Louise McIntosh Slaughter
Encyclopedia
Louise McIntosh Slaughter (born August 14, 1929) is the U.S. Representative
for New York's 28th congressional district
, serving since 1993, and Chair of the House Rules Committee from 2007 until 2011. She is a member of the Democratic Party
. The district is based in Rochester
and Buffalo
and includes parts of Erie
, Monroe
, Niagara
and Orleans
Counties. She previously represented the 30th district from 1987 to 1993. Slaughter is the oldest female member of Congress, followed by U.S. Senator from California Dianne Feinstein
.
, a coal-mining
town built by a subsidiary of U.S. Steel
. Louise had two brothers, Philip and David as well as two sisters, Marjorie and Virginia. Her sister Virginia died of pneumonia
while she was a child; Louise would later cite this as her reason for earning degrees in microbiology
and public health
.
The family moved to Monticello
, where Louise attended high school. After graduating from high school, she enrolled at the University of Kentucky
in Lexington
, where she studied microbiology. After graduating with a bachelor's degree
, she went on to earn a master's degree
in public health, also from the University of Kentucky.
After graduate school, she went to work for a major chemicals manufacturer doing market research. Already involved in community groups like the Girl Scouts
and the League of Women Voters
, Slaughter became increasingly concerned with local political and community issues. She was involved in a local environmental group, the Perinton Greenlands Association, which promoted recycling and opposed development of Harts Woods. Slaughter decided to run for the Monroe County Legislature, winning on her third try. One and a half terms into her service on the County Legislature, she accepted an offer from then- New York Secretary of State Mario Cuomo
to serve as his regional coordinator in the Rochester area. When Cuomo was elected lieutenant governor, Slaughter stayed on as his Rochester regional coordinator.
In 1982 local Democrats approached Louise with a desire to see her run for the State Assembly
against the Republican incumbent Tom Hanna, whom she eventually defeated by a narrow margin. She was reelected by 10 points in 1984.
. At the time, the district included downtown and eastern Rochester, most of eastern Monroe County as well as Genesee County
and northern Livingston
and Ontario
counties. Moderate Republican Barber Conable
had represented the district for 20 years before giving way in 1985 to a considerably more conservative Republican, Fred J. Eckert
. Slaughter managed a one-point victory in the 1986 midterm election. Slaughter was the first Democrat to represent the 30th District since 1910, first woman to represent Western New York
, as well as the first Democrat ever elected to a full term from the 30th since its creation in 1893 (it had been renumbered several times in the previous century).
Redistricting after the 1990 census renumbered Slaughter's district as the 28th District. She lost her share of Genesee, Livingston, and Ontario counties, but picked up the rest of Rochester and more of Monroe County. The redistricting put her into the same district as 30-year incumbent Republican Frank Horton, a close friend of Slaughter's. The district had already been moving away from its moderate Republican roots, but the new territory made the district solidly Democratic. Horton opted to retire, though he would have been a heavy underdog against Slaughter in any case. She has been reelected six more times since then with no substantive opposition.
After the 2000 census, much of her district was merged with the Buffalo/Niagara Falls
-based 29th District of fellow Democrat John LaFalce. Original plans called for LaFalce's district to be merged with that of Republican Jack Quinn, who represented the other side of Buffalo. The new district retained Slaughter's district number, but was geographically more LaFalce's district. Only a narrow tendril
in Orleans County connected Rochester to Buffalo. However, LaFalce did not seek a 15th term, effectively handing the seat to Slaughter. With her election in 2002, she became the first woman to represent a significant portion of Buffalo in the House.
has a lower lifetime rating from the American Conservative Union
. She is one of several Democratic congressmen and senators who post at Daily Kos
, a Democratic-oriented blog
. She is also a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus
.
In early 2005, she authored the Fairness and Accountability in Broadcasting Act, or FAB Act, which would reinstate the Fairness Doctrine
, which has been criticized as an attempt to silence religious and conservative broadcasters. Drawing on her experience as a microbiologist with a master’s degree in public health, Slaughter has authored legislation to protect Americans from discrimination by health insurance providers and employers based on genetic makeup. Slaughter co-authored the Violence Against Women Act
in 1994 and wrote legislation to make permanent the Department of Justice
’s Violence Against Women Office.
