NOW deeply mourns the passing of Rep. Louise Slaughter. Louise Slaughter made her mark on history, and women everywhere are living better, safer lives because of her vision and leadership.
As one of the longest-serving women in the House of Representatives, Louise Slaughter was a dynamo when it came to women’s rights. She was the first female chair of the all-powerful House Rules Committee, where she facilitated the passage of dozens of bills, including the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, and the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.
Louise Slaughter was the co-chair and founding member of the Congressional Pro-Choice caucus, and an original author of the landmark Violence Against Women Act, which has reduced cases of domestic violence by 67 percent since 1994.
Congresswoman Slaughter dedicated the first $500 million in federal funds to breast cancer research at the National Institute of Health (NIH). Prior to 1993, all clinical trials at the NIH were being conducted only on white men.
And when the Supreme Court ruled that employers could deny coverage for certain types of contraceptive methods, Louise Slaughter introduced the Not My Boss’s Business Bill, which would ensure that no corporation can choose to deny federally mandated health services.
Louise Slaughter’s wise counsel, sharp intellect and effective lawmaking will be sorely missed. Women have lost a leader, and a dear, dear friend.