The U.S. Capitol has named two rooms after female senators for the first time ever
The U.S. Capitol building has more than 540 different rooms, dozens of which are named after distinguished lawmakers from throughout history. But none bore the names of women senators — until this week.
On Wednesday, a bipartisan group of senators held a ceremony dedicating two of the Capitol's rooms to trailblazing former Sens. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.) and Margaret Chase Smith (R-Maine).
Smith, who died in 1995, was the first woman to win election to both the U.S. House and Senate. Mikulski still holds the title of longest-serving woman in Congress after retiring in 2017 after 45 years. She was present at Wednesday's event, along with several of her longtime colleagues and former staffers.
"I would hope that when people see these two rooms ... that they are inspired today about service, about duty, about respect for the Constitution. "I am very grateful to have a room of my own in the United States Senate, but I want to share it with all of you and the American people."
