Louise Slaughter, a pioneering Democratic US lawmaker who rose to become the first female chair of the House Rules Committee, died yesterday after suffering a concussion in a fall, her office announced.
She was 88.
First elected to Congress in 1986 in western New York, Slaughter was the oldest sitting member in the House of Representatives, a tough-as-nails legislator and an influential voice within her party.
She used her background as a microbiologist to press for health legislation.
But she was also instrumental on women’s issues, co-authoring the Violence Against Women Act.
She wrote the legislation that bars members of Congress from using privileged information for insider trading, and was a passionate advocate for the arts.
Her role as Rules chair – and since the Republicans regained control of the House in 2010, as the committee’s senior Democrat – gave her immense power over the terms of debate on the House floor.
“Her strong example inspired countless young women to know their power, and seek their rightful place at the head of the decision-making table,” said top Democrat Nancy Pelosi, herself a political trailblazer who served as the first female speaker of the House.
Slaughter “was tough, unfailingly gracious, and unrelenting in fighting for her ideas. She was simply great”, Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan said, adding that he has ordered flags above the US Capitol be flown at half-staff.
Under state law, New York’s governor, Democrat Andrew Cuomo, has discretion over when to call a special election.