As a member of the House Budget Committee
in the early 1990s, she secured the first $500 million earmarked by Congress for breast cancer research at the National Institutes of Health
(NIH). She fought for legislation guaranteeing that women and minorities are included in all federal health trials and establishing an Office of Research on Women’s Health (ORWH) at NIH. In addition, along with Senator Christopher Dodd
, she introduced the Women's Progress Commemoration Act which established the Women's Progress Commemorative Commission
in 1998.
Slaughter’s efforts to secure funds for her district was recognized by the Rochester Institute of Technology
, when it named its Center for Integrated Manufacturing Studies facility "The Louise M. Slaughter Building."
Rep. Slaughter became Chairwoman of the House Rules Committee during the 110th Congress, after the 2006 mid-term takeover of the House by the Democratic party.
Along with John Conyers
, in April 2006 Slaughter brought an action against George W. Bush
and others alleging violations of the Constitution
in the passing of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005
. The case (Conyers v. Bush
) was ultimately dismissed.
Slaughter declared that "the greatest thing she has done in her time in Congress" is passage of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act
of 2008. She introduced and reintroduced this bill for 12.5 years, and could claim victory when the bill was signed into law on May 21, 2008.
In 2009, Slaughter introduced, and testified in support of, the Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act (PAMTA), which would limit the use of antibiotics in livestock feed, to counter the threat of antibiotic resistant bacteria.
Slaughter was strongly critical of the Stupak-Pitts Amendment, which places limits on taxpayer-funding for elective abortions in the context of the November 2009 Affordable Health Care for America Act
.
In March 2010, Slaughter proposed that a House rule be passed to expedite the passage of health care reform legislation. The rule allows the House to deem the Senate version of the health care reform bill "already passed" by the House without the House holding a recorded vote on the bill. Critics, who called the strategy the "Slaughter Solution", charged this proposed strategy was an affront to democratic principles and challenged its constitutionality. Supporters observe that the courts have affirmed the rule's constitutionality, and that Republicans have used the rule repeatedly to pass major legislation such as the Patriot Act and the Tax Relief Reconciliation Act.
On March 19, 2010, two days before the health care vote, a window in Slaughter's Niagara Falls office was broken with a brick
After the shooting of Gabrielle Giffords
, Slaughter suggested the Federal Communications Commission was "not working anymore", and called for better policing of incendiary language. In 2011, with the potential of a government shutdown
looming, Slaughter said at a pro-choice rally, "This is probably one of the worst times that we've seen because the numbers of people who are elected to congress. I went through this as co-chair of the Arts Caucus. In '94, people were elected simply to come here to kill the National Endowment for the Arts. Now they're here to kill women".
Party leadership
Caucus memberships
Slaughter serves on the Democratic Steering & Policy Committee. She is the Democratic Chair of the Congressional Arts Caucus and the Bipartisan Congressional Pro-Choice Caucus. Louise also serves as Co-Chair of the Future of American Media Caucus and is former Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus for Women's Issues. After Martin Frost
, the ranking member on the House Rules Committee
, was defeated for reelection, Slaughter was appointed to this position, the first female member of Congress to serve in this post. After the 2006 elections
, she became the first woman to chair this committee.
, and later married him. After marrying, the couple moved to Fairport, New York
, a suburb of Rochester
, where Bob had been offered a job. However, to this day, Slaughter still speaks with a pronounced Kentucky accent. They have three daughters Megan, Amy and Robin.
Mrs. Slaughter is a distant relative, through the Boone family
, of former Missouri
Congressman Ike Skelton
.
Key: (i) = Incumbent
Source: New York State Board of Elections
Key: (i) = Incumbent
Source: New York State Board of Elections
Key: (i) = Incumbent
Source: Monroe County Board of Elections
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
for New York's 28th congressional district
New York's 28th congressional district
The 28th district of New York is a congressional district for the United States House of Representatives in northwest New York. The district is based in Rochester, Buffalo, and Niagara Falls, and includes parts of Erie, Monroe, Niagara and Orleans Counties; its easternmost point is in Fairport at...
, serving since 1993, and Chair of the House Rules Committee from 2007 until 2011. She is a member of the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
. The district is based in Rochester
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
and Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
and includes parts of Erie
Erie County, New York
Erie County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 919,040. The county seat is Buffalo. The county's name comes from Lake Erie, which in turn comes from the Erie tribe of American Indians who lived south and east of the lake before 1654.Erie...
