USA TODAY International Edition
Former Rep. Schroeder, pioneer for women’s rights, dies
WASHINGTON – Former U. S. Rep. Pat Schroeder, a pioneer for women’s and family rights in Congress, has died. She was 82.
Schroeder’s former press secretary, Andrea Camp, said Schroeder suffered a stroke recently and died Monday night at a hospital in Celebration, Florida, where she had been living in recent years.
Schroeder took on the powerful elite with her rapier wit and antics for 24 years, shaking up stodgy government institutions by forcing them to acknowledge that women had a role in government. Her unorthodox methods cost her important committee posts, but Schroeder said she wasn’t willing to join what she called “the good old boys’ club” to score political points. Unafraid of embarrassing her colleagues in public, she became an icon for the feminist movement.
Schroeder was elected to Congress in Colorado in 1972 and became one of its most influential Democrats as she won easy reelection 11 times from her safe district in Denver. Despite her seniority, she was never appointed to head a committee.
Schroeder helped forge several Democratic majorities before deciding in 1997 that it was time to leave. Her parting shot in 1998 was a book titled “24 Years of Housework ... and the Place is Still a Mess. My Life in Politics,” which chronicled her frustration with male domination and the slow pace of change in federal institutions.
In 1987, Schroeder tested the waters for the presidency, mounting a fundraising drive after fellow Coloradan Gary Hart pulled out of the race. She announced three months later that she would not run and said her “tears signify compassion, not weakness.” Her heart was not in it, she said, and she thought fundraising was demeaning.
She was the first woman on the House Armed Services Committee but was forced to share a chair with Rep. Ron Dellums, D- Calif., the panel’s first African American, when chairman F. Edward Hebert, D- La., organized the panel. Schroeder said Hebert thought the committee was no place for a woman or an African American, and they were each worth only half a seat.
According to her official House biography, she once told Pentagon officials that if they were women, they would always be pregnant because they never said no. Asked how she could be a mother of two children and a member of Congress at the same time, she replied, “I have a brain and a uterus, and I use both.”
It was Schroeder who branded President Ronald Reagan “the Teflon president” for his ability to avoid blame for major policy decisions, and the name stuck.
One of Schroeder’s biggest victories was the signing of a family leave bill in 1993, providing job protection for care of a newborn, a sick child or a parent.
“Pat Schroeder blazed the trail,” said Rep. Nita Lowey, D- N. Y., who took over from Schroeder as Democratic chair of the bipartisan congressional caucus on women’s issues.
A pilot, Schroeder earned her way through Harvard Law School with her own flying service. She became a professor at Princeton University after leaving Congress. She is survived by her husband, James W. Schroeder, their two children, Scott and Jamie, her brother, Mike Scott, and four grandchildren.
ALABAMA Montgomery: Mayors of the state’s largest cities want to open up the hood on the state’s online sales tax program, amid worries that cities that impose high sales tax rates may be losing out on revenue.
AL. com reports mayors of 10 cities want state lawmakers this year to mandate more data be provided about online sales taxes.
ALASKA Juneau: A measure pending in the House would change the name of the Alaska Native Language Preservation and Advisory Council to the Alaska Native Language Council to better reflect the mission of the council, the Alaska Beacon reports.
ARIZONA Casa Grande: Two men have been arrested in connection with a fatal shooting west of the Casa Grande Mountains, authorities said. Casa Grande police said the body of a man was found around 5 a. m. Saturday on a roadway near a shooting range.
ARKANSAS Little Rock: A proposal to end affirmative action by government agencies in the state was tabled by a House panel, following criticism that it could jeopardize dozens of programs around the state.
CALIFORNIA Sacramento: Appbased ride hailing and delivery companies like Uber and Lyft can continue to treat drivers in the state as independent contractors, a state appeals court ruled, allowing the tech giants to bypass other state laws requiring worker protections and benefits.
COLORADO Raton Basin: Multiple earthquakes were reported late last week west of Trinidad in southern Colorado and were some of the strongest reported in the state in recent years.
CONNECTICUT Killingly: The lawyer for the Killingly Board of Education has filed a legal motion asking that any references to a controversial board vote to reject a student mental health clinic by Generations Family Health Center not be mentioned during an upcoming state inquiry.
DELAWARE Wilmington: Delaware is the best state for car enthusiasts, according to a new study from Chrysler Capital. Delaware scored a 99.2 out of 100 based on a cumulative score ranking the state’s registered vehicles and the number of car clubs, racetracks and experience days.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Washington: Ninety people have been released from jail amid misconduct investigations into the officers who arrested them, WUSA- TV reports.
