Patricia Schroeder

Patricia Nell Scott Schroeder, popularly known as Pat Schroeder (born July 30, 1940), American politician, was a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives from Colorado, serving from 1973 to 1997. She was the longest-serving woman in the history of the House of Representatives.

Related Topics:
July 30 - 1940 - American - Politician - Democratic - United States House of Representatives - Colorado - 1973 - 1997

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Born in Portland, Oregon, she moved to Iowa with her family as a child. She attended the University of Minnesota, where she served as a student senator, before getting a law degree from Harvard University in 1964. Moving to Denver, Colorado, she worked for the National Labor Relations Board from 1964 to 1966. She later worked for Planned Parenthood and taught in Denver's public schools.

Related Topics:
Portland, Oregon - Iowa - University of Minnesota - Law degree - Harvard University - 1964 - Denver, Colorado - National Labor Relations Board - 1966 - Planned Parenthood

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In 1972, she ran for Congress in Colorado's 1st District, which was based in Denver. The district had been regarded as the most Democratic district in the Rockies, but in 1970, Denver district attorney Mike McKevitt became the first Republican to represent the district since 1933. Schroeder narrowly defeated him by just over 8,000 votes. She never faced another contest nearly that close and was reelected 11 more times.

Related Topics:
1972 - Rockies - 1970 - Republican - 1933

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While in Congress, she became the first woman to serve on the House Armed Services Committee, and was a prime mover behind the Family and Medical Leave Act. She briefly entertained the notion of running for President in 1988, before announcing her withdrawal in an emotional press conference on September 28, 1987. This earned her a lampoon on Saturday Night Live, where Schroeder (played by Nora Dunn) repeatedly burst into tears while moderating a Democratic primary debate. http://snl.jt.org/imp.php?i=1666

Related Topics:
House Armed Services Committee - Family and Medical Leave Act - President - 1988 - Press conference - September 28 - 1987 - Saturday Night Live - Nora Dunn

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She is perhaps best known, however, for saying, of Ronald Reagan, "He's just like a Teflon frying pan: Nothing sticks to him." Ironically, her characterization did stick, and the phrase "Teflon President" entered the American political lexicon. She did not seek a 13th term in 1996, and was succeeded by state house minority whip Diana DeGette, a fellow Democrat.

Related Topics:
Ronald Reagan - 1996 - Diana DeGette

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Since 1997, she has been the President and CEO of the Association of American Publishers. She has tried to make the publishing industry more socially responsible, cooperating with organizations for blind people and other people with reading difficulties to help make materials more accessible to them, particularly by encouraging publishers to release books so that they can be transferred to electronic files by nonprofit groups.

Related Topics:
1997 - CEO - Association of American Publishers

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