, Monroe
Monroe County, New York
Monroe County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 744,344. It is named after James Monroe, fifth President of the United States of America. Its county seat is the city of Rochester....
, Niagara
Niagara County, New York
Niagara County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 216,469. The county seat is Lockport. The county name is from the Iroquois word Onguiaahra; meaning the strait or thunder of waters. It is the location of Niagara Falls and Fort Niagara, and...
and Orleans
Orleans County, New York
As of the census of 2000, there were 44,171 people, 15,363 households, and 10,846 families residing in the county. The population density was 113 people per square mile . There were 17,347 housing units at an average density of 44 per square mile...
Counties. She previously represented the 30th district from 1987 to 1993. Slaughter is the oldest female member of Congress, followed by U.S. Senator from California Dianne Feinstein
Dianne Feinstein
Dianne Goldman Berman Feinstein is the senior U.S. Senator from California. A member of the Democratic Party, she has served in the Senate since 1992. She also served as 38th Mayor of San Francisco from 1978 to 1988....
.
Early life, education, and early political career
Slaughter was born Dorothy Louise McIntosh to Oscar Lewis (Mack), a blacksmith for a coal mine, and Daisy Grace McIntosh on August 14, 1929, in Lynch, KentuckyLynch, Kentucky
There were 408 households out of which 24.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.7% were married couples living together, 16.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.5% were non-families. 36.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 20.1% had someone...
, a coal-mining
Coal mining
The goal of coal mining is to obtain coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content, and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from iron ore and for cement production. In the United States,...
town built by a subsidiary of U.S. Steel
U.S. Steel
The United States Steel Corporation , more commonly known as U.S. Steel, is an integrated steel producer with major production operations in the United States, Canada, and Central Europe. The company is the world's tenth largest steel producer ranked by sales...
. Louise had two brothers, Philip and David as well as two sisters, Marjorie and Virginia. Her sister Virginia died of pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
while she was a child; Louise would later cite this as her reason for earning degrees in microbiology
Microbiology
Microbiology is the study of microorganisms, which are defined as any microscopic organism that comprises either a single cell , cell clusters or no cell at all . This includes eukaryotes, such as fungi and protists, and prokaryotes...
and public health
Public health
Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals" . It is concerned with threats to health based on population health...
.
The family moved to Monticello
Monticello, Kentucky
Monticello is a city in Wayne County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 5,981 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Wayne County. It advertises itself as "The Houseboat Capital of the World" due to the large number of houseboat manufacturers in the city...
, where Louise attended high school. After graduating from high school, she enrolled at the University of Kentucky
University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...
in Lexington
Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
, where she studied microbiology. After graduating with a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
, she went on to earn a master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in public health, also from the University of Kentucky.
After graduate school, she went to work for a major chemicals manufacturer doing market research. Already involved in community groups like the Girl Scouts
Scouting in New York
Scouting in New York has a long history, from the 1910s to the present day, serving thousands of youth in programs that suit the environment in which they live...
and the League of Women Voters
League of Women Voters
The League of Women Voters is an American political organization founded in 1920 by Carrie Chapman Catt during the last meeting of the National American Woman Suffrage Association approximately six months before the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution gave women the right to vote...
, Slaughter became increasingly concerned with local political and community issues. She was involved in a local environmental group, the Perinton Greenlands Association, which promoted recycling and opposed development of Harts Woods. Slaughter decided to run for the Monroe County Legislature, winning on her third try. One and a half terms into her service on the County Legislature, she accepted an offer from then- New York Secretary of State Mario Cuomo
Mario Cuomo
Mario Matthew Cuomo served as the 52nd Governor of New York from 1983 to 1994, and is the father of Andrew Cuomo, the current governor of New York.-Early life:...
to serve as his regional coordinator in the Rochester area. When Cuomo was elected lieutenant governor, Slaughter stayed on as his Rochester regional coordinator.
In 1982 local Democrats approached Louise with a desire to see her run for the State Assembly
New York State Assembly
The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature. The Assembly is composed of 150 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 128,652...
against the Republican incumbent Tom Hanna, whom she eventually defeated by a narrow margin. She was reelected by 10 points in 1984.
