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Senate Recognizes Harriett Woods

On February 29, the Senate passed, by unanimous consent, a resolution (S. Res. 96) expressing the sense of the Senate that Harriett Woods will be remembered as a pioneer in women’s politics.

Sponsored by Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO), the resolution contains a number of findings, including:

  • Harriett Woods had many firsts, including being the first female editor for her college newspaper at the University of Michigan, the first woman on the Missouri Transportation Commission, and the first woman to win statewide office in Missouri as lieutenant governor;
  • from 1991 to 1995, Harriett Woods served as president of the National Women’s Political Caucus, a bipartisan grassroots organization whose mission is to increase women’s participation in the political process at all levels of government; and
  • Harriett Woods was integral to the electoral successes of what became known as the “Year of the Woman,” when in 1992, female candidates won 19 seats in the House of Representatives and three seats in the Senate. The resolution honors Harriett Woods, “whose actions and leadership inspired hundreds of women nationwide to participate in the political process and to break gender barriers at every level of government.”