♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I'M BONNIE ERBE WELCOME TO TO THE CONTRARY.

THIS WEEK, THE HIGHEST RANKING REPUBLICAN WOMEN IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

WASHINGTON STATE'S CATHY McMORRIS RODGERS.

SHE TALKS TO US ABOUT HER ROLE IN CONGRESS AS WELL AS SOME OF HER LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES.

>> REPRESENTATIVE, CATHY McMORRIS RODGERS YOU ARE THE FOURTH RANKING IN THE REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP AND YOU CHAIR THE REPUBLICAN CONFERENCE.

EXPLAIN TO OUR VIEWERS WHAT THAT MEANS.

>> SURE IT IS AN HONOR TO CHAIR THE REPUBLICAN CONFERENCE.

THIS IS A POSITION I'M ELECTED TO BY MY PEERS THE 242 REPUBLICANS SERVING IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

IT MEANS THAT EVERYDAY I'M SITTING DOWN WITH THE SPEAKER, THE MAJORITY LEADER THE WHIP AND THE TOP FOUR OF US SIT DOWN AS WE THINK THROUGH THE STRATEGY THE LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES AS WELL AS HOW WE COMMUNICATE WITH OUR MEMBERS AND TO AMERICA.

SO IT'S REALLY BEING AT THE FOREFRONT OF EVERYTHING THAT IS HAPPENING IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

AND BEING A PART OF FIGURING OUT THAT STRATEGY.

>> YOU'VE BEEN HERE SINCE 2004.

>> YES.

>> AND YOU ALSO YOU HAVE THREE CHILDREN.

WHOM YOU -- THE FIRST YOU DID NOT HAVE WHEN YOU FIRST ENTERED CONGRESS.

SO YOU WERE PREGNANT SEVERAL TIMES, CROSSING THE COUNTRY WHAT, ON A WEEKLY BASIS AND PLUS WHATEVER OTHER TRAVEL YOU HAD.

BUT GOING BACK HOME TO WASHINGTON EVERY WEEK OF THE YEAR HOW DO YOU DO IT?

AND HOW DO YOU CONTINUE TO DO IT?

>> I CAN ASSURE YOU UP WHEN I WAS GROWING UP AS A SMALL TOWN IN EASTERN WASHINGTON I NEVER WOULD HAVE DREAMED THAT ONE DAY I WOULD BE ELECTED TO CONGRESS.

THE 200TH WOMAN EVER TO SERVE IN THE UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

I WAS 35 AND SINGLE AND MET BRIAN THE SUMMER AFTER I WAS ELECTED AND WE GOT MARRIED AND YES, WE'VE HAD THREE CHILDREN.

HE IS RETIRED FROM THE NAVY.

HE FLEW FOR THE NAVY AND IS SUPER DAD NOW.

HE IS THE ONE THAT DAY IN AND DAY OUT IS RAISING OUR AT HOME WITH THE KIDS.

AND HE WILL TELL YOU IT'S HARDER THAN ANYTHING HE DID IN THE NAVY.

BUT IT'S ALSO SUCH AN HONOR FOR ME TO BE ABLE TO SERVE.

AND HE IS A BIG PART OF MAKING THIS POSSIBLE.

AND I THINK THAT FOR BEING A WORKING MOM IS NOT THAT DIFFERENT THAN MILLIONS OF OTHER WORKING MOMS IN AMERICA, RIGHT?

>> ESPECIALLY IT WOULD BE ONE THING IF YOU WERE FROM MARYLAND AND YOU COULD DRIVE HOME AT NIGHT BUT THREE KIDS AND LIVING IN WASHINGTON STATE AND COMMUTING FROM ONE WASHINGTON TO THE OTHER.

>> IT IS A LONG COMMUTE I'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR THE QUICK ROUTE AND IT TAKES SEVEN, EIGHT HOURS ON A GOOD DAY TO GET FROM WASHINGTON D.C. TO SPOKANE WASHINGTON.

SO WHEN I -- COLE WAS FIRSTBORN WE WOULD GO BACK AND FORTH TOGETHER A LOT AS A FAMILY.

IT GOT MORE COMPLICATED WHEN SCHOOL STARTED AND THE KIDS ARE 10, SIX AND THREE.

COLE WAS ARE BORN WITH DOWN'S SYNDROME AND ESPECIALLY AT THE BEGINNING, FIGURING OUT THE THERAPIST AND ALL OF THE SUPPORT THAT HE NEEDED AT THE BEGINNING.

