Louise Slaughter, Who Played Key Role In Health Law Passage, Dies At 88
Rep. Louise Slaughter, of New York, was chairwoman of the rules committee when Democrats were in the majority in the House from 2007 to 2010. The panel controls the debate and amendment process on the House floor, and she used its power to advance the Affordable Care Act, which passed the House by just five votes in 2009.
The New York Times:
Louise Slaughter, 88, 16-Term Liberal Congresswoman, Is Dead
Louise M. Slaughter, a liberal Democrat who represented an upstate New York district in Congress for more than three decades, pushing to protect health privacy and abortion rights and playing a key role in the passage of President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul, died on Friday in Washington. She was 88 and in the midst of her 16th term in the House. In announcing her death, at George Washington University Hospital, her chief of staff, Liam Fitzsimmons, said Ms. Slaughter had sustained an injury last week at her home in Washington. (Fried, 3/16)
Reuters:
Louise Slaughter, Longtime Progressive New York Congresswoman, Dies At 88
"Congresswoman Slaughter embodied the very best of the American spirit and ideals," House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi said. "With her passing, the Congressional community has lost a beloved leader and a cherished friend." (Mitchell and Cornwell, 3/16)
The Wall Street Journal:
New York Rep. Louise Slaughter Dies
In 2007, Ms. Slaughter became the first woman to chair the Rules panel, where she helped shepherd Democratic bills through the House, including the Affordable Care Act, which was enacted in 2010. She wrote an early version of the Stock Act, which banned members from trading stocks based on nonpublic, market-moving information they learned while serving in Congress. The law was enacted in 2012. (Andrews, 3/16)
