Opinion: Pat Schroeder Paved The Way
The Pioneer For Women’s Rights Will Be Remembered For Her Brilliance, Humor, And Razor-Sharp Wit
By U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette
For the GPHN
Colorado mourned one of its finest public servants last month when we lost former Congresswoman Pat Schroeder, who died at her home in Florida at age 82.
Pat was the first woman ever elected to represent our state in the U.S. House of Representatives. She was, unquestionably, a pioneer for women’s rights in this country. She not only inspired an entire generation of women to make their voices heard, she helped pave the way for us to do so.
I’ll never forget the moment that Pat was first elected to the U.S. House. I was a student at Denver’s South High School and like so many other young women at the time, was inspired by what she had just accomplished. Here she was, a 32-year-old mother, with two young children, who had defied all the odds to become the second youngest woman ever elected to Congress. The excitement was palpable, and there was suddenly an entire generation of girls and women, including myself, who felt empowered to follow her lead.
When Pat first arrived in Congress, she was one of only 16 women serving in the U.S. House. And yet, despite the resistance she faced, she was determined to not only lead the way for more women to follow, but to fight for them at every turn.
For 24 years, she fought tirelessly for the constituents she represented in Colorado’s First Congressional District, and she was a fierce advocate for women, children and families throughout this country.
She co-founded the Congressional Women’s Caucus and led the fight for family and medical leave. She was the driving force behind the passage of landmark legislation to protect pregnant workers, and fiercely opposed any effort to cut funding for childhood education. She was the first woman ever selected to serve on the House Armed Services Committee, where she became a vocal critic of the military’s treatment of women; and led countless efforts to better protect our military personnel.
What made Pat so unique, though, wasn’t just her brilliance or her passion for public service. It was her razor-sharp wit. Pat could trade barbs with anyone, without a moment’s notice. She could disarm the harshest critics with her humor and grace, and she had an unrivaled ability to light up almost any room she walked into.
Pat dedicated her life to serving her community and making the world a better place. She certainly did both those things – and more. Pat became a true friend and mentor to me after I succeeded her in the House, and I will be eternally grateful, not only for the time we spent together, but for all the guidance she provided me over the years.
Like so many Coloradans, I am extremely thankful for the incredible work Pat did on behalf of our state for so many years; and, like so many women, I can’t thank her enough for her unrelenting efforts to blaze the trail that she did.
There will never be another Pat Schroeder. She was truly one of a kind, and a giant whose shoulders we all stand on today.
U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette succeeded Pat Schroeder and currently represents Colorado’s 1st Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.She serves as co-chair of the House Pro-Choice Caucus and is the top Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Energy, Climate and Grid Security subcommittee.