View source for Barbara Mikulski

{{Short description|American politician (born 1936)}}
{{Use American English|date=October 2019}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2012}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name         = Barbara Mikulski
|image        = Barbara Mikulski official portrait c. 2011.jpg
|caption      = Official portrait, 2011
|jr/sr        = United States Senator
|state        = [[Maryland]]
|term_start   = January 3, 1987
|term_end     = January 3, 2017
|predecessor  = [[Charles Mathias]]
|successor    = [[Chris Van Hollen]]
{{collapsed infobox section begin |last=yes |Senate positions
 |titlestyle       = border:1px dashed lightgrey;}}{{Infobox officeholder |embed=yes
|office       = Chair of the [[Senate Appropriations Committee]]
|term_start1  = December 17, 2012
|term_end1    = January 3, 2015
|predecessor1 = [[Daniel Inouye|Dan Inouye]]
|successor1   = [[Thad Cochran]]
{{Collapsed infobox section end}}}}
|state1       = [[Maryland]]
|district1    = {{ushr|MD|3|3rd}}
|term_start1  = January 3, 1977
|term_end1    = January 3, 1987
|predecessor1 = [[Paul Sarbanes]]
|successor1   = [[Ben Cardin]]
|birth_name   = Barbara Ann Mikulski
|birth_date   = {{birth date and age|1936|7|20}}
|birth_place  = [[Baltimore]], [[Maryland]], U.S.
|death_date   = 
|death_place  = 
|party        = [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|education    = [[Mount Saint Agnes College]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]])<br>[[University of Maryland, Baltimore]] ([[Master of Social Work|MSW]])
|signature    = Signature of Barbara Mikulski.jpg
|module       = {{Listen |pos=center |embed=yes |filename=Sen. Barbara Mikulski Reflects on Her Congressional Career.ogg |title=Mikulski's voice |type=speech |description=Mikulski reflecting on her legislative career upon becoming the longest-serving woman in Congress.<br>Recorded March 21, 2012}}
}}
'''Barbara Ann Mikulski''' ({{IPAc-en|m|ɪ|'|k|ʌ|l|s|k|i}} {{Respell|mih|KUL|skee}}; born July 20, 1936) is an American politician and social worker who served as a United States senator from [[Maryland]] from 1987 to 2017. A member of the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]], she also served in the [[United States House of Representatives]] from 1977 to 1987. Mikulski is the third-longest-serving female [[United States Senator]],<ref>{{cite news|title=Barbara Mikulski honored as longest-serving woman in Congress|first=Ed |last=O'Keefe|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/2chambers/post/barbara-mikulski-honored-as-longest-serving-woman-in-congress/2012/03/21/gIQA6d5JSS_blog.html|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=March 21, 2012|access-date=November 6, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|author=Dana Bash and Abigail Crutchfield|title=Longest-serving female lawmaker says goodbye|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2016/12/14/politics/barbara-mikulski-maryland-senator-goodbye/|work=CNN}}</ref> and the longest-serving U.S. Senator in [[History of Maryland|Maryland history]].{{efn|name=leap day|Mikulski and [[Paul Sarbanes]] each served five terms (30 years) in the Senate. However, due to a differing number of [[leap day]]s over their respective tenures, Sarbanes finished with 10,957 days of Senate service to Mikulski's 10,958 days.}}

Born and raised in the [[Highlandtown, Baltimore|Highlandtown]] neighborhood of East [[Baltimore]],<ref name=supernova>{{Cite web |title=About Senator Mikulski – The Supernova Senator: The Work and Life of Barbara A. Mikulski |url=https://mikulski.library.jhu.edu/about/ |access-date=2025-06-06 |language=en-US}}</ref> Mikulski attended [[Mount Saint Agnes College]] and the [[University of Maryland School of Social Work]].<ref>{{Cite web|title = Sen. Barbara Mikulski of Md. will not seek a 6th term|url = http://www.wusa9.com/story/news/2015/03/02/md-senator-barbara-mikulski-to-announce-retirement/24253673/|website = WUSA9|access-date = 2016-02-02}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title = MIKULSKI, Barbara Ann – Biographical Information|url = http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=m000702|website = bioguide.congress.gov|access-date = 2016-02-02}}</ref>  Originally a [[social work]]er and [[Community organizing|community organizer]], she was elected to the [[Baltimore City Council]] in 1971 after delivering a highly publicized address on the "ethnic movement" in America.<ref name=":0" />  She was elected to the House of Representatives in 1976, and in 1986, she became the first woman elected to the United States Senate from Maryland.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Barbara Mikulski, Maryland Women's Hall of Fame|url = http://msa.maryland.gov/msa/educ/exhibits/womenshall/html/mikulski.html|website = msa.maryland.gov|access-date = 2016-02-02}}</ref>

From the death of Senator [[Daniel Inouye]] in December 2012 until 2015, Mikulski chaired the [[Senate Appropriations Committee]]. She was the first woman and first Marylander to hold the position.<ref>{{cite news|title=Mikulski to Take Appropriations Post as Leahy Stays at Judiciary|url=https://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2012/12/19/sen-leahy-to-stay-at-judiciary-committee/|newspaper=Wall Street Journal|date=December 19, 2012 |access-date=19 December 2012|last1=Boles |first1=Corey }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Barbara Mikulski, first female chair of Senate Appropriations, returns to minority|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/md-politics/barbara-mikulski-first-female-chair-of-senate-appropriations-returns-to-minority/2014/11/16/94d07c34-6c15-11e4-b053-65cea7903f2e_story.html|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=November 16, 2014|access-date=November 21, 2014}}</ref> At her retirement, she was the ranking minority member of the committee.  She also served on the [[Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee]] and the [[United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence|Select Committee on Intelligence]].

