Pelosi Statement on the Retirement Announcement of Senator Barbara Mikulski

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Washington, D.C.  – Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi today released this statement following the announcement that Senator Barbara Mikulski of Maryland, the longest-serving woman in Congressional history, will retire at the end of her term in 2016:

“Senator Barbara Mikulski is one of the most forceful and effective legislators Congress has ever known – a woman who has always known her power and wielded it to improve the lives of others.

“Senator Mikulski’s historic tenure is defined not only by its longevity, but by its leadership.  She is a towering presence in the Congress, a tenacious champion for women and working families, and one of the most skilled appropriators the Senate has ever known.  She rightly stands in the pantheon of American women recognized in the National Women’s Hall of Fame, and we know her legacy will stand as an enduring inspiration to all of America’s daughters.

“Senator Mikulski is a pioneer who has forged the path for the generations of women who came after her.  Serving as the lone woman Democratic Senator in 1987, she exemplified bravery and boldness; in the years since, she been committed to ensuring that public service is open to the next generation of women.

“It has always been a point of personal pride to me that Senator Mikulski and I both grew up in Baltimore and attended the same Catholic, all-girls high school: the Institute of Notre Dame.  Today, as she announces her retirement after such a long and storied career, I offer my sincerest congratulations for her accomplishments, and wish her all the best in the future.  Long may her record stand.”