Elections
After four years in the state assembly, Slaughter decided to run for the Democratic nomination in New York's 30th congressional districtNew York's 30th congressional district
The 30th Congressional District of New York was a congressional district for the United States House of Representatives in New York. It was eliminated as a result of the 2000 Census...
. At the time, the district included downtown and eastern Rochester, most of eastern Monroe County as well as Genesee County
Genesee County, New York
Genesee County is a county located in Western New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 60,079. Its name is from the Seneca Indian word Gen-nis'-hee-yo meaning "The Beautiful Valley." Its county seat is Batavia.- History :...
and northern Livingston
Livingston County, New York
As of the census of 2000, there were 64,328 people, 22,150 households, and 15,349 families residing in the county. The population density was 102 people per square mile . There were 24,023 housing units at an average density of 38 per square mile...
and Ontario
Ontario County, New York
As of the census of 2000, there were 100,224 people, 38,370 households, and 26,360 families residing in the county. The population density was 156 people per square mile . There were 42,647 housing units at an average density of 66 per square mile...
counties. Moderate Republican Barber Conable
Barber Conable
Barber Benjamin Conable, Jr. was a U.S. Congressman from New York and president of the World Bank.-Biography:...
had represented the district for 20 years before giving way in 1985 to a considerably more conservative Republican, Fred J. Eckert
Fred J. Eckert
Fred J. Eckert is a former one-term United States Representative from New York. He was born in Rochester, New York on May 6, 1941, graduated from North Texas State University in 1964 and took postgraduate courses at New York University and at the New School for Social Research from 1965 to 1966...
. Slaughter managed a one-point victory in the 1986 midterm election. Slaughter was the first Democrat to represent the 30th District since 1910, first woman to represent Western New York
Western New York
Western New York is the westernmost region of the state of New York. It includes the cities of Buffalo, Rochester, Niagara Falls, the surrounding suburbs, as well as the outlying rural areas of the Great Lakes lowlands, the Genesee Valley, and the Southern Tier. Some historians, scholars and others...
, as well as the first Democrat ever elected to a full term from the 30th since its creation in 1893 (it had been renumbered several times in the previous century).
Redistricting after the 1990 census renumbered Slaughter's district as the 28th District. She lost her share of Genesee, Livingston, and Ontario counties, but picked up the rest of Rochester and more of Monroe County. The redistricting put her into the same district as 30-year incumbent Republican Frank Horton, a close friend of Slaughter's. The district had already been moving away from its moderate Republican roots, but the new territory made the district solidly Democratic. Horton opted to retire, though he would have been a heavy underdog against Slaughter in any case. She has been reelected six more times since then with no substantive opposition.
After the 2000 census, much of her district was merged with the Buffalo/Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls, New York
Niagara Falls is a city in Niagara County, New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 50,193, down from the 55,593 recorded in the 2000 census. It is across the Niagara River from Niagara Falls, Ontario , both named after the famed Niagara Falls which they...
-based 29th District of fellow Democrat John LaFalce. Original plans called for LaFalce's district to be merged with that of Republican Jack Quinn, who represented the other side of Buffalo. The new district retained Slaughter's district number, but was geographically more LaFalce's district. Only a narrow tendril
Gerrymandering
In the process of setting electoral districts, gerrymandering is a practice that attempts to establish a political advantage for a particular party or group by manipulating geographic boundaries to create partisan, incumbent-protected districts...
in Orleans County connected Rochester to Buffalo. However, LaFalce did not seek a 15th term, effectively handing the seat to Slaughter. With her election in 2002, she became the first woman to represent a significant portion of Buffalo in the House.
Tenure
Slaughter is one of the most Progressive members of the New York congressional delegation from upstate New York, and in the 110th Congress (2007–2008), was the most Progressive member of the entire House of Representatives according to National Journal. Indeed, among Congressmen from upstate, only fellow Democrat Maurice HincheyMaurice Hinchey
Maurice Dunlea Hinchey , is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1993. He is a member of the Democratic Party...
has a lower lifetime rating from the American Conservative Union
American Conservative Union
The American Conservative Union is an American political organization advocating conservative policies, and is the oldest such conservative lobbying organization in the country.-Organization:...