On March 2, 2015, Mikulski announced that she would retire after five terms in the Senate and would not seek reelection in [[2016 United States Senate election in Maryland|2016]].<ref>{{cite web|first=Nicole|last=Gaudiano|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2015/03/02/barbara-mikulski-retires-senate/24252897/|title=Longtime Sen. Barbara Mikulski to retire|date=March 2, 2015|work=USA Today}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Grier|first=Peter|url=https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/Decoder/2015/0302/Sen.-Barbara-Mikulski-retiring-Will-Martin-O-Malley-run-video|title=Sen. Barbara Mikulski retiring: Will Martin O'Malley run? |date=March 2, 2015|work=The Christian Science Monitor}}</ref> In January 2017, Mikulski joined [[Johns Hopkins University]] as a professor of public policy and advisor to University President [[Ronald J. Daniels]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://hub.jhu.edu/2017/05/12/barbara-mikulski-receives-honorary-degrees-mica-nyu/|title=Former Sen. Barbara Mikulski, now a Johns Hopkins professor, to receive two honorary degrees|date=2017-05-12|website=The Hub|access-date=2017-06-03}}</ref>

==Early life, education, and career==
Mikulski was born and raised in the [[Highlandtown, Baltimore|Highlandtown]] neighborhood of East [[Baltimore]],<ref name=supernova /> the eldest of the three daughters of Christine Eleanor (''née'' Kutz) and William Mikulski.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~battle/senators/mikulski.htm|title=Barbara Mikulski ancestry|work=rootsweb.com}}{{dead link|date=August 2025}}</ref>{{Better source needed|reason=Site provided user-generated content.|date=August 2025}}<ref>{{cite news |date=April 1, 1996 |title=Christine Mikulski, Mother of U.S. Senator, Dies |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/307946450 |url-access=subscription |url-status= |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date=August 22, 2025 |newspaper=The Washington Post |page=B.04 |id={{ProQuest|307946450}} |via=ProQuest}}</ref> Her parents were both of [[History of the Poles in Baltimore|Polish]] descent; her [[Immigration to the United States|immigrant]] great-grandparents had owned a [[baker]]y in Baltimore. During her high school years at the [[Institute of Notre Dame]],<ref name="mweissbaltomag">{{Cite web|url=https://www.baltimoremagazine.com/2007/8/13/the-baltimore-grill-barbara-mikulski|title=The Baltimore Grill: Barbara Mikulski|date=August 13, 2007|website=Baltimore magazine}}</ref> she worked in her parents' [[supermarket|grocery store]], delivering groceries to elderly neighbors who were unable to leave their homes.

Mikulski graduated with a [[Bachelor of Arts]] in [[sociology]] from [[Mount Saint Agnes College]] (now a part of [[Loyola University Maryland]]) in 1958.<ref name="mweissbaltomag"/> She earned her [[Master of Social Work]] from the [[University of Maryland, Baltimore]] in 1965.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.poles.org/DB/M_names/Mikulski_B/Mikulski_B.html|title=Mikulski, Sen. Barbara A.|website=www.poles.org}}</ref>  She worked as a [[social worker]] for [[Catholic]] charities and Baltimore's [[Child Protective Services|Department of Social Services]], helping at-risk children and educating seniors about the [[Medicare (United States)|Medicare]] program. Mikulski became an [[activist]] social worker when she heard about plans to build [[Interstate 70 in Maryland|Interstate 95]] through Baltimore's [[Fells Point]] and [[Canton, Baltimore|Canton]] neighborhoods. She helped organize communities on both sides of the city and successfully fought to [[Highway revolts in the United States|stop the construction of the road]]. Her efforts to prevent the highway from running through Southeast Baltimore also resulted in the establishment of the Southeast Community Organization, a non-profit which worked to improve Baltimore neighborhoods.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Wenger|first=Luke Broadwater, Erin Cox, Yvonne|title=Mikulski remembered as plain-speaking trailblazer for woman in politics|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/politics/bs-md-mikulski-career-20150302-story.html|access-date=2020-06-09|website=The Baltimore Sun|date=March 2, 2015 }}</ref>

==Early political career==
Mikulski first received national attention in 1970 because of her remarks at a conference at [[The Catholic University of America]] regarding "Ethnic Americans" convened by [[Msgr. Geno Baroni]]. Her message became one of the major documents of the "ethnic movement". Mikulski's remarks included the following:

{{blockquote|America is not a [[melting pot]]. It is a sizzling cauldron for the ethnic American who feels that he has been politically courted and legally [[extorted]] by both government and private enterprise.  The ethnic American is sick of being stereotyped as a [[racist]] and dullard by phony white [[Modern liberalism in the United States|liberals]], pseudo [[black nationalism|black militants]] and patronizing [[bureaucrat]]s.  He pays the bill for every major government program and gets nothing or little in the way of return.  Tricked by the political rhetoric of the illusionary funding for black-oriented social programs, he turns his anger to race—when he himself is the victim of class prejudice.

[He] has worked hard all his life to become a 'good American;' he and his sons have fought on every battlefield—then he is made fun of because he likes the flag.  The ethnic American is overtaxed and underserved at every level of government.  He does not have fancy lawyers or expensive lobbyists getting him tax breaks on his income.  Being a home owner, he shoulders the rising property taxes—the major revenue source for the municipalities in which he lives.  Yet he enjoys very little from these unfair and burdensome levies.

... [T]he ethnic American also feels unappreciated for the contribution he makes to society. He resents the way the [[working class]] is looked down upon. In many instances he is treated like the machine he operates or the pencil he pushes. He is tired of being treated like an object of production. The public and private institutions have made him frustrated by their lack of response to his needs. At present he feels powerless in his daily dealings with and efforts to change them. Unfortunately, because of old prejudices and new fears, anger is generated against other minority groups rather than those who have power. What is needed is an alliance of white and black, [[White-collar worker|white collar]], [[blue collar]] and no collar based on mutual need, interdependence and respect, an alliance to develop the strategy for new kinds of community organization and political participation.<ref>O'Rourke, Lawrence "GENO: The Life and Mission of Geno Baroni", Paulist Press.  (1991), p 87.</ref>}}

[[File:Charlesmathiasjr.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Mikulski challenged [[Charles Mathias]] for his Senate seat in 1974.]]

Mikulski's activism led to a seat on the [[Baltimore City Council]] in 1971. In 1973 incoming Chairperson of the [[Democratic National Committee]] [[Robert S. Strauss]] appointed then Baltimore City Councilperson Mikulski to chair the Democratic Party Commission on New Delegate Selection and Party Structure.  She was instrumental in solidifying democratizing reforms to the national delegate selection process.<ref>David S. Broder "The Democrat's Dilemma" March 1974</ref><ref>Change Is Not the Same as Progress: The Failures of the McGovern-Fraser Reforms in 1972, Kevin Harris</ref>

==U.S. House of Representatives (1977-1987)==

In 1976, [[Paul Sarbanes]] gave up his seat in [[Maryland's 3rd congressional district]] to make a successful run for the Senate.  Mikulski won a crowded seven-way Democratic primary—the key election given a heavily Democratic district—and won easily in the [[United States House of Representatives elections, 1976|November elections]].  She was reelected four more times, never facing substantial opposition.{{citation needed|date=January 2021}}

