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Louise M. Slaughter (D-N.Y.)

1. Why She Matters
2. At a Glance
3. Path to Power
1. 3.1. House Leadership Ambitions
4. The Issues
1. 4.1. The Economy
2. 4.2. Women's Issues
3. 4.3. Health Care
5. The Network

Current Position: U.S. Representative (since January 1986)

Table of Contents

1. Why She Matters
2. At a Glance
3. Path to Power
1. 3.1. House Leadership Ambitions
4. The Issues
1. 4.1. The Economy
2. 4.2. Women's Issues
3. 4.3. Health Care
5. The Network

Why She Matters

Born in the hills of Kentucky, Louise Slaughter, the chair of the House’s powerful Rules Committee, has made a name for herself in the vast expanse of upstate New York.

Slaughter raised three daughters before running for office for the first time in 1971. After a career in local and then state politics, she first won a House seat in 1986. Her district includes Rochester and Buffalo and is one of the few upstate New York districts that will elect someone with such a strong liberal record.

She became the ranking Democrat on the House Rules Committee when then-Rep. Martin Frost (D-Tex.) was defeated for re-election in 2005. One year later, when Democrats won the control of the House majority, she became the first woman to chair the committee.

Slaughter has easily won re-election 12 times. She’s a vigorous supporter of feminist causes and health care and fights for funding for the arts.

At a Glance

Current Position: Chairwoman of the House Rules Committee (since 2007)

Career History: U.S. Representative (since 1986); N.Y. Assembly, Representative (1983 to 1987); Monroe County Leigslature, Representative (1975 to 1979)

Birthday: August 14, 1929

Hometown: Harlan County, Kentucky

Alma Mater: University of Kentucky, B.S. (microbiology), 1951; University of Kentucky, M.P.H., 1953

Spouse: Robert

Religion: Episcopalian

DC Office: 2469 Rayburn Office Building, Washington, D.C.; 202-225-3615

District Office: Buffalo, 716-853-5813; Niagara Falls, 716-282-1274; Rochester, 585-232-4805

Web site

Path to Power

Slaughter’s southern roots extend as far back as Daniel Boone, and Slaughter is a true coal miner’s daughter. She was born in Harlan County, Ky., on August 14, 1929, the youngest daughter of Mack Lewis and Grace McIntosh, who also had two sons. The future Congresswoman was an active leader in high school, where she edited the school newspaper.

Inspired by her sister Virginia’s deadly childhood bout with pneumonia, Slaughter studied microbiology at the University of Kentucky where she also received a masters degree in public health. After graduate school she worked for a chemical company and met Bob Slaughter, whom she would marry and follow to Fairport, N.Y.

The Slaughters started a family and she became active in such community groups suc as the Girl Scouts and the League of Women Voters. Then in 1975, after failing twice to secure a seat on the Monroe County legislature, Slaughter finally won. One and half terms later, Mario Cuomo (D-N.Y.), then New York’s Secretary of State, persuaded Slaughter to go to work for him as his regional coordinator in the Rochester area.

In 1982 Democrats came calling and persuaded Slaughter to launch a campaign against a powerful Republican incumbent, Thomas Hanna for a seat on the New York State Assembly. She won by 4 percentage points. Four years later she challenged one-term incumbent Fred Eckert (R-N.Y.) for the seat representing Western New York in Congress. Slaughter ran a grassroots campaign focusing on criminal justice, women’s health and environmental legislation and won a close election with 51 percent of the vote.

House Leadership Ambitions

Though Slaughter today holds a powerful position in the House, it wasn’t always that way. In 1994 she tried to win the vice chairmanship of the Democratic Caucus and lost to Barbara Kennelley (D-Conn.), and in 1996 she lost to John Spratt (D-S.C.) in the race for the ranking Democratic post on the Budget Committee.

Slaughter has benefitted from two redistrictings. In 1990 the sections of Rochester that hadn’t been part of the 28th district were added to it, making it solidly Democratic. Then in 2000, sluggish population growth led upstate New York to lose a congressional district. That placed Slaughter in the same district as Democrat John LaFalce (D-N.Y.), the party’s ranking member on the Banking Committee. LaFalce first indicated he would run against Slaughter, but announced his retirement three weeks later.

