Barbara Mikulski, a Cancer born on July 20, 1936, is a Democratic senator from Maryland who has had an impressive tenure in Congress. After ten years serving in the House of Representatives, she began her Senate career in 1987, and has since become the longest-serving woman in Congressional history. In 2012, she became Chairman of the powerful Senate Committee on Appropriations. In an environment where women’s voices are often muffled, Mikulski has been a steadfast force for progress throughout her career.