==U.S. Senate (1986-2017)==

===Elections===
[[File:Barbara Mikulski visits with patient at the Air Force hospital, 12 Jul 1980.jpg|thumb|right|Mikulski speaking to a patient at a military hospital, 1980.]]
[[File:Rep. Hoyer and Sen. Mikulski present photo to Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip, May 8, 2007.jpg|thumb|right|Mikulski with [[Steny Hoyer]] presenting a photo to [[Queen Elizabeth II]] and [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh|Prince Philip]] in [[Greenbelt, Maryland]]]]
[[File:SecDef joins Sen. Barbara Milkuski for press event (Pic 3).jpg|thumb|Mikulski at a press conference]]
Mikulski first ran for the U.S. Senate in [[United States Senate elections, 1974|1974]], winning the Democratic nomination to face [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] incumbent [[Charles Mathias]]. Although well known to residents in her city, Mikulski had limited name recognition in the rest of the state.<ref name="Barker-6Nov1974">{{cite news | first =Karlyn | last=Barker | title = Mathias Is Elected To a Second Term | newspaper = [[The Washington Post]] | page = A12 | date = November 6, 1974 }}</ref>

As an advocate for [[Campaign finance reform in the United States|campaign finance reform]], Mathias refused to accept any contribution over $100 to "avoid the curse of big money that has led to so much trouble [[Charles Mathias#Election of 1968: unseating Brewster|in the last year]]".<ref name="Richards-3Feb1974">{{cite news | first =Bill | last=Richards | title = Sen. Mathias Re-Election Drive Opens | newspaper = [[The Washington Post]] | page = B1 | date = February 3, 1974 }}</ref> However, he still managed to raise over $250,000, nearly five times Mikulski's total. Ideologically, Mikulski and Mathias agreed on many issues, such as closing tax loopholes and easing taxes on the [[middle class]]. On two issues, however, Mathias argued to reform Congress and the U.S. tax system to address inflation and corporate price fixing, contrary to Mikulski.<ref name="Barker-6Nov1974"/> In retrospect, ''The Washington Post'' felt the election was "an intelligent discussion of state, national, and foreign affairs by two smart, well-informed people".<ref name="WaPo-22Oct1980">{{cite news | title = U.S. Senate Choice in Maryland | newspaper = [[The Washington Post]] | page = A22 | date = October 22, 1980 }}</ref>

With [[Maryland]] voters, Mathias benefited from his frequent disagreements with the [[Presidency of Richard Nixon|Nixon administration]] and his liberal voting record. On November 5, 1974, he was re-elected by a 57% to 43% margin, though he lost badly in Baltimore City and [[Baltimore County, Maryland|Baltimore County]], where Mikulski was popular.<ref name="Barker-6Nov1974"/> This election is the only election that Mikulski has ever lost.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/bs-md-rodricks-0303-20150302-column.html|title=Mikulski's legacy starts with the 'battle of the road'|first=Dan|last=Rodricks|website=baltimoresun.com|date=March 2, 2015 }}</ref>

Mathias announced his retirement before the [[United States Senate elections, 1986|1986 elections]]. At the time of this announcement, it was expected that then-[[Governor of Maryland|Governor]] [[Harry Hughes]] would be the favorite to succeed Mathias. However, Hughes became caught up in the aftermath of the Maryland [[savings and loan crisis]]. He lost popularity with voters, opening the door for Mikulski's bid for the Senate. The [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] nominee was [[Linda Chavez]], who left her post as [[White House Office of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs|Assistant to the President for Public Liaison]] in an attempt to win the seat. The election was the second time in modern U.S. history that two women faced each other in a statewide general election. The race was covered by national media, with observers noting that Chavez was very unlikely to win.<ref>{{cite book |title=CQ's Politics in America 2000: the 106th Congress |editor=Philip D. Duncan, Brian Nutting |page=606 |publisher=CQ Press |year=1999 |isbn=1568024703}}</ref>

In the campaign, Chavez attacked Mikulski, a lifelong Baltimore resident, as a "San Francisco-style, George McGovern, liberal Democrat".<ref name=Miller2004>{{cite news |url=http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/81992/outing/john-j-miller |title=The Outing |last=Miller |first=John J. |work=National Review Online |date=July 8, 2004 }}</ref> Chavez was accused of making Mikulski's [[sexual orientation]] a central issue of the [[political campaign]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20094920,00.html | title=Barbara Mikulski and Linda Chavez Stage a Gloves-Off Battle in a Women-Only U.S. Senate Race | work=People | date=November 3, 1986 | access-date=June 26, 2012 | author=Aitken, Lee}}</ref> Chavez wrote that the term referred to [[Jeane Kirkpatrick]]'s [[1984 Republican National Convention]] "Blame America First" speech, in which she coined the phrase "San Francisco Liberal" in reference to the Democratic National Convention in San Francisco.<ref name=Miller2004/> Using political advertisements and press conferences, Chavez attacked Mikulski's former aide Teresa Brennan as "anti-male" and a "radical feminist", implying that Brennan and Mikulski were radical lesbians and that "fascist feminism" was Mikulski's political philosophy.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BJWORPMpV48C&pg=PA152 |page=152 |first=Victor |last=Kamber |title=Poison Politics: Are Negative Campaigns Destroying Democracy? |publisher=Basic Books |year=2003 |isbn=0738208728}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rpokel6jHvMC&pg=PA84 |page=84 |first=Theodore F. |last=Sheckels |title=Maryland Politics and Political Communication, 1950–2005 |publisher=Lexington Books |year=2006 |isbn=0739114158}}</ref> Brennan had not been part of Mikulski's staff for five years, but Chavez implied Brennan was still working on Mikulski's campaign.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=21WEiJvmTI4C&pg=PT70 |page=70 |first=Fiona |last=Harari |title=A Tragedy in Two Acts: Marcus Einfeld and Teresa Brennan |publisher=Melbourne Univ. Publishing |year=2011 |isbn=978-0522860467}}</ref> Mikulski did not respond in kind to the attacks. She defeated Chavez with 61% of the vote.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/1986election.pdf |title=Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 4, 1986 | last1=Dendy | first1=Dallas L. Jr. |first2=Donnald K. |last2=Anderson |publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office |year=1987 |access-date=August 3, 2012}}</ref> She also served alongside [[Paul Sarbanes]], the man she'd succeeded in the House.

