In the News

Spectrum News Staff
Spectrum News 1

WASHINGTON — History was made last week when a record number of women were sworn into the 116th Congress.

“It’s about time we got here,” said Rep. Gwen Moore. “When I see all these young women coming along, I [think back to when I] made history in coming to Congress.”

The congresswoman’s 2005 swearing-in marked the first time an African American and the second time a woman was elected to Congress from Wisconsin.

"Languishing in the minority here, it was so obvious that there just weren’t enough of us to really make that difference,’ she said.

Moore believes in the saying, “if you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu.”

And now, more women are pulling up seats in the 116th Congress.

23 new women were sworn into the House and 2 in the Senate.

Women now make up 23.7 percent of Congress.

“The fact that they’ve come in in this wave, really gives me an opportunity to step up and really do the things that I have wanted to do since I got here,” said Rep. Moore.

There is a target on President Trump’s back now that Democrats control the House. But Rep. Moore says there are other pressing issues. 

“We’re not going to spend all of our time impeaching the president, although it’s well-deserved,” she said. “We really want to get to the nitty gritty of the things that we think our constituencies need and deserve.”

Her attention is on healthcare which is why she’s eyeing a seat on the Ways and Means Committee. 

She also wants to see a practical plan for border security that wouldn’t cost taxpayers billions of dollars.

“We’re not talking about $5 billion. I’m hearing all kinds of estimates. The lowest estimate for this wall I heard is $25 billion and I heard upwards to $60 billion.”

The partial government shutdown will continue until this border security stalemate between Congress and the White House ends. But Rep. Moore doesn’t see the party caving to President Trump’s demands anytime soon.

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