In the News

By Sean Lahman and Marilyn Icsman

Lawmakers and others gathered Wednesday afternoon to remember the late Rep. Louise Slaughter.

The Capitol’s Statuary Hall was filled with lawmakers, family, staff and friends of the Fairport lawmaker during a memorial service held for her Wednesday afternoon.

Slaughter died in March at age 88 after being hospitalized for a fall in her Washington, D.C., home. First elected in 1987 to represent the Rochester area in Congress, Slaughter emerged as an energetic leader of the Democratic Party and a passionate champion for progressive issues.

Congressional speakers remembered Slaughter on Wednesday for her conviction, humor, kindness and progressive ideals. Several choked up while recounting their memories of Slaughter, but the memorial was also punctuated by laughter as they recalled her wit and how she always spoke her mind.

U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., said that while Slaughter was born in Kentucky, she was “a New Yorker through and through” who never backed down from a fight.

He shared a memory of Slaughter driving him around her district, and said everywhere they went was “like a family reunion.”

“She loved Rochester, and Rochester loved her,” Schumer said. Her absence will be felt by her constituents and the entire New York delegation, he said.

“I always thought that Louise had to stay in office as long as she did to give the rest of us time to catch up with her,” Schumer said.

Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-California, announced that a walnut tree was planted in Slaughter’s honor Wednesday on the Capitol grounds. Slaughter’s daughter, Robin Slaughter Minerva, who spoke at the end of the memorial, said that Slaughter “would have loved that tree — and the fact that it happened in record time.”

“One of the great privileges and joys of my speakership was to name Louise Slaughter the first woman chair of the Rules Committee,” Pelosi said. “Because of the excellence of her work.”

Current House Speaker Paul Ryan presented Slaughter’s family with the American flag that was flown above the Capitol in her honor on the day she died. He called her a “one-liner machine” and said “you could not help but like her.”

“Formidable doesn’t even begin to describe her,” Ryan said. “She was so resolute, so certain in her point of view.”

Several members of the House who worked closely with Slaughter also paid tribute.

Rep. Paul Tonko, D-N.Y., who called himself a “longtime buddy” of Slaughter, called her a visionary for her achievements as an advocate for women’s rights and the only microbiologist in Congress.

“Louise loved much, and was much-loved,” Tonko said.

Rep. Gwen Moore, D-Wisconsin, said Slaughter never skipped a beat, and called her “the life of the party.”

“This woman had swagger, she had style,” Moore said.

“Had she not worked in this insane environment, I believe that she would have hit 100 at least,” Moore said. “I mean, she had energy like no one else.”

Rep. Doris Matsui, D-California, also spoke, calling Slaughter a role model to everyone in Congress.

Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Connecticut, said members of the House still look for Slaughter on the floor.

“We all still look for her on the floor,” DeLauro said. “Often the aisle seat where she was, where she held court.”

Minerva ended the memorial for her mother with a reflection and thanked lawmakers for their speeches.

“She was funny, she was tenacious, she was stubborn…there’s nothing else I can say,” she said.

Slaughter's contributions to the arts was expected to be remembered at a Capitol reception following the memorial service hosted by Americans for the Arts. She founded the Congressional Arts Caucus and was a fierce advocate for the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

"She was the preeminent voice in Congress on the power of the arts to transform people’s lives and enrich local economies," the organization said in a statement. "Americans for the Arts and the nation’s arts community owe a debt of gratitude to Louise for her leadership."

Thousands of people attended Slaughter's funeral service at Rochester's Eastman Theatre last month, including dozens of her colleagues from the House of Representatives.

Pelosi also spoke at that service and remembered Rep. Slaughter as "a woman of fire and force" and "a perfect balance of grit and grace."

She spoke of Rep. Slaughter's tireless advocacy for women's issues, including standing up for victims of domestic violence, funding research for women’s health issues, and supporting pro-choice causes.

Rep. John Lewis, D-Georgia, memorialized Slaughter as a fighter who "loved the creative beauty of our world."

In an interview before the funeral, he called her “a beautiful, beautiful spirit,” and said afterward: "We might not be so lucky to see the likes of her again. But hopefully we will. A generation still unborn will learn of her — and follow in her footsteps."

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