Mikulski, popularly known as "Senator Barb",<ref>{{cite news|title=Barbara Mikulski, the record-breaking not-so-gentle-lady|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/she-the-people/post/barbara-mikulski-the-record-breaking-not-so-gentle-lady/2012/03/22/gIQASJ16VS_blog.html|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=March 23, 2012|access-date=November 21, 2014}}</ref> was re-elected with large majorities in [[U.S. Senate election, 1992|1992]], [[U.S. Senate election, 1998|1998]], [[U.S. Senate election, 2004|2004]], and [[U.S. Senate election, 2010|2010]]. Having won re-election in 2010, she surpassed [[Margaret Chase Smith]] as the longest-serving female senator.<ref>Marbella, Jean [https://www.baltimoresun.com/2011/01/05/mikulskis-milestone-the-senates-longest-serving-woman/ "Mikulski's milestone: the Senate's longest-serving woman"] ''[[The Baltimore Sun]]'' January 5, 2011</ref> [[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]] named Mikulski its ''Person of the Week'' for that milestone.<ref>Netter, Sarah, and Jaffe, Matthew, [https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/sen-barbara-mikulski-makes-history-longest-serving-female/story?id=12539984 "Person of the Week: Sen. Barbara Mikulski Makes History as Longest-Serving Female Senator"]. [[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]], January 7, 2011</ref> On March 17, 2012, she became the longest-serving female member of Congress in the history of the United States, surpassing the previous record-holder, Rep. [[Edith Nourse Rogers]] of Massachusetts, who served from 1925 to 1960.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/16/politics/mikulski-history/index.html?hpt=hp_t3|title=Mikulski makes history while creating 'zone of civility' for Senate women|author=Bash, Dana |date=March 16, 2012|work=CNN}}</ref>

[[File:Mikulski, Bond, and Pierce at Alzheimer's Press Conference.jpg|thumb|right|Senator Mikulski joins Senator [[Kit Bond]] and actor [[David Hyde Pierce]] in promoting awareness of [[Alzheimer's disease]].]]
[[File:Barbara Mikulski DNC 2008.jpg|thumb|right|Mikulski speaks at the [[2008 Democratic National Convention]].]]
In September 2009, the "tell-all" book ''The Clinton Tapes'' revealed that during the [[United States presidential election 2000|2000 presidential election]], President [[Bill Clinton]] suggested Mikulski as a running mate for [[Al Gore]], who instead chose his colleague [[Joe Lieberman]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.politicsdaily.com/2009/09/22/in-the-clinton-tapes-bill-clinton-disses-bush-dowd-gore-and/|title=In 'The Clinton Tapes,' Bill Clinton Disses Bush, Dowd, Gore and More|work=Politics Daily|access-date=September 23, 2009|archive-date=July 21, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721092823/http://www.politicsdaily.com/2009/09/22/in-the-clinton-tapes-bill-clinton-disses-bush-dowd-gore-and/|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2007, Mikulski endorsed her colleague, Sen. [[Hillary Clinton]] (D-[[New York (state)|NY]]), for [[President of the United States]], praising her as a leader and citing her desire to break the "[[glass ceiling]]" by electing the first woman president. Senator Mikulski nominated Hillary Clinton for President of the United States at the Democratic National Convention on July 26, 2016.

From 2007 to 2017, Mikulski served alongside [[Ben Cardin]], who succeeded her in the 3rd District and held it for 20 years until succeeding Sarbanes in the Senate.

===Legislation===
On June 3, 2013, Mikulski introduced the [[Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 2013 (S. 1086; 113th Congress)]], which passed in the Senate.<ref name=1086sum>{{cite web|title=S. 1086 – Summary|url=http://beta.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/senate-bill/1086|publisher=United States Congress|access-date=13 March 2014}}</ref> The bill would [[authorization bill|reauthorize]] the [[Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990]] to provide [[block grant]]s to the states to help low-income parents find child care for their children.<ref name=CoxSenateCCbill>{{cite news|last=Cox|first=Ramsey|title=Senate passes child care bill|url=https://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/senate/200746-senate-passes-child-care-bill/|access-date=14 March 2014|newspaper=The Hill|date=March 13, 2014}}</ref> In addition to reauthorizing the program, it also makes amendments to the law to try to improve it. Some of those improvements include required background checks on grant recipients and annual inspections.<ref name="CoxSenateCCbill"/> Mikulski argued that "this bill ensures that all children get the care they need and deserve."<ref name="CoxSenateCCbill"/>

On April 1, 2014, Mikulski introduced the [[Paycheck Fairness Act (S. 2199; 113th Congress)]],<ref name=2199allactions>{{cite web|title=S. 2199 – All Actions|url=http://beta.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/senate-bill/2199/all-actions/|publisher=United States Congress|access-date=9 April 2014}}</ref>  a measure that aims to strengthen the Fair Labor Standards Act's protections against pay inequalities based on gender. It is a bill that "punishes employers for retaliating against workers who share wage information, puts the justification burden on employers as to why someone is paid less and allows workers to sue for punitive damages of wage discrimination".<ref name=GOPblocks>{{cite news|title=Senate GOP blocks paycheck bill|url=https://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/senate/203064-senate-gop-blocks-paycheck-fairness-bill/|access-date=April 9, 2014|newspaper=The Hill|date=9 April 2014|author=Cox, Ramsey|author2=Bolton, Alexander}}</ref> Mikulski said that "it brings tears to my eyes to know women are working so hard and being paid less" and that "it makes me emotional when I hear that... I get angry, I get outraged and I get volcanic".<ref name="GOPblocks"/>

===Committee assignments===
In the 114th Congress, Mikulski served on the following [[United States Congressional committee|Senate committees]] (standing committees in bold):
* '''[[United States Senate Committee on Appropriations|Committee on Appropriations]]''' (Ranking Member)
** [[United States Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies|Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies]] (Ranking Member)
** [[United States Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense|Subcommittee on Defense]]
** [[United States Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies|Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies]]
** [[United States Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs|Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs]]
** [[United States Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies|Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies]]
** As Ranking Member of the full committee, Mikulski may serve as an ''ex officio'' member of any subcommittee of which she is not a full member
* '''[[United States Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions|Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions]]'''
** [[United States Senate Health Subcommittee on Children and Families|Subcommittee on Children and Families]]
** [[United States Senate Health Subcommittee on Primary Health and Aging|Subcommittee on Primary Health and Aging]]
* '''[[United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence|Select Committee on Intelligence]]'''

===Other===
Women were not allowed to wear pants on the U.S. Senate floor until 1993.<ref name="chicagotribune2004">{{cite web|date=January 21, 2004|author=Robin Givhan|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2004/01/21/moseley-braun-lady-in-red/ |title=Moseley Braun: Lady in red |publisher=Articles.chicagotribune.com |access-date=2014-07-30}}</ref><ref name="rollcall1">{{cite web|last=Cooper |first=Kent |url=http://www.rollcall.com/features/50th-Anniversary_2005/fifty_anniversary/-9592-1.html |title=The Long and Short of Capitol Style : Roll Call Special Features 50th Anniversary |publisher=Rollcall.com |date=2005-06-09 |access-date=2014-07-30}}</ref> In 1993, Senators Mikulski and [[Carol Moseley Braun]] wore pants onto the floor in defiance of the rule, and female support staff followed soon after, with the rule being amended later that year by Senate Sergeant-at-Arms [[Martha Pope]] to allow women to wear pants on the floor so long as they also wore a jacket.<ref name="chicagotribune2004"/><ref name="rollcall1"/>

