Pittsburgh -- U.S. Congresswoman Pat Schroeder and PA AFL-CIO President Rick Bloomingdale joined 18th Congressional District candidate Dan Connolly today at the Rivers Club. They celebrated the 90th Anniversary of the 19th Amendment and highlighted Tim Murphy’s opposition to pay equity for women. On average, women are paid 75% of what men are paid. Murphy voted against Lilly Ledbetter pay equity legislation that became law in 2009.

“At a time when more and more families are counting on two incomes to get by, such pay inequity hurts Pennsylvania families in the pocketbook at a time when they cannot afford it,” said Dan Connolly.

A true inspiration for politically minded women, Congresswoman Pat Schroeder is the first woman ever elected to represent Colorado in the U.S. House of Representatives. Born in Oregon, Pat received a B.A. in History from the University of Minnesota in 1961, and a law degree from Harvard University in 1964. Shortly after law school, Pat moved to Denver to work for the National Labor Relations Board for the next two years. She volunteered as counsel for Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, and further served her community by teaching in Denver’s public schools. In 1972, she ran to represent Colorado’s 1 Congressional District against Rep. Mike McKevitt, a popular former Denver District Attorney, beating him by 8,000 votes; forever etching her name in American history. Pat would successfully run eleven more times, winning each election by a large margin.

While in Washington, Pat continued to make history by becoming the first woman to serve on the House Armed Services Committee. She was instrumental in passing 1993’s Family and Medical Leave Act; a landmark bill for working families, FMLA protects the positions and benefits of workers caring for seriously ill relatives, tending to newborn or newly adopted children, or coping with catastrophic illness of their own. Ms. Schroeder was a Presidential candidate in 1988, and coined the term “Teflon President” to political junkies and journalists across the country when describing President Reagan’s administration.

Since leaving public office, Congresswoman Schroeder was named President and CEO of the Association of American Publishers.