Senate Report Card: Barbara Mikulski D-MD

Senator Barbara Mikulski is the senior Democratic United States Senator from the state of Maryland. Senator Mikulski assumed office in 1987. She is the first woman to be elected to the Senate from Maryland, and she is also the most senior female member of the Senate. She has won large victories in her reelection campaigns.

Senator Mikulski serves on the Appropriations; Health, Education, Labor and Pensions and Intelligence Committees. She is also the chairman of the Commerce, Science and Justice and Retirement Security and Aging Subcommittees.

Mikulski has been a harsh critic and taken action against predatory lending, even going so far as to take personal action against Fairbanks Capital, which is claimed to have illegally foreclosed on over 100 homes in Maryland. Senator Mikulski is also a strong supporter of NASA and expanding exploration of space.
She is a strong supporter of education. She has fought to make schools safe, drug-free and conducive to learning. Senator Mikulski fought to secure $213 million in federal funds to help struggling Maryland schools. She has secured investment in after school programs. She secured $12.4 million for after school programs in Maryland schools. She helped to reduce class size and support teachers in Maryland. She helped put 563 new teachers in Maryland classrooms with federal funding. She secured $39 million for training programs for Maryland's teachers. She set a national goal that all children be computer literate by the 8th grade. This target was enacted into law as part of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act

Mikulski authored the Mammography Quality Standards Act. This legislation establishes national quality standards for mammography clinics, equipment, and personnel. She created a national Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program and that funds treatment for women diagnosed under the program. She has helped family caregivers by creating respite care and other caregiver assistance programs and a $5,000 tax credit to help with care-giving expenses. She created legislation that allows new moms to stay in a hospital for at least 48-hours after childbirth by co-sponsoring the Newborns' and Mothers' Health Protection Act

She has worked for a $3 billion increase for military allowances, including an increase in the Family Separation Allowance from $100 to $250 per month. She cosponsored Deployed Service Members Financial Security and Education Act to provide $1,000 per month for lengthy or numerous deployments. Mikulski voted for an additional $322 million for safety equipment for U.S. forces in Iraq and $1 billion for Guard and Reserve equipment needs. Senator Mikulski also worked for additional funding to buy advanced body armor and armored Humvees to protect our troops.

Although she strongly supports U.S. troops, Senator Barbara Mikulski voted against the Iraq War Resolution. She has since voted in favor of restrictions on deployments and for a troop reduction and withdrawal.