In 2014, Mikulski was voted the "meanest senator" in [[Washingtonian (magazine)|''Washingtonian'']]'s survey of congressional staffers.<ref>{{cite web |date=October 6, 2014 |title=The Best and Worst of Congress 2014 |url=http://www.washingtonian.com/articles/people/the-best-worst-of-congress-2014/ |access-date=March 2, 2015 |work=Washingtonian}}</ref>

==Political positions==
Mikulski was one of 11 senators to vote against both the [[Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 1991|1991]] and [[Iraq Resolution|2002]] [[Joint resolution|resolutions]] authorizing the use of force in [[Iraq]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=107&session=2&vote=00237|title=U.S. Senate: Roll Call Vote|date=January 27, 2015|work=senate.gov}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=102&session=1&vote=00002|title=U.S. Senate: Legislation & Records Home > Votes > Roll Call Vote<!-- Bot generated title -->|work=senate.gov}}</ref>

Mikulski has opposed [[predatory lending]], and has been an outspoken opponent of Fairbanks Capital (now [[Select Portfolio Servicing, Inc.|Select Portfolio Servicing]]), alleged to have illegally [[foreclosure|foreclosed]] on over 100 homes in Maryland.<ref>{{cite web | title=Mikulski Joins FTC and HUD to Announce Major Settlement for Victims of Fairbanks Capital | date=November 12, 2003 | publisher=Office of Senator Barbara Mikulski | url=http://www.mikulski.senate.gov/media/record.cfm?id=214964 | archive-url=https://archive.today/20121214095733/http://www.mikulski.senate.gov/media/record.cfm?id=214964 | url-status=dead | archive-date=December 14, 2012 | access-date=June 26, 2012 }}</ref>

Mikulski has been an outspoken advocate for the [[Equal Rights Amendment]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=TimesMachine: Monday July 10, 1978 - NYTimes.com|url=http://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1978/07/10/issue.html|access-date=2021-08-01|website=timesmachine.nytimes.com|language=en}}</ref> She has also spoken in support of [[abortion rights]] and has stated she does not view the opposition to this issue as being [[misogyny|misogynistic]].<ref>{{Cite news|last1=Fisher|first1=Marc|last2=Johnson|first2=Jenna|date=2015-03-02|title=Mikulski, a role model for generations of women in politics, to retire in 2016|language=en-US|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/mikulski-a-role-model-for-generations-of-women-in-politics-to-retire-in-2016/2015/03/02/c6770396-c0ef-11e4-9ec2-b418f57a4a99_story.html|access-date=2020-08-12|issn=0190-8286}}</ref>

On October 1, 2008, Mikulski voted in favor of [[HR1424]], the Senate version of the [[Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008]], which provided a $700 billion [[bailout]] to the United States financial market.

In October 2013, Mikulski sponsored a bill honoring [[naturopathy|naturopathic medicine]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://beta.congress.gov/bill/113th/senate-resolution/221/text|title=Text – S.Res.221 – 113th Congress (2013–2014): A resolution designating the week of October 7 through October 13, 2013, as "Naturopathic Medicine Week" to recognize the value of naturopathic medicine in providing safe, effective, and affordable health care. – Congress.gov – Library of Congress|work=congress.gov|date=September 10, 2013}}</ref>

