Reps. Spanberger, Luria, Sherrill, Slotkin, and Houlahan joined together to fundraise and recruit fellow women veteran candidates
Last week, five freshman launched the Service First Women’s Victory Fund, an organization that aims to fundraise for new Democratic women candidates seeking higher office.
Here’s what Members are saying:
The New York Times: These Female Veterans Reached Congress. Now They Want to Recruit Others.
Rep. Spanberger: “People were struck by our stories during the campaign… We want to be part of encouraging other people running.”
Rep. Slotkin: “We want more pragmatic voices sticking up for us. And we don’t see enough of that.”
Rep. Sherrill: “I always think that veterans and people who’ve worked in government and service are really, in some ways, uniquely able to deal with Congress… Because we are all so incredibly proactive, we love our country, but we’ve all worked in government. It’s not this huge roadblock when we come up against the bureaucracy.”
Women veterans in Congress also formed the first bipartisan Congressional caucus dedicated to service women and veterans.
Here’s what folks are saying:
The Associated Press: Female veterans want new caucus and clout in US politics
Caucus co-founder and vice chair Rep. Luria: “We did not want to be the last people to fill these shoes [as veteran women serving in Congress]… We’re here to stand behind these young women.”
Caucus co-founder and chair Rep. Houlahan: “We’re strongest when we work together on issues because we’re a much bigger force…. If you can coalesce, if you can find common ground, then you are most likely to get something done.”
Caucus co-founder and vice chair Rep. Sherrill: “We are forming this caucus to bring our perspective as female veterans to our colleagues, and to work to ensure Congress does more to support both women currently serving and women veterans.”
Rep. Luria: “American women get things done, whether on the battlefield, at sea, in the intelligence agencies, or at the U.S. Capitol… Washington is a better place when we elect strong women with a history of serving our nation, and I’m thrilled to work to bring even more to Congress.”
Morning Joe: New caucus looks at servicewomen, women vets issues
Rep. Sherrill: “We’ve seen through our campaigns and now in Congress just how critical it is. We have the fastest growing group of veterans are our women veterans, and they’re not always getting the same level of care that our male veterans are. So this was something that we got together and really want to focus on in this Congress.”
Vox: There’s a record number of women vets in Congress. They just formed their own caucus.
Stars and Stripes: New congressional caucus to focus on servicewomen, female vets
“The DCCC is proud to have played a part in the historic election of these women veterans who are now standing up for servicewomen and military communities across our country as they change Washington. We look forward to their successful re-elections in 2020, and for their work to continue, growing the ranks of women veterans in the Democratic caucus,” said DCCC Spokesperson Cole Leiter.