Veteran Congress members nurture freshmen women
WASHINGTON – After Rep. Ilhan Omar made comments that some called anti-Semitic, she heard from fellow Democratic Rep. Lois Frankel.
“I made it clear that I didn’t like what she said,” Frankel, who is Jewish, told USA TODAY in early April. The Florida congresswoman said she warned Minnesota’s Omar: “‘You have to be careful.’ ... You’re part of a team now, so whatever you say reflects back on all of us.”
More recently, Frankel and other Democrats pushed back at President
Donald Trump for an online attack on Omar – one of the two first Muslim women in Congress.
“My constituents and I are concerned about anti-Semitism. We are not in the business of spreading Islamophobia,” she told USA TODAY on Monday.
Frankel is one of the female lawmakers eager to impart wisdom to new members who are trying to figure out Washington – even if they don’t seek advice.
The 2018 midterm election brought a record number of women – 102 – to the House of Representatives. More than half of the net 40 seats Democrats gained went to women. One member of the GOP freshman class is a woman.
Frankel, who is in her fourth term, regularly talks to new House members, not just Omar but also Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Abigail Spanberger, D-Va. The conversations are not only about major controversies but also about work-life balance and even where to live.
Many freshmen eagerly seek out guidance from Frankel and others.
Rep. Pramila Jayapal, who co-chairs the Congressional Progressive Caucus, has become a go-to source for some new House members. The Washington Democrat has known Omar and Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., for years.
Tlaib, who made history as the other first Muslim woman in Congress, has been caught up in controversies as well, including when she said – using profanity – Democrats would impeach Trump.
Jayapal said she keeps in close contact with Omar, Tlaib and others.
“They do ask, ‘How should I handle this, what should I do? And I try to give what I think is the best advice, and sometimes that means sympathizing with how frustrating something may seem or how unfair something may seem but also helping them to think through what’s the best strategy to take it on,” Jayapal said.
Tlaib did not address the controversies directly but said Jayapal reminded her “I’m not alone.”
“She has taught me a lot about the challenges of maneuvering in this institution, and her advice has been instrumental,” Tlaib said.
Omar’s office did not respond to requests for an interview.
Michigan Rep. Debbie Dingell has known Tlaib for a long time. She said she offered support to Tlaib after her impeachment comment drew fire.
“She calls me mama,” Dingell said. “I talk to Rashida a lot.”
‘Follow your heart’
Freshman Rep. Veronica Escobar of Texas went to Jayapal for advice when she had to make a tough vote on reopening the government after a prolonged shutdown that resulted from a dispute over Trump’s border security demands. Escobar “was really struggling” on whether to vote for a bipartisan funding bill that included money for a border wall and immigration enforcement.
Escobar’s district sits on the southern border with Mexico. She was concerned that more spending on enforcement would reinforce the “narrative that the border is unsafe,” but she wanted “to support compromise and bipartisanship.” Jayapal “gave me a very like ‘you’ve got to follow your heart’ kind of message,” Escobar said. Escobar voted against the funding bill.
Michigan Rep. Haley Stevens “attached” herself to Texas Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, chairwoman of the Committee on Science, Space and Technology. Stevens said Johnson coached her on how to get selected for the committee. After being assigned to the panel, Stevens became chairwoman of a subcommittee.
“The congresswoman has been very beneficial for me in terms of learning how to hold the gavel, learning how to hold a committee hearing,” Stevens said.
West Virginia Rep. Carol Miller is the only freshman woman on the Republican side. “So who do I turn to?” she asked. “Everybody.”
“I ask men and women questions, depending upon the issue, and they’ve all been very supportive, very nice,” she said.
Miller has had a longtime relationship with Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, also of West Virginia. In a “real girl moment,” Capito put Miller’s congressional pin on her while she was surrounded by the women of her family.
Adjusting to life in Washington
Many freshmen seek advice on adjusting to life in the nation’s capital, which can be expensive.
Ayanna Pressley, a freshman Democrat from Massachusetts, gets extra help from the Congressional Black Caucus. California Rep. Karen Bass, the chairwoman, set up a mentoring program for newbies.
Pressley was teamed with Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, a three-term Democrat from New Jersey who was the first black woman to represent her state in Congress. Pressley is the first black woman to represent Massachusetts in the House.
“A lot of it is personal support,” Pressley said. “This is a major transition, and so it’s tremendous to have people who know that walk, who have had some time here.”
Many women live in the same apartment building. They jokingly refer to it as a dorm.
Residents said Frankel works hard to persuade people to move into the building and acts as a “mayor” to keep a steady stream of events happening, including a recent pajama party.
At first, Spanberger resisted Frankel’s sales pitch on the apartment. She wanted to find a place of her own.
After her efforts failed, she texted Frankel.
“I was like, ‘Lois, you’re right. I need your help. Help me find a place in your building.’ And she probably did a sunglasses emoji. And then within an hour, she sent me two listings. And that night ... I had an apartment in her building,” the Virginia Democrat said.
Frankel often teases Spanberger, a former undercover CIA operative, about being “a spy.” The apartment Spanberger moved into overlooks Frankel’s, so she really can watch her – or at least see if she’s home for a chat.
Rep. Grace Meng, another senior House member, lives in the building. The New York Democrat has two young children and helped recruit female candidates, especially those with kids.
Meng said she tells new members what works – and what doesn’t – in “how I balance the family, my spouse, my kids.” She said she makes it clear that “it’s not easy.”
Meng has found some things that make it better, including camps for her kids when they visit in the summer.
Meng said she benefits, too, now that a surge in new mothers in Congress has made maternal advice readily available. More than 20 moms text frequently about their family issues, including sharing tips for summer camps.
“It’s really therapeutic for myself even though I’ve been here for a little bit,” she said.