==Electoral history==

{{Election box begin no change
  | title     = 1974 U.S. Senate general election in Maryland<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/state.php?fips=24&year=1974&f=0&off=3&elect=0|title=1974 Senatorial General Election Results - Maryland}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HYKzDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA169 |title=America Votes 31: 2013-2014, Election Returns by State - Rhodes Cook |date= 17 November 2015|isbn=9781483383026 |access-date=2021-01-23|last1=Cook |first1=Rhodes|publisher=CQ Press }}</ref>
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
  |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = [[Charles Mathias]] (inc.)
  |votes      = 503,223
  |percentage = 57.3
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
  |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = [[Barbara A. Mikulski]]
  |votes      = 374,663
  |percentage = 42.7
}}
{{Election box invalid no change
  |votes      = 
  |percentage = 
}}
{{Election box total no change
  |votes      = 877,886
  |percentage = 100.00
}}
{{Election box turnout no change
  |percentage = 
}}
{{Election box hold with party link without swing
  |winner     = Republican Party (United States)
}}
{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin no change
 | title = 1986 U.S. Senate Democratic primary in Maryland<ref name="state1986">{{cite web|url=http://www.elections.state.md.us/elections/1986/results_1986/paall.html |title=Maryland State Board of Elections |publisher=Elections.state.md.us |date=August 17, 2001 |access-date=May 18, 2012}}</ref>
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
 | candidate = Barbara A. Mikulski
 | party = Democratic Party (United States)
 | votes = 307,876
 | percentage = 49.50%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
 | candidate = Michael D. Barnes
 | party = Democratic Party (United States)
 | votes = 195,086
 | percentage = 31.37%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
 | candidate = Harry Hughes
 | party = Democratic Party (United States)
 | votes = 88,908
 | percentage = 14.30%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
 | candidate = Debra Hanania Freeman
 | party = Democratic Party (United States)
 | votes = 9,350
 | percentage = 1.50%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
 | candidate = Edward M. Olszewski
 | party = Democratic Party (United States)
 | votes = 7,877
 | percentage = 1.27%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
 | candidate = [[A. Robert Kaufman]]
 | party = Democratic Party (United States)
 | votes = 6,505
 | percentage = 1.05%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
 | candidate = Boyd E. Sweatt
 | party = Democratic Party (United States)
 | votes = 3,580
 | percentage = 0.58%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
 | candidate = Leonard E. Trout, Jr.
 | party = Democratic Party (United States)
 | votes = 2,742
 | percentage = 0.44%
}}
{{Election box total no change
 | votes = 621,924
 | percentage = 100.00%
}}
{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin
 | title = 1986 U.S. Senate general election in Maryland<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/1986election.pdf|title=Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 4, 1986}}</ref>
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link
 | candidate = Barbara A. Mikulski
 | party = Democratic Party (United States)
 | votes = 675,225
 | percentage = 60.69%
 | change = +26.85%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|candidate=Linda Chavez|party=Republican Party (United States)|votes=437,411|percentage=39.31%|change=−26.85%}}
{{Election box majority|votes=237,814|percentage=21.37%|change=−10.96%}}
{{Election box total
 | votes = 1,017,151
 | percentage= 100.00%
 | change = 
}}
{{Election box gain with party link
 | winner = Democratic Party (United States)
 | loser = Republican Party (United States)
 | swing = 
}}
{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin no change
 | title = 1992 U.S. Senate Democratic primary in Maryland<ref name="state1992">[http://www.elections.state.md.us/elections/1992/results_1992/prepaa.html Maryland State Board of Elections]. Elections.state.md.us (February 16, 2001). Retrieved on 2011-06-17.</ref>
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
 | candidate = Barbara A. Mikulski (Incumbent)
 | party = Democratic Party (United States)
 | votes = 376,444
 | percentage = 76.75%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
 | candidate = Thomas M. Wheatley
 | party = Democratic Party (United States)
 | votes = 31,214
 | percentage = 6.36%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
 | candidate = Walter Boyd
 | party = Democratic Party (United States)
 | votes = 26,467
 | percentage = 5.40%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
 | candidate = Don Allensworth
 | party = Democratic Party (United States)
 | votes = 19,731
 | percentage = 4.02%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
 | candidate = Scott David Britt
 | party = Democratic Party (United States)
 | votes = 13,001
 | percentage = 2.65%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
 | candidate = James Leonard White
 | party = Democratic Party (United States)
 | votes = 12,470
 | percentage = 2.54%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
 | candidate = B. Emerson Sweatt
 | party = Democratic Party (United States)
 | votes = 11,150
 | percentage = 2.27%
}}
{{Election box total no change
 | votes = 490,477
 | percentage = 100.00%
}}
{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin
 | title = 1992 U.S. Senate general election in Maryland<ref>{{cite web |url=http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/1992election.pdf |title=Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional election of November 3, 1992 |author=Clerk of the House of Representatives |author-link=Clerk of the United States House of Representatives |date=1993 |publisher=[[United States Government Publishing Office|U.S. Government Printing Office]]}}</ref>
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link
 | candidate = Barbara A. Mikulski (Incumbent)
 | party = Democratic Party (United States)
 | votes = 1,307,610
 | percentage = 71.02%
 | change = +10.33%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
 | candidate = Alan L. Keyes
 | party = Republican Party (United States)
 | votes = 533,688
 | percentage = 28.98%
 | change = −10.33%
}}
{{Election box majority
 | votes      = 773,922
 | percentage = 42.03%
 | change     = +20.66%
}}
{{Election box total
 | votes = 1,841,298
 | percentage= 100.00%
 | change = 
}}
{{Election box hold with party link
 | winner = Democratic Party (United States)
 | loser = 
 | swing = 
}}
{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin no change
| title      = 1998 U.S. Senate Democratic primary in Maryland<ref name="state1998">[http://www.elections.state.md.us/elections/1998/results_1998/pasen.html Maryland State Board of Elections]. Elections.state.md.us (October 24, 2000). Retrieved on June 17, 2011.</ref>
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate  = [[Barbara A. Mikulski]] (Incumbent)
| party      = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes      = 349,382
| percentage = 84.36%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate  = [[Ann L. Mallory]]
| party      = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes      = 43,120
| percentage = 10.41%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate  = [[Kauko H. Kokkonen]]
| party      = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes      = 21,658
| percentage = 5.23%
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes      = 414,160
| percentage = 100.00%
}}
{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin
| title      = 1998 U.S. Senate general election in Maryland<ref>[http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/1998/98Stat.htm 1998 Election Statistics – Legislative Activities – Office of the Clerk]. Clerk.house.gov. Retrieved on June 17, 2011.</ref>
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link
| candidate  = [[Barbara A. Mikulski]] (Incumbent)
| party      = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes      = 1,062,810
| percentage = 70.50%
| change     = −0.51%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
| candidate  = [[Ross Z. Pierpont]]
| party      = Republican Party (United States)
| votes      = 444,637
| percentage = 29.50%
| change     = +0.51%
}}
{{Election box majority
 | votes      = 618,173
 | percentage = 41.01%
 | change     = −1.02%
}}
{{Election box total
| votes      = 1,507,447
| percentage= 100.00%
| change     = 
}}
{{Election box hold with party link
 | winner = Democratic Party (United States)
 | loser      = 
 | swing      = 
}}
{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin no change
| title = 2004 U.S. Senate Democratic primary in Maryland<ref name="state2004">[http://www.elections.state.md.us/elections/2004/results/p_us_senator.html Maryland State Board of Elections]. Elections.state.md.us (April 6, 2004). Retrieved on June 17, 2011.</ref>
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate  = Barbara A. Mikulski (Incumbent)
| party      = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes      = 408,848
| percentage = 89.88%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate  = A. Robert Kaufman
| party      = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes      = 32,127
| percentage = 7.06%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate  = Sid Altman
| party      = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes      = 13,901
| percentage = 3.06%
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes      = 454,876
| percentage = 100.00%
}}
{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin
| title = 2004 U.S. Senate general election in Maryland<ref>[http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/2004/2004Stat.htm#20 2004 ELECTION STATISTICS]. Clerk.house.gov. Retrieved on June 17, 2011.</ref>
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link
| candidate  = Barbara A. Mikulski (Incumbent)
| party      = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes      = 1,504,691
| percentage = 64.80%
| change     = −5.70%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
| candidate  = E. J. Pipkin
| party      = Republican Party (United States)
| votes      = 783,055
| percentage = 33.72%
| change     = +4.23%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
| candidate  = Maria Allwine
| party      = Green Party (United States)
| votes      = 24,816
| percentage = 1.07%
| change     = 
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
| candidate  = Thomas Trump
| party      = Constitution Party (United States)
| votes      = 9,009
| percentage = 0.39%
| change     = 
}}
{{Election box candidate
| candidate  = 
| party      = Write-ins
| votes      = 360
| percentage = 0.02%
| change     = 
}}
{{Election box majority
 | votes      = 721,636
 | percentage = 31.08%
 | change     = −9.93%
}}
{{Election box total
| votes      = 2,321,931
| percentage= 100.00%
| change     = 
}}
{{Election box hold with party link
 | winner = Democratic Party (United States)
 | loser = 
 | swing = 
}}
{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin no change
 | title      = 2010 U.S. Senate Democratic primary in Maryland<ref name="Results">{{cite web |url=http://www.elections.state.md.us/elections/2010/results/Primary/StateResults_office_007.html |title=Maryland Senate Primary Results |publisher=Maryland State Board of Elections |date=September 17, 2010 |access-date=September 17, 2010}}</ref>
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
 | candidate  = Barbara Mikulski (Incumbent)
 | party      = Democratic Party (United States)
 | votes      = 388,868
 | percentage = 82.32%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
 | candidate  = Christopher J. Garner
 | party      = Democratic Party (United States)
 | votes      = 35,579
 | percentage = 7.53%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
 | candidate  = A. Billy Bob Jaworski
 | party      = Democratic Party (United States)
 | votes      = 15,131
 | percentage = 3.20%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
 | candidate  = Blaine Taylor
 | party      = Democratic Party (United States)
 | votes      = 10,787
 | percentage = 2.28%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
 | candidate  = Theresa C. Scaldaferri
 | party      = Democratic Party (United States)
 | votes      = 7,913
 | percentage = 1.68%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
 | candidate  = Sanquetta Taylor
 | party      = Democratic Party (United States)
 | votes      = 7,365
 | percentage = 1.56%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
 | candidate  = Lih Young
 | party      = Democratic Party (United States)
 | votes      = 6,733
 | percentage = 1.43%
}}
{{Election box total no change
 | votes      = 472,376
 | percentage = 100.00%
}}
{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin
 | title      = 2010 U.S. Senate general election in Maryland<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://elections.maryland.gov/elections/2010/results/General/StateResults_office_007.html|title=2010 General Election Official Results|website=elections.maryland.gov}}</ref>}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link
 | party      = Democratic Party (United States)
 | candidate  = Barbara Mikulski (Incumbent)
 | votes      = 1,140,531
 | percentage = 62.19%
 | change     = −2.61%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
 | party      = Republican Party (United States)
 | candidate  = Eric Wargotz
 | votes      = 655,666
 | percentage = 35.75%
 | change     = +2.05%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
 | party      = Green Party (United States)
 | candidate  = Kenniss Henry
 | votes      = 20,717
 | percentage = 1.13%
 | change     = +0.06%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
 | party      = Constitution Party (United States)
 | candidate  = Richard Shawver
 | votes      = 14,746
 | percentage = 0.80%
 | change     = +0.42%
}}
{{Election box candidate
 | party      = Write-ins
 | candidate  =
 | votes      = 2,213
 | percentage = 0.11%
 | change     = +0.05%
}}
{{Election box majority
 | votes      = 484,865
 | percentage = 26.44%
 | change     =
}}
{{Election box total
 | votes      = 1,833,873
 | percentage = 100.00%
 | change     =
}}
{{Election box hold with party link
 | winner     = Democratic Party (United States)
 | loser      =
 | swing      =
}}
{{Election box end}}

