1998 – Dallas, Texas & Washington, DC
Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, Republican of Texas, is the first woman to represent the Lone Star State in the U.S. Senate. During her still short tenure, Senator Hutchison has made a significant impact and is responsible for the passage of several important federal laws, including the federal anti-stalking bill and Homemaker IRA legislation that significantly expanded retirement opportunities for stay-at-home spouses. In January 1997, Senator Hutchison joined key Senate Appropriations Committee, and serves on the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, where she chairs the Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine. Senator Hutchison grew up in La Marque, Texas, and graduated from the University of Texas and UT Law School. Twice elected to the Texas House of Representatives, she was a successful entrepreneur before moving into the political arena. In 1990, she was elected Texas State Treasurer, where she trimmed her agency’s budget more than any other state official while increasing returns on Texas investments to a historic $ 1 billion annually. She also spearheaded the successful fight against a state income tax. The Senator’s Texas heritage is historic. Thomas Jefferson Rusk, of Nacogdoches, was the first Texan to serve in the US Senate. His friend and law partner was Charles S. Taylor, who signed the Texas Declaration of Independence. Taylor’s great-great-granddaughter, Kay Bailey Hutchison, today occupies the Rusk seat in the US Senate. Senator Hutchison lives in Dallas with her husband, Ray, a former colleague from the Texas House.