FLORIDA St. Petersburg: A man convicted of a 1989 double slaying for which he was dubbed the “ninja killer” is set for execution next month under a death warrant signed Monday by Gov. Ron DeSantis. It would mark the second execution in Florida this year after a long pause dating back to 2019.
GEORGIA Cartersville: Two men caught shoplifting had an estimated $ 26,000 worth of baby formula in their car, according to police. Police caught the men walking out of a Publix store with backpacks filled with cans of formula, news outlets reported. Officers searching their car found 662 more cans of formula inside, police Lt. Greg Sparacio said.
HAWAII Hilo: Authorities said a man was taken to Hilo Medical Center in serious condition after falling from a cliff near Rainbow Falls, Hawaii News Now reports.
IDAHO Boise: A measure to add the firing squad to the state’s execution methods advanced to the Senate, Idaho Capital Sun reports. Corrections officials have expressed trouble obtaining the materials for lethal injections.
ILLINOIS Springfield: Illinois will become one of three states to require employers to offer paid time off for any reason after Gov. J. B. Pritzker signed a law that will take effect next year. Starting Jan. 1, Illinois employers must offer workers paid time off based on hours worked, with no need to explain the reason for their absence as long as they provide notice in accordance with reasonable employer standards.
INDIANA Jeffersonville: A man who was shot by police after he fired a handgun and pointed it at officers has died from his gunshot wounds days after the shooting, authorities said.
IOWA Des Moines: More than 1,200 potholes have been reported in the city in the first three months of 2023 – more than double the number reported during the same time last year. And with heavy snowfall over the weekend, city officials say that number is likely to climb.
KANSAS McPherson: Union Pacific officials believe that a broken wheel likely caused this weekend’s derailment that spilled denatured alcohol inside a refinery.
KENTUCKY Frankfort: A bill to legalize sports betting won House passage, setting up a Senate showdown on a proposal that creates divisions among the Republican supermajorities. Past efforts to legalize sports wagering in the Bluegrass State garnered House support but died in the Senate.
LOUISIANA New Orleans: An energy industry giant and a Louisiana company plan a research and training project to develop offshore wind power technology for the Gulf of Mexico, Gov. John Bel Edwards’ office said. Shell will invest $ 10 million with New Orleans- based Gulf Wind Technology for the project to develop wind power generation products designed to operate in the Gulf.
MARYLAND Annapolis: A federal judge issued an arrest warrant for Roy McGrath, the one- time aide to former Gov. Larry Hogan, after McGrath failed to appear in court as his trial on federal fraud charges was set to begin.
MASSACHUSETTS Boston: A man described by authorities as the ringleader of a group that used stolen identities to buy multiple vehicles worth a total of more than $ 1.5 million has pleaded guilty to fraud and identity theft charges, federal prosecutors said.
MICHIGAN Detroit: Wayne State University will provide free tuition to incoming in- state students with family incomes of $ 70,000 or less and assets of $ 50,000 or less. The Wayne State Guarantee covers the full cost of tuition and standard fees with a combination of federal, state and other Wayne State scholarships and grants, the school said.
MINNESOTA Duluth: Part of the roof at Miller Hall Mall collapsed Tuesday morning before the mall opened, the Star Tribune reports. A city spokeswoman said no injuries were reported.
MISSISSIPPI Sandersville: The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians is expanding the Bok Homa Casino. The expansion will include a 60- seat restaurant and a larger sports betting area, tribal officials said at a news conference.
MISSOURI Hermann: The search for the man suspected of killing one small- town police officer and badly injuring another ended after police fired tear gas into the home and arrested the man when he came outside.
MONTANA Helena: The Senate advanced a measure that would help marijuana tax revenue be used for youth suicide prevention efforts, the Independent Record reports.
NEBRASKA Lincoln: Police said a convenience store employee was struck repeatedly with a liquor bottle that a customer was trying to steal, the Lincoln Journal Star reports.
NEVADA Reno: Most of the state was under an emergency declaration in anticipation of more rain and more heavy snow in the Sierra where repeated storms already have made it one of the snowiest winters in decades. A winter storm warning remains in effect at Lake Tahoe until Wednesday evening.
NEW HAMPSHIRE Laconia: A man has been accused of putting three gun powder- filled pipe bombs under his neighbor’s porch, police said. The man said he put the package under the porch and described its contents, the affidavit said.
NEW JERSEY Camden: A dilapidated house where Martin Luther King Jr. once stayed in southern New Jersey was severely damaged in a fire. The city’s fire marshal is investigating the cause of the blaze. City spokesperson Vince Basara said it’s possible the building may be deemed an unsafe structure and condemned after the city inspects it. The blaze spread to the home next door and four nearby residents had to evacuate, he said. No injuries were reported.