. She is one of several Democratic congressmen and senators who post at Daily Kos
Daily Kos
Daily Kos is an American political blog that publishes news and opinions from a progressive point of view. It functions as a discussion forum and group blog for a variety of netroots activists, whose efforts are primarily directed toward influencing and strengthening the Democratic Party...
, a Democratic-oriented blog
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
. She is also a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus
Congressional Progressive Caucus
The Congressional Progressive Caucus is the largest caucus within the Democratic caucus in the United States Congress with 83 declared members, and works to advance progressive issues and positions....
.
In early 2005, she authored the Fairness and Accountability in Broadcasting Act, or FAB Act, which would reinstate the Fairness Doctrine
Fairness Doctrine
The Fairness Doctrine was a policy of the United States Federal Communications Commission , introduced in 1949, that required the holders of broadcast licenses to both present controversial issues of public importance and to do so in a manner that was, in the Commission's view, honest, equitable...
, which has been criticized as an attempt to silence religious and conservative broadcasters. Drawing on her experience as a microbiologist with a master’s degree in public health, Slaughter has authored legislation to protect Americans from discrimination by health insurance providers and employers based on genetic makeup. Slaughter co-authored the Violence Against Women Act
Violence Against Women Act
The Violence Against Women Act of 1994 is a United States federal law. It was passed as Title IV, sec. 40001-40703 of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, , and signed as by President Bill Clinton on September 13, 1994...
in 1994 and wrote legislation to make permanent the Department of Justice
United States Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated...
’s Violence Against Women Office.
As a member of the House Budget Committee
United States House Committee on the Budget
The U.S. House Committee on the Budget, commonly known as the House Budget Committee, is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives, the lower house of Congress...
in the early 1990s, she secured the first $500 million earmarked by Congress for breast cancer research at the National Institutes of Health
National Institutes of Health
The National Institutes of Health are an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and are the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and health-related research. Its science and engineering counterpart is the National Science Foundation...
(NIH). She fought for legislation guaranteeing that women and minorities are included in all federal health trials and establishing an Office of Research on Women’s Health (ORWH) at NIH. In addition, along with Senator Christopher Dodd
Christopher Dodd
Christopher John "Chris" Dodd is an American lawyer, lobbyist, and Democratic Party politician who served as a United States Senator from Connecticut for a thirty-year period ending with the 111th United States Congress....
, she introduced the Women's Progress Commemoration Act which established the Women's Progress Commemorative Commission
Women's Progress Commemorative Commission
The Women's Progress Commemorative Commission is a U.S. bipartisan commission established pursuant to the Women's Progress Commemoration Act under President Bill Clinton. The bill was introduced by Congresswoman Louise Slaughter and Senator Chris Dodd...
in 1998.
Rochester Institute of Technology
The Rochester Institute of Technology is a private university, located within the town of Henrietta in metropolitan Rochester, New York, United States...
, when it named its Center for Integrated Manufacturing Studies facility "The Louise M. Slaughter Building."
Rep. Slaughter became Chairwoman of the House Rules Committee during the 110th Congress, after the 2006 mid-term takeover of the House by the Democratic party.
Along with John Conyers
John Conyers
John Conyers, Jr. is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1965 . He is a member of the Democratic Party...
, in April 2006 Slaughter brought an action against George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
and others alleging violations of the Constitution
United States Constitution
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It is the framework for the organization of the United States government and for the relationship of the federal government with the states, citizens, and all people within the United States.The first three...
in the passing of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005
Deficit Reduction Act of 2005
The Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 is a United States Act of Congress concerning the budget, that became law in 2006.-Legislative history:The Senate's version passed after a tie-breaking vote was cast by Vice President Dick Cheney. The bill passed the chamber with no Democrats and five Republicans...
. The case (Conyers v. Bush
Conyers v. Bush
Honorable John Conyers, Jr., et al. v. George W. Bush, et al., No. 2:06-CV-11972, 2006 WL 3834224 , is a lawsuit in which Rep. John Conyers Jr. and others alleged that President George W...
) was ultimately dismissed.
Slaughter declared that "the greatest thing she has done in her time in Congress" is passage of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act
Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act
The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 , is an Act of Congress in the United States designed to prohibit the improper use of genetic information in health insurance and employment...
of 2008. She introduced and reintroduced this bill for 12.5 years, and could claim victory when the bill was signed into law on May 21, 2008.
