Patricia Schroeder

Patricia Schroeder (born July 30, 1940, Portland, Oregon, U.S.—died March 13, 2023, Celebration, Florida) was a U.S. politician who was the first woman elected to Congress from Colorado, serving in the U.S. House of Representatives (1973–97). She was known for her outspoken liberal positions on social welfare, women’s rights, and military spending.

Schroeder received a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Minnesota in 1961 and a law degree from Harvard Law School in 1964. From 1964 to 1972 she held a variety of positions, including field attorney with the National Labor Relations Board, professor of law, and legal counsel for Planned Parenthood of Colorado. In 1972 Schroeder entered the House race, running as a Democrat, though she received no support from the party. Few expected her to win, but she proved popular with voters, many of whom supported her vocal opposition to the Vietnam War, and she won the election.

Schroeder took her seat in the House of Representatives in 1973 and ultimately served 12 terms. As cochair of the Congressional Caucus for Women’s Issues, she focused attention on issues relating to family life, such as parental leave, child care, and family planning. As the second ranking member of the Post Office and Civil Service Committee, she was a proponent of programs to protect federal workers. Schroeder was also one of the first women ever appointed to the House Armed Services Committee, where she forcefully advocated the rights of women in the military and crusaded against excessive military spending. Her talent as a wordsmith became widely known when she called President Ronald Reagan the “Teflon president,” suggesting that criticism never seemed to stick to him. She did not seek reelection in 1996 and left the House of Representatives the following year. Schroeder was named president and chief executive of the Association of American Publishers in 1997 and served until 2008.