floor and argued passionately against the Amendment, citing its impact on women and families.

During the healthcare debate two years ago, Senator Mikulski lead the way for women by proposing an amendment to the legislation in order to make insurers provide equal healthcare for women. Because, as she put it best, “For too long, in too many ways, they treated simply being a woman as a preexisting condition…we’re not going to be battered any more by these companies. We’ve ended that in this bill.”

Thank you for your service, Senator Mikulski.

Often called the ‘Dean’ of the Senate women, Senator Mikulski’s determination and service have inspired generations of women. And while the Senator’s achievement on Saturday was historic, it is not the only historic event for women in the Senate this year. EMILY’s List has endorsed a record eleven women for the Senate in 2012—six incumbents and five challengers (all of whom, by the way, would be the first women to represent their states in the Senate). Stephanie Schriock, President of EMILY’s List, has called women like Senator Mikulski our ‘firewall’ - they stand up to Senate Republicans in order to protect women and block outrageous bills like the Blunt Amendment. This year is our chance to strengthen that firewall and ensure that other women are able to serve for 12,858 days, or more.

Related Blog Posts:
On the anniversary of the Equal Rights Amendment

When you legislate women’s bodies, they won’t vote for you

Happy Affordable Care Act 2-Year Anniversary!