In 2009, Slaughter introduced, and testified in support of, the Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act (PAMTA), which would limit the use of antibiotics in livestock feed, to counter the threat of antibiotic resistant bacteria.
Slaughter was strongly critical of the Stupak-Pitts Amendment, which places limits on taxpayer-funding for elective abortions in the context of the November 2009 Affordable Health Care for America Act
Affordable Health Care for America Act
The Affordable Health Care for America Act was a bill that was crafted by the United States House of Representatives in November 2009. At the encouragement of the Obama administration, the 111th Congress devoted much of its time to enacting reform of the United States' health care system...
.
In March 2010, Slaughter proposed that a House rule be passed to expedite the passage of health care reform legislation. The rule allows the House to deem the Senate version of the health care reform bill "already passed" by the House without the House holding a recorded vote on the bill. Critics, who called the strategy the "Slaughter Solution", charged this proposed strategy was an affront to democratic principles and challenged its constitutionality. Supporters observe that the courts have affirmed the rule's constitutionality, and that Republicans have used the rule repeatedly to pass major legislation such as the Patriot Act and the Tax Relief Reconciliation Act.
On March 19, 2010, two days before the health care vote, a window in Slaughter's Niagara Falls office was broken with a brick
After the shooting of Gabrielle Giffords
Gabrielle Giffords
Gabrielle Dee "Gabby" Giffords is an American politician. A Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives, she has represented since 2007. She is the third woman in Arizona's history to be elected to the U.S. Congress...
, Slaughter suggested the Federal Communications Commission was "not working anymore", and called for better policing of incendiary language. In 2011, with the potential of a government shutdown
Government shutdown
In U.S. politics, a government shutdown is a situation in which the government stops providing all but "essential" services. Typically, services that continue despite a shutdown include police, fire fighting, postal service, armed forces, utilities, air traffic management, and corrections.- Causes...
looming, Slaughter said at a pro-choice rally, "This is probably one of the worst times that we've seen because the numbers of people who are elected to congress. I went through this as co-chair of the Arts Caucus. In '94, people were elected simply to come here to kill the National Endowment for the Arts. Now they're here to kill women".
Committee assignments
- Committee on RulesUnited States House Committee on RulesThe Committee on Rules, or Rules Committee, is a committee of the United States House of Representatives. Rather than being responsible for a specific area of policy, as most other committees are, it is in charge of determining under what rule other bills will come to the floor...
(Ranking Member) - Commission on Security and Cooperation in EuropeCommission on Security and Cooperation in EuropeThe Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe , also known as the U.S. Helsinki Commission, is an independent U.S. Government agency created by Congress in 1976 to monitor and encourage compliance with the Helsinki Final Act and other OSCE commitments. It was established in 1976 pursuant to...
Party leadership
- At-Large Whip
Caucus memberships
- Congressional Arts Caucus-Co-chair
- Congressional Bipartisan Pro-Choice Caucus-Co-chair
Slaughter serves on the Democratic Steering & Policy Committee. She is the Democratic Chair of the Congressional Arts Caucus and the Bipartisan Congressional Pro-Choice Caucus. Louise also serves as Co-Chair of the Future of American Media Caucus and is former Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus for Women's Issues. After Martin Frost
Martin Frost
Jonas Martin Frost III is an American politician, who was the Democratic representative to the U.S. House of Representatives for Texas's 24th congressional district from 1979 to 2005.-Personal life:...
, the ranking member on the House Rules Committee
United States House Committee on Rules
The Committee on Rules, or Rules Committee, is a committee of the United States House of Representatives. Rather than being responsible for a specific area of policy, as most other committees are, it is in charge of determining under what rule other bills will come to the floor...
, was defeated for reelection, Slaughter was appointed to this position, the first female member of Congress to serve in this post. After the 2006 elections
United States House elections, 2006
- House of Representatives prior to the election :As of November 7, 2006, the U.S. House of the 109th Congress was composed of 229 Republicans, 201 Democrats and 1 Independent . There were also four vacancies...
, she became the first woman to chair this committee.
Personal life
While traveling for work, she met Bob Slaughter, in San Antonio, TexasSan Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
, and later married him. After marrying, the couple moved to Fairport, New York
Fairport, New York
Fairport is a village located in the town of Perinton which is part of Monroe County, New York. Fairport is a suburb east of Rochester. It is also known as the "Crown Jewel of the Erie Canal"...
