McCaskill: Mikulski "Has Never Met a Barrier She Couldn't Tear Down'

Statement

U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill released the following statement, paying tribute to her mentor and colleague Senator Barbara Mikulski of Maryland--the longest-serving woman in Congressional history--who today announced her retirement from the Senate:

"Our Dean of the Senate women, Barbara has never met a barrier she couldn't tear down. What's been more inspiring is that as she made history time and again, she was never satisfied with just gaining a title--she wanted to get things done, and she did, from concrete advances in equal pay for women to finally getting government funding bills passed as the first female Chair of Senate Appropriations. As a colleague, a mentor, and a friend, I'll miss her dearly. The Senate and this country are better places for her service."

Mikulski was elected to the U.S. House from Maryland's third Congressional district in 1976, where she served until she was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1986. Since then, she was reelected to the Senate four times.

McCaskill is the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate from Missouri.

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