SO YOU HAVE A TEAM HERE IN WASHINGTON D.C. AND A TEAM IN SPOKANE.

AND WHEN HE STARTED SCHOOL WE MADE THE DECISION TO MOVE THE FAMILY TO WASHINGTON D.C.

I TRIED, I TRIED HAVING THE KIDS IN SPOKANE AND GOING TO SCHOOL IN SPOKANE.

COLE WENT THROUGH A TREMENDOUS PROGRAM CALLED THE GUILD SCHOOL BIRTH TO THREE AND GOT INTO THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

AND I FOUND IT WAS TOO MUCH TIME APART.

AND THANKFULLY BRIAN AND THE KIDS NOW ARE WITH ME IN WASHINGTON D.C. DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR.

SO IT MEANS MOST MORNINGS I CAN HELP GET THE KIDS READY FOR SCHOOL AND I DON'T GO OUT EVERY EVENING TO CARVE OUT FAMILY TIME FOR US.

AND THAT IS THE WAY WE ARE KEEPING OUR FAMILY TOGETHER.

>> AND I HAD THE IMAGE THAT YOU WERE FLYING BACK HOME.

>> IT'S ALLOWING US TO BE TOGETHER AS A FAMILY.

IT'S HARDER IN THE SENSE THAT SO MANY OF OUR EXTENDED FAMILY AND FRIENDS ARE IN SPOKANE.

SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE SUMMERS WHEN THEY CAN BE IN SPOKANE FOR AN EXTENDED TIME AND REALLY SPEND THAT TIME WITH OUR FAMILY.

>> YOU TALK A LOT ABOUT BEING A MOM.

HOW HAS THAT AFFECTED BEING A REPRESENTATIVE?

AND YOU ALSO TALK A LOT ABOUT NOT HAVING FAIR DISCOURSE, QUIET, THOUGHTFUL DISCOURSE BETWEEN THE PARTIES ABOUT POLICIES.

HOW DOES THAT ALL WORK TOGETHER?

>> FIRST, I LOVE BEING A MOM.

AND I FEEL LIKE I CAME CLOSE TO MISSING OUT ON IT AND IT IS THE MOST AMAZING THING IN THE WORLD BRINGING A NEW LIFE INTO THE WORLD AND A BABY AND WATCHING KIDS GROW.

I LOVE THAT PART.

AND I ALSO BELIEVE THAT BEING A MOM HAS MADE ME A BETTER LEGISLATOR ESPECIALLY HAVING A SON WITH DISABILITIES.

WE HAVE COLE AND I HAVE TWO DAUGHTERS.

BUT IT'S REALLY HELPED INFORM MY VOTES AND MY PRIORITIES HERE IN CONGRESS.

IT IS JUST BECAUSE OF COLE AND THE EXPERIENCES THAT WE'VE HAD FIRSTHAND THAT I'M BETTER INFORMED ON WHAT IT REALLY MEANS TO GO THROUGH EARLY INTERVENTION AND WORK ON IEP'S, THE INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PLAN FOR A STUDENT WITH DISABILITIES AND SIT DOWN AND HAVE THE MEETINGS.

IT'S ALSO INFORMED ME ON HOW I THINK ABOUT HEALTHCARE.

I'VE HAD MY OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCES.

LIKE ANYONE WE ARE A PRODUCT OF OUR OWN EXPERIENCES AND I BRING THAT TO MY WORK HERE ON CAPITOL HILL.

BUT IT HAS I BELIEVE HAS HAD A POSITIVE IMPACT.

ON MY WORK HERE.

>> IN A MOMENT TO THE ABLE ACT AND ABLE A POINT WHICH YOU SPONSORED AND GOT THROUGH CONGRESS.

BUT CAN YOU POINT TO ANYTHING OTHER THAN THAT THAT HAS YOUR STAMP ON IT?

I'M THINKING ABOUT YOUR MEETINGS YOUR DAILY MEETINGS WITH THE LEADERSHIP IS THERE ANY ISSUE THAT YOU MESSAGE IN A PARTICULAR WAY THAT GOT OUT THERE?

>> I'VE CERTAINLY DONE A LOT.

I REPRESENT FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE THE LARGEST TANKER BASE IN AMERICA.

