Rep. Louise Slaughter (D – N.Y.), who was taken to the hospital with a concussion earlier this week, has died. At 88-years-old, Rep. Slaughter was the oldest sitting member of Congress.
At 88-years-old, Rep. Slaughter was the oldest sitting member of Congress.
Some of her most notable accomplishments in Congress were:
Slaughter played a prominent role in shaping several major pieces of legislation during her more than three decades in Congress, from co-authoring the Violence Against Women Act in 1994 to shepherding Obamacare through the House as Rules Committee chairwoman in 2010.
Slaughter was a co-chairwoman and founder of the Congressional Pro-Choice Caucus and ensured passage of legislation that mandated women and minorities be included in federal health trials, which at the time was limited to white men.
She was also integral to the passage of other landmark bills during her tenure, including legislation that banned health insurance companies and employers from discrimination based on a person’s genetic information. Slaughter fought for the bill’s passage for 14 years before it was signed into law by President George W. Bush in 2008.
Slaughter transformed federal ethics rules as the lead Democratic author of a 2012 law known as the STOCK Act that banned federal officials, including lawmakers and members of the president’s cabinet, from insider trading.
Before launching her political career in the early 1980’s, Slaughter was a microbiologist. According to her office, she was the only member with a microbiology background in Congress.
While a staunch pro-abortion Democrat, Slaughter’s tenure and work in Congress were acknowledged by politicians on both sides of the aisle.
.@LouiseSlaughter was tough, unfailingly gracious, and unrelenting in fighting for her ideas. She was simply great. In her memory, I have ordered that the flags above the Capitol be lowered to half-staff.
— Paul Ryan (@SpeakerRyan) March 16, 2018
Karen and I are saddened to hear of the passing of my friend Rep. Louise Slaughter. The Congresswoman was a passionate advocate for her beliefs and a valued member of the U.S. House of Representatives. Our prayers are with her family as they mourn her loss.
— Vice President Mike Pence (@VP) March 16, 2018
Louise Slaughter was a champion for New York who had a larger than life presence in Rochester area politics.
She was trailblazer, a partner and friend ever since we worked together for my father more than four decades ago. She will be missed greatly.
— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) March 16, 2018
Speaker Ryan ordered flags at the Capital be lowered to half-mast in honor of Rep. Slaughter.
Rest in peace, Ms. Slaughter.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member