Mikulski, Barbara Ann (1936-…), a Democrat from Maryland, was a United States senator from 1987 to 2017. When she won election to her first term in 1986, she became the first Democratic woman to be elected to a Senate seat not previously held by the woman’s husband. She was also the first Democratic woman to serve in both houses of Congress. She served in the United States House of Representatives from 1977 to 1987.
As a senator, Mikulski often focused on education, health care, and the well-being of the elderly. She served as a chairwoman of the powerful Appropriations Committee and as a senior member of the Select Committee on Intelligence. Mikulski also became known for her role as a mentor to congresswomen of both parties. Mikulski did not seek reelection in 2016.
Mikulski was born in Baltimore on July 20, 1936. She received a bachelor’s degree from Mount St. Agnes College in 1958 and a master’s degree in social work from the University of Maryland in 1965. She then began working as a social worker. From 1972 to 1976, Mikulski was an adjunct professor at Loyola College in Maryland.
From 1971 to 1976, Mikulski was a member of the Baltimore City Council. She ran for the U.S. Senate in 1974 but lost. She ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in 1976 and won. She was reelected to the House four times. In 1986, she won election to her first term in the Senate. She was reelected in 1992, 1998, 2004, and 2010. With coauthor Marylouise Oates, Mikulski wrote the mystery novels Capitol Offense (1996) and Capitol Venture (1997).
