The U.S. Capitol Historical Society gathered on the morning of Wednesday, March 24th, 2010 to celebrate Women’s History Month with the event How Women are Changing the Senate. Capitol Hill journalists had a lot to say about the event, and Jay Leno mentioned it in his March 26th monologue.

C-SPAN 3 broadcast the entire event on Sunday, April 4 at 2 pm.  Click here to watch the video

Ms. Cokie Roberts, of ABC and NPR as well as a member of the Society’s Board of Trustees, led the panel discussion.  Senator Susan Collins (ME), Senator Dianne Feinstein (CA), Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (TX), and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (NY) engaged in a lively dialogue about working with their fellow female Senators, balancing personal and professional responsibilities, the portrayal of women politicians in today’s media, and offered their advice to the future women of the Senate.  Legislative issues such as education and health care bridge the gap of partisan politics for these Senators.  Senator Collins remarked that, “Every issue is a women’s issue.”

The Society’s Leadership and Constantino Brumidi Society members filled the Kennedy Caucus room and enjoyed watching the camaraderie and listening to the openness of these women.

An enthusiastic question and answer session followed the discussion and audience members asked candidly about how to encourage other women to become Senators and how the women continue to change the Senate.  When asked if their goal was to achieve 50 women in the Senate, Senators Gillibrand and Hutchison quickly responded, “We would like 51.”