I'VE SERVED ON THE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE AND I MARRIED BRIAN A RETIRED NAVY AVIATOR AND FOR MANY YEARS COCHAIRED THE MILITARY FAMILY CAUCUS AND RAISED ISSUE IMPORTANT TO OUR MILITARY FAMILIES.

I COCHAIR WITH SANFORD BISHOP, A DEMOCRAT OUT OF GEORGIA AND HE HAS TRAVELED TO FAIRCHILD.

THIS WAS A CAUCUS WE PUT TOGETHER TO PUT A MICROPHONE IN FRONT OF OUR MILITARY FAMILIES.

WHEN SOMEONE JOINS A MILITARY IT IS A COMMITMENT THAT THE ENTIRE FAMILY MAKES AND YOU THINK ABOUT IN RECENT YEARS THE MULTIPLE DEPLOYMENTS THAT FAMILIES HAVE ENDURED AND CHALLENGES.

SO THAT HAS BEEN AN AREA WHERE I HAVE REALLY SPENT SOMETIME AND RAISED AWARENESS AND BROUGHT SOME OF THE ISSUES TO THE FOREFRONT AROUND THE LEADERSHIP TABLE.

AND THEN THERE'S ISSUES BACK HOME.

I SERVE ON THE ENERGY AND COMMERCE COMMITTEE AND A LEADER IN PROMOTING HYDRO POWER.

I ALSO -- >> ARE YOU FOR PRIVATIZATION OF IT?

OF HYDRO POWER?

THERE IS A LOT OF TALK -- >> NOT OF BONVILLE POWER ADMINISTRATION.

THERE'S -- I AM A PROMOTER OF PUBLIC POWER BONVILLE POWER AND THERE'S PRIVATE INVESTMENT.

WE COULD DOUBLE HYDRO POWER IN AMERICA.

IT IS THE LARGEST RENEWABLE IN THE COUNTRY, CLEAN, RELIABLE, AFFORDABLE AND WE COULD DOUBLE HYDRO POWER IN AMERICA WITHOUT BUILDING A NEW DAM.

AND WITH NEW TECHNOLOGY IMPROVED FISH LADDERS AND TURBINES, WE ARE SEEING THE RECORD SALMON RETURNS AND SEEING THE POSSIBILITY TO EXPAND HYDRO POWER.

SO THAT IS AN ISSUE THAT I CONTINUE TO PROMOTE AND THE WEST WE'VE SEEN CATASTROPHIC FOREST FIRES.

EVERY YEAR THEY ARE GETTING WORSE.

AND I HAVE BEEN CERTAINLY PROMOTING BETTER FOREST MANAGEMENT SO WE HAVE HEALTHIER FOREST AND FIXES TO FUNDING THE FIGHTING OF FOREST FIRES.

BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY -- >> MORE FUNDING.

>> MORE FUNDING, YES, BECAUSE WE ARE ROBBING FROM OUR FOREST MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTS WITHIN THE FOREST SERVICE COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WE SPENT OVER HALF OF THE FOREST SERVICE BUDGET ON FIGHTING FIRES RATHER THAN MANAGING THESE MILLIONS OF ACRES THAT THE FOREST SERVICE OWNS.

>> TELL ME ABOUT ABLE ONE AND TAX FREE, AND TO A 529 FOR SAVING FOR COLLEGE OR AN IRA FOR RETIREMENT.

THIS WOULD BE FOR A CHILD.

AND JUST AS AN EXAMPLE, WHEN COLE WAS BORN 10 YEARS AGO NOW, AND WE WERE GETTING THE NEWS THAT HE HAD THAT EXTRA 21ST CHROMOSOME AND IN THE COURSE OF THAT CONVERSATION AND IT WAS A TEAM OF PEOPLE AROUND US, I REMEMBER THEM SAYING AND DO NOT PUT ASSETS IN HIS NAME BECAUSE HE MIGHT NEED TO QUALIFY FOR ONE OF THE PROGRAMS ONE OF THE GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS IN THE FUTURE.

AND IT'S OVERWHELMING NEWS WHEN YOU GET THIS DIAGNOSIS AND YOU ARE PROCESSING AND I CAN TELL IF THEY TOLD PARENTS UPON THE BIRTH OF ANY CHILD THE LIKELIHOOD THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE JUVENILE LEUKEMIA OR THE LIKELIHOOD THERE'S GOING TO BE HEART ISSUES, THIS LONG LIST IT WOULD BE OVERWHELMING TO ANY PARENT.

