Florida Democrats on
Women in Congress Then and Now
Pasco Democrat Legislative Committee
Working for a Better Pasco
Women in the Senate
1985 - Two Republicans served in the U.S. Senate, including the first woman elected to the Senate in her own right, Nancy Kassebaum of Kansas . No Democratic woman had yet been elected to the Senate in her own right.
2005 - Fourteen women serve in the U.S. Senate (nine Democrats and five Republicans).
Women in the U.S. House of Representatives
1985 - Twenty-three women (12 Democrats and 11 Republicans) served in the U.S. House.
2005 - Sixty-six women (43 Democrats and 23 Republicans) serve in the U.S. House.
Florida Women Currently Serving in the 109th Congress
Corrine Brown (D)
Debbie Wasserman-Schultz (D)
Women of color in the U.S. House of Representatives
1985 - One woman of color served in the U.S. House.
2005 - Twenty women of color (19 Democrats) serve in the U.S. House.
Women chairing Senate committees
1985 - No woman had chaired a Senate committee since 1945, and no women were ranking minority members on committees.
2005 - Two Republican women chair Senate committees.
Women chairing House committees
1985 - No woman had chaired a House committee since 1977, and no women served as ranking minority members on committees.
2005 - Although no women chair House committee, three women (elected with EMILY’s List support) are the ranking Democrats on major committees.
Women party leaders in the U.S. Senate
1985 - No women held party leadership positions in the Senate.
2005 - Seven women (five Democrats and two Republicans) hold party leadership positions in the Senate.
Women party leaders in the U.S. House
1985 - Two women (one Democrat and one Republican) held party leadership positions in the U.S. House.
2005 - Seven women (five Democrats and two Republicans) hold party leadership positions in the House, including Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, the highest-ranking Democrat in Congress .
*Information Provided by Emily’s List: http://www.emilyslist.org
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