==Awards and honors==
[[File:Sen Mikulski at New Horizons Pluto Flyby.jpg|thumb|Senator Mikulski at [[New Horizons]] Pluto Flyby, 2015]]
In 1979, the [[Supersisters]] trading card set was produced and distributed; one of the cards featured Mikulski's name and picture.<ref>{{cite web|last=Wulf |first=Steve |url=https://www.espn.com/espnw/news-commentary/story/_/id/12535055/original-roster |title=Supersisters: Original Roster |publisher=Espn.go.com |date=2015-03-23 |access-date=2015-06-04}}</ref>

The NASA-funded [[Space Telescope Science Institute]] (STScI) in Baltimore named one of the world's largest astronomy databases after Mikulski (Barbara A. [[Mikulski Archive for Space Telescopes]]), as she was a long time champion of the Hubble and James Webb space telescopes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://spacenews.com/hubble-archive-supernova-named-honor-mikulski/|title=Hubble Archive, Supernova Named in Honor of Mikulski|work=SpaceNews.com|date=November 30, 2001 }}</ref>

In 2011, Mikulski was inducted into the [[National Women's Hall of Fame]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.womenofthehall.org/inductee/barbara-a-mikulski/|title=Mikulski, Barbara A.|website=National Women’s Hall of Fame}}</ref>

In 2012, when [[NASA]] discovered an [[Supernova|exploding star]], they named it "Supernova Mikulski" in her honor.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/2012/17/image/a/|title=HubbleSite – NewsCenter – Space Astronomy Archive and Distant Supernova Are Named in Honor Of U.S. Senator Barbara A. Mikulski (04/05/2012) – Release Images|work=hubblesite.org}}</ref> Also in 2012, Mikulski was presented the [[Harriet Tubman|Harriet Ross Tubman]] Lifetime Achievement Award by the Maryland African American Tourism Council.<ref>{{Cite web|date=11 March 2012|title=Mikulski receives Tubman award; kicks off state-wide remembrance|url=https://www.stardem.com/news/local_news/mikulski-receives-tubman-award-kicks-off-state-wide-remembrance/article_5d3be77f-042e-5cdf-8152-c3671f51d969.html|access-date=2020-10-14|website=The Star Democrat|language=en}}</ref>

On August 22, 2013 the [[President of Poland]] [[Bronisław Komorowski]] honored Mikulski with a Commander's Cross with Star of the [[Order of Polonia Restituta]] for "outstanding achievements in the development of Polish-American cooperation and activity for Poles living in the United States".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.prezydent.pl/aktualnosci/ordery-i-odznaczenia/art,1239,prezydent-odznaczyl-senator-usa-barbare-mikulski.html |title=Prezydent odznaczył Senator USA Barbarę Mikulski |language=pl |date=22 August 2013 |access-date=22 March 2015 |publisher=prezydent.pl |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402150602/http://www.prezydent.pl/aktualnosci/ordery-i-odznaczenia/art%2C1239%2Cprezydent-odznaczyl-senator-usa-barbare-mikulski.html |archive-date=April 2, 2015 |df=mdy }}</ref>

In November 2015, Mikulski was awarded the [[Presidential Medal of Freedom]] by [[President of the United States|President]] [[Barack Obama]] at a ceremony in the [[White House]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2015/11/16/president-obama-names-recipients-presidential-medal-freedom |title=President Obama Names Recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom | access-date=November 16, 2015 |via=[[NARA|National Archives]] |work=[[whitehouse.gov]] |date=November 16, 2015}}</ref><ref>Phil Helsel – [http://www.aol.com/article/2015/11/24/obama-honoring-spielberg-streisand-and-more-with-medal-of-freed/21272337/?icid=maing-grid7%7Chtmlws-sb-bb%7Cdl3%7Csec1_lnk3%26pLid%3D-40526639 "Obama honoring Spielberg, Streisand and more with medal of freedom,"] ''NBC News'', November 24, 2015. Retrieved 2015-11-25</ref>