THAT IS WHERE I WAS.

BUT THEY SAID DON'T PUT ASSETS IN HIS NAME AND I THOUGHT IT WAS A WRONG MESSAGE TO BE SENDING NEW PARENTS, THAT WERE SO EXCITED TO HAVE THIS BABY READY TO SACRIFICE AND DO EVERYTHING WE CAN SO THAT THIS CHILD WOULD HAVE EVERY OPPORTUNITY POSSIBLE TO SAY DON'T PUT ASSETS IN HIS NAME, RIGHT AND IT WAS BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE LAWS ARE CURRENTLY STRUCTURED.

AND SO THE ABLE ACCOUNT, ALLOWS FOR A FAMILY TO SETUP A TAX FREE SAVINGS ACCOUNT WITHOUT JEOPARDIZING THESE OTHER BENEFITS.

SO, AFTER THEY FINISH SCHOOL IT SAVINGS FOR EDUCATION, TRANSPORTATION, HOUSING, IT'S SO THAT THEY COULD LIVE MORE INDEPENDENTLY.

WITHOUT JEOPARDIZING SOME OF THE OTHER BENEFITS THAT THEY WANT TO ACCESS.

AND WE WORKED FOR SEVEN YEARS TO GET THE ABLE ACCOUNT APPROVED.

IT PASSED LAST CONGRESS AND WAS SIGNED INTO LAW.

WE HAD MORE COSPONSORS ON THIS LEGISLATION THAN ANY OTHER BILL IN THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE.

IT TOOK A LOT OF WORK.

IT WAS A LARGE COALITION REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS COMING TOGETHER, I WORKED CLOSELY WITH SENATOR BOB CASEY, AMY CLOB CHOIR IN THE SENATE AND STARTED OUT WITH PATRICK KENNEDY AND THEN OTHERS THAT WERE A PART OF MAKING THIS HAPPEN.

>> DO YOU SEE YOUR SON WORKING AND SUPPORTING HIMSELF AS AN ADULT?

>> THAT WOULD BE MY DREAM FOR HIM.

I OFTENTIMES WHEN I'M TOURING DIFFERENT BUSINESSES I'M THINKING OK IS THIS SOMETHING THAT COLE COULD DO?

IT'S EXCITING TO SEE THOSE WITH DISABILITIES GOING TO COLLEGE NOW MORE OFTEN.

AS WELL AS BEING GIVEN THAT OPPORTUNITY TO WORK.

SO NOW WE'VE INTRODUCED ABLE 2.0, A PACKAGE OF BILLS THAT BUILDS UPON THE ABLE ACT.

AND WE NEED TO BE ADDRESSING SOME OF THE BARRIERS FOR THOSE WITH DISABILITIES TO WORK.

AND PART OF THIS -- >> AND THEY ARE HUGE BECAUSE I'VE READ ONLY 17.9% OF DISABLED PEOPLE WORKED LAST YEAR.

>> AND THAT NUMBER HAS NOT CHANGED IN 40 YEARS.

AND IT IS AN UNTAPPED RESOURCE IN THIS COUNTRY.

WE NEED TO FOCUS ON THE ABILITY.

WE NEED TO FOCUS ON WHAT AN INDIVIDUAL CAN DO AND WHAT THEY CAN OFFER RATHER THAN SAYING OK YOU HAVE A DISABILITY AND WE ARE GOING TO SIGN YOU UP FOR THIS PROGRAM.

>> IT MUST BE ILLEGAL UNDER THE ADA TO DISCRIMINATE AGAINST PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN THE WORKPLACE?

>> WELL-INTENTIONED PROGRAMS.

YOU TAKE SOME OF THE PROGRAMS, MEDICAID FOR EXAMPLE.

CAN'T HAVE MORE THAN $2000 IN ASSETS.

AND THAT NUMBER HASN'T CHANGED SINCE MEDICAID MAY HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED.

IT'S BEEN A LONGTIME.

>> AND THE ABLE ACT UPPED IT TO $13,000.

>> PER YEAR THAT YOU CAN PUT ASIDE AND $100,000 THAT YOU CAN SET ASIDE FOR AN INDIVIDUAL.

