Landrieu, Snowe to make history in next Congress: First women to lead full Congressional committee

[DeepModem Mom]

Source: CNN

When Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-Louisiana, becomes chair and Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, becomes the ranking member of the Senate’s Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, the two will become the first pair of women to lead a full committee in the House or the Senate

The accomplishment would not have been possible 20 years ago. “We’ve never had more than two women in the Senate at one time until after the election in 1992,” said Associate Senate Historian Don Ritchie.

Ritchie also observed that with the number of female senators at a record high, with women accruing the levels of seniority necessary to obtain coveted committee chairs, and with women occupying more positions of authority in both parties, the odds are greater now that women will lead more committees

In a news release issued Thursday, Landrieu and Snowe emphasized their plan to promote the interests of women-owned small businesses in their historic roles atop the committee.

Read more: http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/12/18/landrieu-and-snowe-to-make-history-in-next-congress/

[rockymountaindem]

1. Cool n/t

[CitizenPatriot]

2. good news! nt

[eppur_se_muova]

3. As Congress boldly enters the 20th century ... nt

:sarcasm:

[No Elephants]

6. Nope. When Congress entered the 20th Century, no U.S. woman could even vote.

[Infinite Hope]

4. That's shocking...It's hard to believe it hasn't happened before. I never realized that. n/t

[No Elephants]

5. For a long time, women have comprised over 50% of the U.S. population Right now, there are still

only about 16 or 17 female Senators (counting Hillary Clinton and Liddy Dole). Another reason I'd like to see Caroline Kennedy get the appointment over Andrew "shuckin' and jivin, this can also be called nepotism" Cuomo.