Slaughter has been a passionate supporter of women’s issues and a strong backer of the National Endowment for the Arts. She is the Democratic Chair of the Congressional Arts Caucus. She is an outspoken proponent of stem-cell research and has fought proposals to ban human cloning.Almanac of American Politics, 2008 edition, and Louise Slaughter official Web site

In 2008 Slaughter won easy re-election against Republican David Crimmen, with 77 percent of the vote. Slaughter didn’t mention Crimmen in her campaign rallies, focusing instead on her plans for her 12th term, including a commitment to restore manufacturing in her district. “I want to do everything we can to rebuild our manufacturing sector,” she said. “You’re not a superpower if you don’t make anything.”McCarthy, Robert J., “Slaughter, Crimmen vie in low-key House race,” The Buffalo News, Oct. 31, 2008,

The Issues

Slaughter is a solid Democrat from a solidly Democratic district. She’s a dependable vote for the party, siding with the it 98 percent of the time in the 110th Congress.Washington Post Votes Database

Slaughter has focused on women’s issues, health issues and accountability in the media. She’s also been a reliable advocate for her district. Her ability to secure funds for local projects was recognized by the Rochester Institute of Technology when it named its Center for Integrated Manufacturing Studies “The Louise M. Slaughter Building.”Rochester Institute of Technology Web site

In early 2005 Slaughter wrote the Fairness and Accountability in Broadcasting Act in an attempt to reinstate the Fairness Doctrine, which requires broadcasters to give equal time to different viewpoints. As the co-chair of the House caucus on the media, Slaughter wants to tighten restrictions on how many media outlets one company can own.Earle, Geoff, “Radio-Active Dems Stir Flap,” New York Post, July 5, 2007

The Economy

Though many of her constituents opposed the $700 billion bailout of the financial industry, Slaughter voted for it. “I am concerned about what could result if we do not take action to address this industry’s failure,” she said. “Without help, Main Street will feel as much pain as Wall Street.”

She has introduced legislation to study the effects of trade agreements on American job loss and opposes NAFTA because, she contends, it has led to New York’s loss of manufacturing jobs.

Slaughter has fought to bring millions in funding to expand Rochester’s waterfront and to keep the Rochester’s Small Business Administration office open. She helped secure earmarks of $1.6 million to build a facility at the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus and $4.5 million for the University at Buffalo Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics."Lousie's Record: Economy/Jobs," Louise Slaughter official Web site

Women's Issues

Slaughter has supported feminist causes throughout her political career. In 1991 she and six other congresswomen marched on the Senate to protest the treatment of Anita Hill during the confirmation hearing of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. She’s since been outspoken about sexual harassment in the workplace. In 1994 Slaughter co-authored the Violence Against Women Act.

In the early 1990s Slaughter secured the first $500 million earmarked by Congress for breast cancer research. She also fought for the creation of an Office of Research on Women's Health at the National Institutes of Health. "We want to make sure that women are not ignored anymore, and I think we have the power now and the ability to do that," she said in 1993 while chairing the women’s health task force for the Congressional Caucus for Women's Issues.Monroe, Linda Roach, “Seeking a say-so, Medical research funds spawn debates over who spends them and how,” Chicago Tribune , Aug. 22, 1993

Slaughter has proposed legislation to create a Pentagon office for victims of sexual abuse in the military, but the bill has gone nowhere. ''If we do not address this problem here and now, I predict the Pentagon will witness a growing exodus of women in uniform, and growing problems in filling the critical positions they occupy,'' she said in 2004.Clemeson, Lynette, “Officer Testifies of Her Two Sexual Assaults in the Army,” New York Times, April 1, 2004.

Health Care

With degrees in both microbiology and public health, Slaughter has been quick to inject herself into health care debates. In May 2008, her 13-year fight against discrimination based on genetics ended when President Bush signed legislation banning the practice. The law forbids insurance companies and employers from denying employment, promotions or health coverage to people whose genetics show a predisposition to costly disease.“Bush signs bill outlawing genetic discrimination,” USA Today, May 21, 2008

The Network

Slaughter’s closest political ally is Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who appointed Slaughter to chair the House Rules Committee. The New York Congresswomen was an outspoken critic of the Republican “culture of corruption,” one of Pelosi’s main talking points in 2006.

In the 2008 presidential primaries, Slaughter endorsed fellow New York transplant, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.).

Despite their political differences, Slaughter often works with Rep. Thomas Reynolds (R-N.Y.) on projects benefitting the Rochester area. "We come from very different political philosophies, but we understand the need to work as a team to achieve success for the region," Reynolds has said.Kelly, Erin, “Slaughter Revels In New Role,” Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, undated

Slaughter shares an interest in media issues with fellow co-chairs of the Future of American Media Caucus, Reps. Jay Inslee (D-Wash.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), and David Price (D-N.C.), along with committee chair Maurice Hinchey (D-N.Y.).

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