>> AMONG THE DISABLED POPULATION IF ONLY 18% OF THEM WORK HAVE JOBS, DID YOU DO STUDIES HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO BE ABLE TO PUT ASIDE THAT KIND OF MONEY?

>> THERE HAS BEEN ANALYSIS DONE.

THAT IS WHERE WE NEED TO BUILD ON IT AND WHAT 2.0 IS ABOUT.

FOR A FAMILY WHO CAN SET ASIDE MONEY TAX FREE IS GREAT BUT MAYBE HAVE AN INDIVIDUAL THAT CAN GET A JOB.

WE VISITED THE CAPITOL CANDY SHOP I TOOK REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS AND WE VISITED THE CAPITOL CANDY SHOP AND THEY HIRED A YOUNG LADY WITH DOWN'S SYNDROME AND SHE IS SO EXCITED TO HAVE THE JOB.

AND THERE THE EMPLOYER AS WELL AS THE COLLEAGUES WERE TALKING ABOUT WHAT A POSITIVE INFLUENCE SHE HAD BEEN ON THE ENTIRE BUSINESS.

THIS LITTLE CANDY SHOP BECAUSE SHE WAS SO EXCITED SHE CAME TO WORK EVERYDAY ENTHUSIASTIC.

DEDICATED.

AND IT LIFTED MORALE.

SO THAT WAS GREAT TO HEAR.

NOW UNDER ABLE 2.0 SHE COULD TAKE HER PAYCHECK AND PUT IT INTO AN ABLE ACCOUNT.

IT WOULD BE PROTECTED SO SHE WOULD NOT BE THREATENED TO LOSE WHATEVER THE GOVERNMENT PROGRAM MAY BE.

IT GIVES HER AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET EXPERIENCE, GET IN THERE AND PROVE HERSELF AND SEE WHAT SHE CAN DO.

THAT IS WHY I THINK THIS ABLE ACCOUNT IS SO POWERFUL.

AND I THINK WE ALL RECOGNIZE THAT A JOB IS SO DEFINING IN OUR LIVES.

AND THAT IT'S SO MUCH MORE THAN A PAYCHECK.

IT'S WHAT GIVES YOU PURPOSE AND DIGNITY.

AND THERE ARE MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES THAT WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK.

I'VE WORKED CLOSELY WITH SENATOR HARKEN THROUGH THE YEARS AND HE SINCE RETIRED BUT WE HOSTED A SUMMIT THAT WAS FOCUSED ON ADDRESSING THE BARRIERS FOR THOSE WITH DISABILITIES TO WORK.

>> WHY IS IT THAT ONLY 18% OF THEM DO WORK?

IS THERE OVERWHELMING DISCRIMINATION IN THE WORKPLACE?

>> I BELIEVE IT IS MORE ABOUT A FEAR OF LOSING THE BENEFITS THAT THEY HAVE.

SO WHETHER IT IS SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY, WHETHER IT'S MEDICAID OR SOME OF THE OTHER PROGRAMS THE FEAR IS YOU KNOW, THAT THEY ARE WELL-INTENTIONED PROGRAMS BUT IT'S FOCUSED ON NOT LOSING THE BENEFITS.

AND WE NEED TO JUST OPEN IT UP.

WE NEED TO SAY OK MAYBE RAMP UP.

RATHER THAN IT BEING ALL OR NOTHING YOU ARE ON THE PROGRAMS OR YOU'RE NOT.

SAY OK, WE WANT TO PROVIDE INCENTIVES FOR YOU TO GET INTO THE WORKPLACE SO THAT THERE WOULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO RAMP OFF THESE PROGRAMS.

AND THINK THAT IS PART OF IT.

ANOTHER PART OF IT IS THAT FOR SOME EMPLOYERS THEY THINK THAT IT IS GOING TO BE COSTLY TO HIRE SOMEONE WITH DISABILITIES AND YOU HEAR ABOUT ACCOMMODATIONS, MAYBE IT IS A COMPUTER OR WORK SPACE DIFFERENT THINGS THEY MIGHT HAVE TO DO TO ACCOMMODATE SOMEONE WITH DISABILITIES AND THEY SAY OH, IT'S TOO MUCH.

WHEN COMPANIES DO IT, WALGREENS IS A GREAT EXAMPLE.

WALGREENS HAS REALLY EMBRACED HIRING THOSE WITH DISABILITIES AND IT STARTED IN THE WAREHOUSE.

