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Senator Barbara A. Mikulski
The people of Maryland elected Barbara Mikulski to be
their United States Senator because she's a fighter. She looks
out for the day-to-day needs of Marylanders and the long range
needs of the nation.
A History of Helping Others and
Building Communities
Growing up in the Highlandtown
neighborhood of East Baltimore, Senator Mikulski learned the
values of hard work, neighbor helping neighbor and heartfelt
patriotism. She often saw her father open the family grocery
store early so local steelworkers could buy lunch before the
morning shift. Attending local Catholic school, Mikulski was
inspired by the Christopher social movement. Their motto –
"It's better to light one candle, than to curse the darkness"
– became one her guiding principles.
Determined to make a difference in her community, Mikulski became a social worker.
She worked for Catholic Charities and Baltimore's Department
of Social Services, helping at-risk children and educating
seniors about the Medicare program.
Social work evolved into community activism when Mikulski heard about plans to build
a 16 lane highway through Baltimore's Fells Point neighborhood.
She helped organize communities on both sides of the city
and stopped the road, saving Fells Point and Baltimore's Inner
Harbor, both thriving residential and commercial communities
today.
Her experiences as a social worker and activist provided
valuable lessons that Mikulski draws on as a United States
Senator. She believes her constituents have a right to know,
a right to be heard and a right to be represented. She listens.
She builds coalitions to get things done.
Putting Values Into Action
As a United States Senator, Mikulski puts her values
into action to make a difference in people's lives.
• She stands up for America's seniors. Mikulski wrote the landmark
Spousal Anti-Impoverishment Act to keep seniors from going
bankrupt to pay for a spouse's nursing home care. She continues
to fight for a prescription drug benefit under Medicare.
• She is a leader on women's health. Senator Mikulski fought
to have women included in clinical trials and medical research
at the National Institutes of Health. She doubled NIH's funding
for important health research. Mikulski wrote the law requiring
federal standards for mammograms, and she backed legislation
to help uninsured women get screenings and treatment for breast
and cervical cancer.
• She fights for our veterans. As the senior Democrat on the Appropriations Subcommittee that funds
the Departments Veterans Affairs, she fights to put more money
in the federal checkbook for veterans healthcare. Senator
Mikulski is standing firm against toll charges on access to
health care for America's veterans.
• She builds communities. Senator Mikulski is a leader in the fight against flipping
and predatory lending. After seeing how housing scams were
bankrupting homeowners and destroying communities in Baltimore,
Senator Mikulski worked with the HUD Secretary to set up a
National Flipping Taskforce. She helped change the face of
public housing by creating HOPE VI – a program that replaces
high-rise slums with livable communities.
Preparing America for the Future
Mikulski is committed to preparing America
for the future. That means protecting America from terrorism
and making investments in science and technology.
• Senator Mikulski works hard to protect America. She supported the
creation of the Department of Homeland Security. She worked
with her colleagues from Maryland and Virginia to make sure
there is a National Capital Region coordinator at the new
agency. She is a leader in the fight for more federal investment
in hometown security.
• She is champion of our first responders. Senator Mikulski
increased funding for FEMA's fire grant program from $150
million in 2001 to $745 million in 2003. FEMA Fire Grants
help local fire departments buy equipment and protective gear.
• Mikulski is an advocate for space exploration and
scientific inquiry. As the senior Democrat on the Appropriations
Subcommittee that funds NASA, she supports the Hubble Telescope,
Mission to Planet Earth and other science and space programs.
• Mikulski understands that 21st century jobs require 21st
century skills. She is fighting to double funding for the
National Science Foundation to expand opportunities for math
and science education. She is fighting to close the digital
divide. She pushed legislation to create Community Technology
Centers, giving families in underserved urban and rural areas access to technology.
Chronology of Public Service
Mikulski's first election was a successful run for Baltimore
City Council in 1971. She served as a councilwoman for five
years. In 1976 she ran for Congress and won, representing
Maryland's 3rd district for 10 years.
In 1986, Barbara Mikulski ran for the Senate seat vacated by retiring Senator Mack Mathias.
She won the race with 61% of the vote and was re-elected with
large majorities in 1992 and 1998. She is the third highest
ranking member of the Senate Democratic leadership and the
dean of the Senate women.
Senator Mikulski has never forgotten her roots. Throughout her career, she has returned home each
night to the city of Baltimore. From community activist to
United States Senator, she has never changed her view that
all politics and policy is local and that her job is to serve
the people in their day-to-day needs as well as prepare this
country for the future. Barbara Mikulski is proud to be the
Senator from Maryland and for Maryland.
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