Barbara Mikulski facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Barbara Mikulski
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Official portrait, 2011
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| United States Senator from Maryland |
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| In office January 3, 1987 – January 3, 2017 |
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| Preceded by | Charles Mathias | ||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Chris Van Hollen | ||||||||||||
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Maryland's 3rd district |
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| In office January 3, 1977 – January 3, 1987 |
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| Preceded by | Paul Sarbanes | ||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Ben Cardin | ||||||||||||
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| Born |
Barbara Ann Mikulski
July 20, 1936 Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. |
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| Political party | Democratic | ||||||||||||
| Education | Mount Saint Agnes College (BA) University of Maryland, Baltimore (MSW) |
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| Signature |  |
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Barbara Ann Mikulski (born July 20, 1936) is an American politician and social worker. She served as a United States senator for Maryland from 1987 to 2017. Before that, she was in the United States House of Representatives from 1977 to 1987.
Mikulski is a member of the Democratic Party. She holds the record as the longest-serving U.S. Senator in Maryland history. She is also the third-longest-serving female United States Senator.
She grew up in the Fells Point area of East Baltimore. Mikulski studied at Mount Saint Agnes College and the University of Maryland School of Social Work. She started her career as a social worker and community organizer.
In 1971, she was elected to the Baltimore City Council. In 1976, she won a seat in the House of Representatives. Then, in 1986, she made history as the first woman elected to the United States Senate from Maryland.
From 2012 to 2015, Mikulski led the Senate Appropriations Committee. She was the first woman and first person from Maryland to hold this important role. She also served on other key committees.
On March 2, 2015, Mikulski announced she would retire after serving five terms in the Senate. In 2017, she became a professor at Johns Hopkins University.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Barbara Mikulski was born and grew up in the Fell's Point neighborhood of East Baltimore. She was the oldest of three daughters. Her parents, Christine and William Mikulski, were of Polish descent. Her great-grandparents had owned a bakery in Baltimore.
During high school at the Institute of Notre Dame, she helped at her parents' grocery store. She delivered groceries to older neighbors who could not leave their homes.
In 1958, she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from Mount Saint Agnes College. Later, in 1965, she received her master's degree in social work (MSW) from the University of Maryland School of Social Work.
Mikulski worked as a social worker for Catholic charities. She also worked for Baltimore's Department of Social Services. She helped children who were at risk and taught seniors about the Medicare program.
She became an activist when she learned about plans to build Interstate 95. This highway would have gone through Baltimore's Fells Point and Canton neighborhoods. She helped organize people in these communities. Together, they successfully fought to stop the highway's construction. Her efforts also led to the creation of the Southeast Community Organization. This group works to improve Baltimore neighborhoods.
Start of Political Career
Mikulski first gained national attention in 1970. She spoke at a conference about "Ethnic Americans." Her speech became very important for the "ethnic movement" in America.
Her activism led her to a seat on the Baltimore City Council in 1971. In 1973, she was chosen to lead a special commission for the Democratic Party. This group worked to make the process of choosing delegates more fair.
Serving in the U.S. House of Representatives
In 1976, Paul Sarbanes left his seat in Maryland's 3rd congressional district to run for the Senate. Mikulski won the Democratic primary election. This was the most important election in her heavily Democratic district. She easily won the general election in November.
She was reelected four more times to the House. She never faced strong competition during these elections.
Serving in the U.S. Senate
Senate Elections
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Mikulski first ran for the U.S. Senate in 1974. She won the Democratic nomination to challenge the Republican Senator Charles Mathias. Mikulski was well known in Baltimore, but less so in other parts of Maryland.
Mathias won the election with 57% of the vote. Mikulski received 43%. She lost in Baltimore City and Baltimore County, where she was very popular. This was the only election Mikulski ever lost.
Mathias announced his retirement before the 1986 elections. This opened the door for Mikulski to run again for the Senate. The Republican candidate was Linda Chavez. Mikulski won the election with 61% of the vote. She then served alongside Paul Sarbanes, the person she had replaced in the House.
