The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“REMEMBERING SHIRLEY ABRAHAMSON” mentioning Tammy Baldwin was published in the Senate section on pages S193-S194 on Jan. 28.
Of the 100 senators in 117th Congress, 24 percent were women, and 76 percent were men, according to the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
Senators' salaries are historically higher than the median US income.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
REMEMBERING SHIRLEY ABRAHAMSON
Ms. BALDWIN. Mr. President, today I rise to recognize the distinguished life of Wisconsin Supreme Court Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson, who died on December 19, 2020, at the age of 87. Justice Abrahamson was a consummate public servant who was passionately driven by the principle of fairness when applying the law and serving the people of Wisconsin. Her unparalleled commitment to judicial independence and justice had an immeasurable impact on Wisconsin's judicial system and the countless women and men who have been inspired to work in public service by her leadership. She was the first woman to serve on the Wisconsin Supreme Court and the first woman to serve as chief justice, but her legacy is even richer than those exceptional accomplishments.
Justice Abrahamson's life had modest beginnings in New York City in 1933, as the child of Polish immigrants. Her passion for the law started at the tender age of 6, when she decided she wanted to become a lawyer. Those who knew her at all stages of life--from childhood to retirement--consistently commented on her thirst for learning. She was a voracious reader even at a very young age and a dedicated student, earning honors in high school and college.
Justice Abrahamson graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor's degree from New York University in 1953. She earned a law degree with high distinction from Indiana University in 1956 and a doctor of law in American Legal History from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 1962. Justice Abrahamson began her career as a practicing attorney and distinguished professor at the University of Wisconsin Law School.
Justice Abrahamson's career is an inspiration to all women who are fighting forces that tell them they don't belong because of their gender. She faced significant discrimination when she entered the legal profession in the 1950s. From being denied employment at a law firm after graduating first in her class at Indiana University, to the denial of jobs, clients, and even social club memberships because of her gender, Justice Abrahamson remained undaunted by prejudice. She refused to back down from those who stood in the way of a woman's path to success in the legal profession. She carried that steadfast commitment to fairness and equality in her work on the court.
In 1976, Justice Abrahamson broke the glass ceiling in Wisconsin's judicial system by becoming the first female justice on the Wisconsin Supreme Court. She again changed the judicial landscape in 1996 when she became the first woman to serve as chief justice. For the chief, serving on the supreme court meant serving the people of Wisconsin as an independent, fair, and impartial justice because, after all, the court and our court system belong to the people, not powerful special interests. That is why she spent a lot of her time traveling the State, meeting with people. Whether it was meeting with local judges, riding along with local law enforcement, or meeting with advocates for victims of sexual assault and domestic violence, she always understood that you can't serve the people if you don't walk in their shoes. That is why the people of Wisconsin elected her to the supreme court four times and she served 43 years on the court--serving the people.
The late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said Justice Abrahamson was
``most courageous and sage, and ever mindful of the people--all the people--that the law exists or should exist to serve.''
Justice Abrahamson was cherished and respected as a mentor, teacher, advocate, wife, mother, grandmother and friend. She was known for her strong work ethic, often the last person working at night at the State capitol preparing for a case. Even as she faced pancreatic cancer at the end of her last term on the State supreme court, Justice Abrahamson fearlessly continued working, noting, ``On any day in this state, more than a quarter-million people are facing a cancer diagnosis.'' She tried to make the law more accessible and understandable to clients and the general public and brought a caring perspective to her professional and personal interactions. Her passion was also seen outside of the courtroom in her travels and treasured relationships with family and friends.
Justice Abrahamson was a true American hero. From her incomparable tenure on the Wisconsin Supreme Court to her efforts as a pioneer for gender equality, Justice Abrahamson lived a life devoted to service and justice for all. Her greatest legacy is the trail she blazed for countless young women, who can see themselves in a courtroom or on a judicial bench because of the barriers she fearlessly broke through. She will shine in Wisconsin's history as one of the most influential women who shaped not only our judicial institutions but the State as a whole.
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