, a suburb of Rochester
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
, where Bob had been offered a job. However, to this day, Slaughter still speaks with a pronounced Kentucky accent. They have three daughters Megan, Amy and Robin.
Mrs. Slaughter is a distant relative, through the Boone family
Daniel Boone
Daniel Boone was an American pioneer, explorer, and frontiersman whose frontier exploits mad']'e him one of the first folk heroes of the United States. Boone is most famous for his exploration and settlement of what is now the Commonwealth of Kentucky, which was then beyond the western borders of...
, of former Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
Congressman Ike Skelton
Ike Skelton
Isaac Newton "Ike" Skelton IV is the former U.S. Representative for . During his tenure, he has served as the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee. He is a member for the Democratic Party...
.
Congressional
| Year | Democratic | Result | Republican | Result | Other | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Louise M. Slaughter (i) | 102,514 (64.9%) | Jill Rowland | 55,392 (35.1%) | ||
| 2008 | Louise M. Slaughter (i) | 172,655 (78.00%) | David W. Crimmen | 48,690 (22.00%) | ||
| 2006 | Louise M. Slaughter (i) | 111,386 (73.17%) | John E. Donnelly | 40,844 (26.83%) | ||
| 2004 | Louise M. Slaughter (i) | 159,655 (72.61%) | Michael D. Laba | 54,543 (24.81%) | Other | 5,678 (2.58%) |
| 2002 | Louise M. Slaughter (i) | 99,057 (62.45%) | Henry F. Wojtaszek | 59,547 (37.54%) | ||
| 2000 | Louise M. Slaughter (i) | 151,688 (65.70%) | Mark C. Johns | 83,445 (36.14%) | Other | 3,820 (1.65%) |
| 1998 | Louise M. Slaughter (i) | 118,856 (64.78%) | Richard A. Kaplan | 56,443 (30.76%) | Other | 8,159 (4.47%) |
| 1996 | Louise M. Slaughter (i) | 133,084 (57.25%) | Geoff H. Rosenberger | 99,366 (42.74%) | ||
| 1994 | Louise M. Slaughter (i) | 110,987 (56.63%) | Renee Forgensi Davison | 78,516 (40.06%) | Other | 6,464 (3.29%) |
| 1992 | Louise M. Slaughter (i) | 140,908 (56.34%) | William P. Polito | 112,273 (44.89%) | Other | 7,897 (.75%) |
| 1990 | Louise M. Slaughter (i) | 97,280 (59.02%) | John M. Regan, Jr. | 67,534 (40.97%) | ||
| 1988 | Louise M. Slaughter (i) | 128,364 (56.87%) | John D. Bouchard | 89,126 (39.48%) | Other | 8,222 (3.64%) |
| 1986 | Louise M. Slaughter | 86,777 (50.99%) | Fred J. Eckert (i) | 83,402 (49.00%) |
Key: (i) = Incumbent
Source: New York State Board of Elections
State Assembly
| Year | Democratic | Result | Republican | Result | Other | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Louise M. Slaughter (i) | 30,556 (54.79%) | Donald S. Milton | 24,703 (44.29%) | Other | 506 (.90%) |
| 1982 | Louise M. Slaughter | 23,236 (52.18%) | Thomas A. Hanna (i) | 21,289 (47.81%) |
Key: (i) = Incumbent
Source: New York State Board of Elections
Monroe County Legislature
| Year | Democratic | Result | Republican | Result | Other | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | Louise M. Slaughter | 4,698 (51.45%) | Walter G.A. Muench (i) | 4,433 (48.54%) | ||
| 1973 | Louise M. Slaughter | 4,082 (49.31%) | Walter G.A. Muench (i) | 4,195 (50.68%) | ||
| 1971 | Louise M. Slaughter | 3,507 (43.34%) | Walter G.A. Muench (i) | 3,998 (49.41%) | Other | 585 (7.23%) |
Key: (i) = Incumbent
Source: Monroe County Board of Elections
External links
- U.S. Congresswoman Louise M. Slaughter official U.S. House site
- Louise Slaughter for Congress official campaign site
- Profile at SourceWatchSourceWatchSourceWatch is an internet wiki site that is a collaborative project of the liberal Center for Media and Democracy...