In 2020, the Senator Barbara A. Mikulski Room, with mementos and Mikulski’s [[Presidential Medal of Freedom]], was opened in the [[Enoch Pratt Free Library]].<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/politics/bs-md-pol-mikulski-capitol-20220608-clg3oiiixvaknd5glpvse2clxa-story.html|title=Out of 540 U.S. Capitol rooms, two now are named for female senators. One of them is Maryland's Barbara Mikulski.|website=Baltimore Sun|date=June 8, 2022 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.prattlibrary.org/locations/central/mikulski-room|title=Senator Barbara A. Mikulski Room|website=Enoch Pratt Free Library}}</ref>

On June 8, 2022, a room in the [[United States Capitol]] was named after Mikulski. It is the Barbara Mikulski room, S-115, located on the first floor of the side of the Capitol where the Senate is. It is one of the first two rooms in the Capitol to be named after women who were senators, the other being the [[Margaret Chase Smith]] room, which was named on the same day.<ref name="auto"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rollcall.com/2022/06/08/barbara-mikulski-room-of-her-own/|title=She couldn't even use the Senate gym. Now she has a room of her own|date=June 8, 2022|website=Roll Call}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Barbara Mikulski has never married and has no children.<ref>{{cite web|author=Ron Cassie|title=Senator Barb: How did the daughter of Polish grocers become dean of the U.S. Senate women?|url=https://www.baltimoremagazine.com/section/historypolitics/senator-barbara-mikulski-daughter-of-polish-grocers-rise-to-the-senate/|work=[[Baltimore (magazine)|Baltimore Magazine]] |date=August 2016}}</ref> She stands at 4&nbsp;ft 11 in (150&nbsp;cm) tall and often jokingly said: "I may be short, but I won't be overlooked".<ref name="ncr_1">{{cite web|author=Colman McCarthy|title=Sen. Barbara Mikulski's stirring, selfless life|url=https://www.ncronline.org/sen-barbara-mikulskis-stirring-selfless-life|work=[[National Catholic Reporter]] |date=16 December 2016}}</ref> She is a Roman Catholic.<ref name="ncr_1"/> Raised in a Polish-American and devoutly Catholic family, Mikulski attended the [[Mount Saint Agnes College]] in [[Baltimore, Maryland|Baltimore]] and considered joining [[Sisters of Mercy]], but ultimately decided against it. Discussing her decision to remain a laywoman, she stated: "The vow of obedience did not have great appeal for me. Poverty was one thing, and I could go along with chastity. But it was obedience. I thought, 'My God, all my life there could be someone telling me what to do and where to go!' And inside me beats the heart of a protestor."<ref name="ncr_1"/>

==See also==
* [[Virginia S. Baker]]
* [[Women in the United States House of Representatives]]
* [[Women in the United States Senate]]

==References==
{{notelist}}
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{wikisource|works=or}}
{{commons}}
{{CongLinks | congbio = m000702 | votesmart = 53304 | fec = S6MD00140 | congress = barbara-mikulski/802 }}
* {{C-SPAN|1396}}
* [https://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-394-21tdz8kk “Louis Rukeyser's Election Guide,”]    [[Maryland Public Television]], The Walter J. Brown Media Archives & Peabody Awards Collection at the [[University of Georgia]], [[American Archive of Public Broadcasting]]

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{{s-bef|before=[[Daniel Brewster]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] nominee for [[List of United States senators from Maryland|U.S. Senator]] from [[Maryland]]<br>([[Classes of United States Senators|Class 3]])|years=[[1974 United States Senate election in Maryland|1974]]}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Edward T. Conroy|Edward Conroy]]}}
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{{s-bef|before=Edward Conroy}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] nominee for [[List of United States Senators from Maryland|U.S. Senator]] from [[Maryland]]<br>([[Classes of United States Senators|Class 3]])|years=[[1986 United States Senate election in Maryland|1986]], [[1992 United States Senate election in Maryland|1992]], [[1998 United States Senate election in Maryland|1998]], [[2004 United States Senate election in Maryland|2004]], [[2010 United States Senate election in Maryland|2010]]}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Chris Van Hollen]]}}
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{{s-bef|before=[[David Pryor]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[United States Senate Democratic Conference Secretary|Secretary of the Senate Democratic Conference]]|years=1995–2005}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Debbie Stabenow]]}}
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{{s-par|us-hs}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Paul Sarbanes]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member of the [[List of United States representatives from Maryland|U.S. House of Representatives]]<br>from [[Maryland's 3rd congressional district]]|years=1977–1987}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Ben Cardin]]}}
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{{s-par|us-sen}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Charles Mathias]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[List of United States senators from Maryland|U.S. Senator (Class 3) from Maryland]]|years=1987–2017|alongside=Paul Sarbanes, Ben Cardin}}
{{s-aft|after=Chris Van Hollen}}
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{{s-bef|before=[[Daniel Inouye|Dan Inouye]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=Chair of the [[United States Senate Committee on Appropriations|Senate Appropriations Committee]]|years=2012–2015}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Thad Cochran]]}}
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{{s-bef|before=[[Richard Shelby]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=Ranking Member of the [[United States Senate Committee on Appropriations|Senate Appropriations Committee]]|years=2015–2017}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Patrick Leahy]]}}
|-
{{s-prec|usa}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Chris Dodd]]|as=Former U.S. Senator}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[United States order of precedence|Order of precedence of the United States]]<br>''{{small|as Former U.S. Senator}}''|years=}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Tom Harkin]]|as=Former U.S. Senator}}
{{s-end}}

{{SenAppropriationsCommitteeChairs}}
{{USSenMD}}
{{National Women's Hall of Fame}}
{{Maryland Women's Hall of Fame}}
{{USCongRep-start |congresses=95th–114th [[United States Congress]]es |state=[[United States congressional delegations from Maryland|Maryland]]}}
{{USCongRep/MD/95}}
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{{USCongRep-end}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mikulski, Barbara}}
[[Category:1936 births]]
[[Category:20th-century American women politicians]]
[[Category:20th-century Maryland politicians]]
[[Category:20th-century United States representatives]]
[[Category:20th-century United States senators]]
[[Category:21st-century American women politicians]]
[[Category:21st-century Maryland politicians]]
[[Category:21st-century United States senators]]
[[Category:American politicians of Polish descent]]
[[Category:American Roman Catholics]]
[[Category:Anti-road protests]]
[[Category:Baltimore City Council members]]
[[Category:Catholic politicians from Maryland]]
[[Category:Commanders with Star of the Order of Polonia Restituta]]
[[Category:Democratic Party United States representatives from Maryland]]
[[Category:Democratic Party United States senators from Maryland]]
[[Category:Female United States representatives]]
[[Category:Female United States senators]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Loyola University Maryland alumni]]
[[Category:Polish-American culture in Baltimore]]
[[Category:Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients]]
[[Category:University of Maryland, Baltimore alumni]]
[[Category:Women city councillors in Maryland]]