Mikulski was known as "Senator Barb." She was re-elected by large majorities in 1992, 1998, 2004, and 2010. After her 2010 re-election, she became the longest-serving female senator. ABC News named her their Person of the Week for this achievement. On March 17, 2012, she became the longest-serving female member of Congress ever. She passed the record held by Rep. Edith Nourse Rogers.
In 2000, President Bill Clinton suggested Mikulski as a running mate for Al Gore. In 2007, Mikulski supported her colleague, Sen. Hillary Clinton, for President of the United States. She praised Hillary Clinton as a leader. Mikulski wanted to help break the "glass ceiling" by electing the first woman president. Senator Mikulski nominated Hillary Clinton for President at the Democratic National Convention in 2016.
From 2007 to 2017, Mikulski served with Ben Cardin. He had taken her place in the 3rd District and then succeeded Sarbanes in the Senate.
Important Laws and Bills
On June 3, 2013, Mikulski introduced the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 2013 (S. 1086; 113th Congress). This bill passed in the Senate. It helps states provide money to low-income parents for child care. The bill also added new rules to improve the program. These include required background checks for those receiving grants and yearly inspections. Mikulski said this bill helps "all children get the care they need."
On April 1, 2014, Mikulski introduced the Paycheck Fairness Act (S. 2199; 113th Congress). This bill aims to make sure people are paid fairly, regardless of their gender. It helps prevent employers from paying women less than men for the same work. The bill also protects workers who share information about wages. Mikulski said it made her "angry" that women work hard but are paid less.
Committee Work
In the 114th Congress, Mikulski was part of several important Senate committees:
- Committee on Appropriations (Ranking Member)
- Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (Ranking Member)
- Subcommittee on Defense
- Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
- Select Committee on Intelligence
Other Facts
Before 1993, women were not allowed to wear pants on the U.S. Senate floor. In 1993, Senators Mikulski and Carol Moseley Braun wore pants to challenge this rule. Soon after, the rule was changed to allow women to wear pants with a jacket.
Political Views
Mikulski voted against using military force in Iraq in both 1991 and 2002.
She has spoken out against unfair lending practices.
In October 2008, Mikulski voted for the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008. This act provided money to help the U.S. financial market.
Awards and Honors
In 1979, Mikulski was featured on a "Supersisters" trading card.
The Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in Baltimore named a large astronomy database after her. It is called the Barbara A. Mikulski Archive for Space Telescopes. This was because she strongly supported the Hubble and James Webb space telescopes.
In 2011, Mikulski was added to the National Women's Hall of Fame.
In 2012, NASA named an exploding star "Supernova Mikulski" in her honor. Also in 2012, she received the Harriet Ross Tubman Lifetime Achievement Award.
On August 22, 2013, the President of Poland Bronisław Komorowski honored Mikulski. She received the Commander's Cross with Star of the Order of Polonia Restituta. This award was for her work in Polish-American cooperation.
In November 2015, Mikulski was given the Presidential Medal of Freedom. This is one of the highest civilian honors in the United States. President Barack Obama presented it to her at the White House.
In 2020, the Senator Barbara A. Mikulski Room opened at the Enoch Pratt Free Library. It displays items from her career, including her Presidential Medal of Freedom.
On June 8, 2022, a room in the United States Capitol was named after Mikulski. It is called the Barbara Mikulski room, S-115. This was one of the first two rooms in the Capitol named after women senators.
Personal Life
Barbara Mikulski never married and does not have children. She is 4 feet 11 inches (150 cm) tall. She often joked, "I may be short, but I won't be overlooked." She is a Roman Catholic.
She grew up in a Polish-American and Catholic family. Mikulski attended Mount Saint Agnes College in Baltimore. She thought about becoming a nun with the Sisters of Mercy. However, she decided against it. She once said, "The vow of obedience did not have great appeal for me."
Images for kids
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Barbara Mikulski's signature
See also
In Spanish: Barbara Mikulski para niños
- Women in the United States House of Representatives
- Women in the United States Senate