NEW MEXICO Santa Fe: The House has endorsed new limitations on public access to police body- camera video when it captures images of nudity, violence, injury or death. The 46- 19 vote sent the bill to the Senate for consideration.
NEW YORK New York City: Plans for a rail link were abandoned that would have connected LaGuardia Airport to the city’s subway and commuter rail system, after intense criticism about its $ 2.4 billion- plus price tag and the potential effects on surrounding neighborhoods.
NORTH CAROLINA Raleigh: With continued challenges to fill employee vacancies, Gov. Roy Cooper told the state personnel office to act to ensure that more positions don’t necessarily require a college degree for applicants. Cooper’s executive order, which covers Cabinet- level agencies, is designed to encourage more people to apply for state jobs.
NORTH DAKOTA Hettinger: A man who was working on the home of a sheriff ’ s deputy has been accused of intentionally setting a fire at the deputy’s home. No one was injured and damage was minimal, according to a news release.
OHIO Circleville: A zebra attacked its owner and bit the man’s arm before it was fatally shot by a sheriff ’ s deputy, authorities said. The zebra’s owner was hospitalized but is expected to recover. Zebras are not considered exotic animals under Ohio law.
OKLAHOMA Dickson: A woman said she was attacked by an escaped pet monkey. Brittany Parker told KOKH that she spotted the monkey as it was attempting to open the screen door to her home. Police have not identified the owner of the monkey.
OREGON Wilderville: A lawsuit over the death of a man who was killed by Oregon State Police outside his home in 2015 has been settled for $ 1.6 million after a lengthy legal odyssey, the Grants Pass Daily Courier reported.
PENNSYLVANIA Philadelphia: Temple University graduate students who are teaching and research assistants have overwhelmingly ratified a new contract, ending their six- week- long walkout.
RHODE ISLAND Providence: The joint venture developing the first big offshore wind farm for the state is proposing to build a second, even larger project to supply power to the state.
SOUTH CAROLINA Columbia: An Army trainee who left a base without permission last year and briefly held a group of children hostage at gunpoint aboard a school bus has been found not guilty by reason of insanity.
SOUTH DAKOTA Pierre: Lawmakers are taking a break in the legislative session until they return later in March to consider any bills Gov. Kristi Noem vetoed. Republican legislative leaders were focused on cutting taxes when the session began in January. They now can declare victory on that topic. The record was more mixed on other topics, ranging from restricting gender- affirming care for transgender people to limiting foreign ownership of farmland.
TENNESSEE Nashville: Transgender people would be prevented from changing their driver’s licenses and birth certificates under legislation approved by Republican senators. The legislation, which still must clear the House chamber, would define male and female in state law and base people’s legal gender identities on their anatomy at birth.
TEXAS Austin: A 19- year- old was arrested in a shooting at a hookah lounge that left two high school students dead and three other people seriously wounded, police said.
UTAH Salt Lake City: The state unveiled a new “aggressive” plan to address homelessness, following the release of a report showing a 14% year- over- year increase in people experiencing homelessness. The plan includes the construction of more accessible and affordable housing and an increase in support services.
VERMONT White River Junction: A religious school that withdrew its girls’ basketball team from a playoff game because a transgender student was playing on the opposing team won’t be able to participate in future tournaments, the Vermont Principals’ Association announced.
VIRGINIA Fairfax County: The state’s largest school system is removing a test question given to a college- level social studies class that equated liberals and conservatives with specific racial and gender demographics. The question appeared on a test given to students of an AP Government class at Fairfax County Public Schools’ Online Campus.
WASHINGTON Olympia: A contentious bill that would give police greater ability to pursue people in vehicles has narrowly passed the Senate. Senate Bill 5352 would allow a law enforcement officer to initiate a chase if the officer has reasonable suspicion that a person in a vehicle has committed or is committing a crime, the Daily Herald reported.
WEST VIRGINIA Charleston: Gov. Jim Justice signed a bill that makes interfering with a police officer and causing their death a felony punishable by up to life in prison. The bill that passed unanimously in both chambers of the Legislature was named after Charleston Patrol Officer Cassie Johnson, who was fatally shot in December 2020 as she was responding to a parking complaint.
WISCONSIN Lac du Flambeau: A Native American tribe and the town have reached an agreement under which the tribe will temporarily reopen four barricaded roads that are the subject of a decade- long dispute and a recent lawsuit.
WYOMING Casper: Gov. Mark Gordon will host a summit with mental health professionals and groups next month, the Casper Star- Tribune reports, building on the mental health summit that was held last fall.