10 Women In Congress To Whistle About

These women are there to whistle about, not to whistle at. They are leaders in their communities and in their states. In Washington DC, the political arena is dominated by males. But times may be changing. Currently, there are 17 women serving in the Senate (out of 100) and 67 serving in the House (out of 435). It's a start. Following are a list of ten - 5 Republican and 5 Democrat - who may make a difference.

REPUBLICANS -

Senator Lisa Murkowski - Senator Murkowski is from the state of Alaska and is the only women ever to be elected to Congress in her state. She is also the first senator to be born in Alaska.Though considered a moderate Republican, Senator Murkowski approves of offshore drilling for oil and gas and for drilling in ANWR.She is a supporter of health care reform but has urged the Obama administration not to rush into a plan. She is a lawyer.

http://murkowski.senate.gov/public/

Representative Sue Wilkins Myrick - Representative Myrick is from the state of North Carolina, the first Republican woman to represent the state. She is considered one of the most conservative members of the House. Representative Myrick is outspoken and has angered some American Muslims for referring to the Islamic Society of North America as "radical jihadists". She was formally the president of an advertising and public relations firm and once mayor of Charlotte.

http://myrick.house.gov/

Representative Kay Granger - Representative Granger is from the state of Texas. Though considered a moderate Republican, particularly by Texas standards, she generally votes with her party's leadership on most issues. Representative Granger supports an amendment to the United States Constitution to make it a crime to desecrate the American flag. She also is in favor of the Federal Marriage Amendment. She served on the city council and as mayor of Fort Worth where, in her tenure, violent crime decreased.

http://kaygranger.house.gov/

Representative Judy Biggert - Representative Biggert is from the state of Illlinois. She has a reputation in Washington for working successfully with both Democrat and Republican members of Congress to enact legislation. When issues reach a deadlock between the president and Congress, she is sometimes called in to negotiate. Representative Biggert supports renewable energy and technologies as well as many educational improvement legislation. She is a lawyer.

http://judybiggert.house.gov/

Representative Lynn Jenkins - Representative Jenkins is from the state of Kansas. She is controversial and outspoken. She supports the Bush tax cuts and thinks they should be permanent. Immigration is a hot issue with Representative Jenkins and she believes unchecked immigration "is wreaking havoc on our economic, legal, and national security interests". She claims that the excess oil prices in recent years are the result of regulation. She is an accountant.

http://lynnjenkins.house.gov/index.html

DEMOCRATS -

Senator Barbara Mikulski - Senator Mikulski is from the state of Maryland and is the first female senator elected in that state. She is the most senior female senator and recieved the largest amount of votes to date for a Senate candidate in Maryland. She is strongly opposed to predatory lending practices. Senator Mikulski was one of only eleven senators to vote against authorizing the use of force in Iraq. She is also a strong supporter of space exploration and NASA. She was formally a social worker.

http://mikulski.senate.gov/

Senator Blanche Lincoln - Senator Lincoln is from the state of Arkansas and is the youngest woman to be elected to the U.S Senate at the age of 38. She considers herself a centrist Democrat and opposes protectionist trade measures. She voted in favor of restricting class action suits. Senator Lincoln was responsible for defeating an amendment of the Farm Bill which would have capped government support for farms.When the bill passed, she threatened a filibuster and the amendment was withdrawn. She is a lawyer.

http://lincoln.senate.gov/

Representative Stephanie Herseth Sandlin - Representative Herseth Sandlin is from the state of South Dakota. She is considered a moderate Democrat and has been an outspoken advocate of veterans' rights and programs. She is a fiscally conservative Blue Dog Democrat and supports gun rights. As the representative of nine sovereign Native American tribes, she is active on issues related to their cause. She supports the use of renewable fuels such as ethanol and is also a strong supporter of farm programs. She is a lawyer.

http://hersethsandlin.house.gov/

Representative Gwen Moore - Representative Moore is from the state of Wisconsin and the first African-American elected to Congress from Wisconsin. She is a progressive Democrat and a strong advocate of tax cuts for small businesses. She also supports community block grants. She and eight other representatives participated in an act of "civil disobedience" by stepping onto the grounds of the Sudan Embassy to bring attention to the Darfur conflict. Representative Moore backs the amendment of the Truth in Lending Act. She was formally a civil affairs specialist.

http://www.house.gov/gwenmoore/

Representative Gabrielle Giffords - Representative Giffords is from the state of Arizona. She is an advocate of promoting technological innovation as a key componant to national advancement and prosperity. She believes renewable energies need to be a top priority and that solar energy is the way to the future. Representative Giffords is the only member of Congress who has a spouse on active duty in the military. She is a Blue Dog Democrat who espouses the benefits of the Clean Energy Act and continues to fight against the reliance on foreign oil. She was formally a businesswoman.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabrielle_Giffords

These women may not be names you recognize but they are hard at work behind the scenes doing what they think is best for the people they represent and their country. They are intelligent, strong and making a difference.