AND OVER THE YEARS THEY HAVE FOUND THAT THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE SUCH GOOD EMPLOYEES THAT THEY WANT TO NOW BRING THEM UP FRONT AND OPEN IT UP TO MORE JOBS IN THEIR STORES ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

AND IT IS A GREAT STORY THAT NEEDS TO BE TOLD MORE.

AND YES, IT MIGHT MEAN SOME ACCOMMODATIONS, MINOR ACCOMMODATIONS BUT IN THE WHOLE SCHEME OF THINGS THEY ARE BRINGING SUCH HAVING SUCH A POSITIVE IMPACT THAT THEY WANT TO DO MORE.

>> WHAT ABOUT -- WHAT DISABLED PERSON EARN WHILE IN THE WORKFORCE?

ARE THEIR.

SCOTTY SMILELY, SERGEANT -- SCOTTY SMILELY HE WAS BLINDED IN IRAQ.

LOST HIS EYESIGHT WITH AN IED AND HE BECAME THE FIRST BLIND ARMY OFFICER, EVER.

AND IT WAS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT THEY WANTED TO JUST HAVE HIM FILL OUT THE FORM, SIGN THE PAPERWORK THAT HE WAS 100% DISABLED, RIGHT AND HIS WIFE IN THAT MOMENT JUST SAID I JUST CAN'T SIGN THIS PAPER.

I JUST HAVE TO THINK THERE'S SOMETHING MORE.

SO SHE DID NOT SIGN IT AND THEY WENT THROUGH A PROCESS WHERE HE STAYED IN THE ARMY.

AND HE WAS ABLE TO BE REPURPOSED BUT IN A DIFFERENT ROLE.

AND STILL LEAD AND BE A CONTRIBUTING MEMBER OF OUR MILITARY.

AND THAT IS THE WAY WE NEED TO BE THINKING.

THAT JUST BECAUSE IN THE PAST IT WAS OK YOU ARE DISABLED 100% DISABILITY WE WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU.

LET'S THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU CAN DO.

IT MAKE -- YOU HAVE TO THINK MORE CREATIVELY BUT THAT IS THE WAY WE NEED TO BE THINKING AND WE NEED MORE TO RUN.

I THINK FOR A LOT OF WOMEN AND I HEAR THIS WHEN I'M TRYING TO RECRUIT WOMEN TO RUN THEY NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT IT.

THEY ARE BUSY IN THEIR FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES.

AND FOR A LOT OF WOMEN THEY JUST HAVE NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT RUNNING FOR OFFICE.

>> WHY IS THAT MORE TRUE OF REPUBLICAN WOMEN THAN DEMOCRATIC WOMEN, WOULD YOU SAY?

>> IT'S RELATIVELY NEW ACROSS THE BOARD.

I AM THE 200TH WOMAN EVER TO SERVE IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

AND THAT WAS IN 2004.

SO OUT OF 11,000 PEOPLE WHO HAVE SERVED IN THE HOUSE, SO IT'S STILL RELATIVELY NEW.

WE ARE CELEBRATING THIS YEAR, THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FIRST WOMAN WHO EVER SERVED, JANET RANKIN A REPUBLICAN FROM MONTANA.

>> AND THE ONLY REPRESENTATIVE TO VOTE AGAINST THE ENTRY INTO WORLD WARS ONE AND 2.

>> THAT IS TRUE.

AND I THINK ABOUT MY MOM WHO WHEN SHE WAS DECIDING WHAT SHE WANTED TO DO, SHE -- AND THINKING ABOUT COLLEGE SHE THOUGHT IT WAS BETWEEN NURSING AND TEACHING.

RIGHT?

THAT WAS MY MOM.

WHICH IS JUST ONE GENERATION, RIGHT?

SO I'M EXCITED THAT WE HAVE MORE WOMEN SERVING.

AND YES, WE NEED MORE REPUBLICAN WOMEN TO ANSWER THE CALL.

>> AND YOU ARE RECRUITING?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> HOW MUCH TIME ARE YOU ABLE TO SPEND DOING THAT?

>> WELL, I WAS VERY INVOLVED IN 2010 RECRUITING WOMEN.

I WAS ON THE RECRUITMENT TEAM.

THIS YEAR ELICE, THE YOUNGEST WOMAN EVER ELECTED -- FROM NEW YORK IS CHAIRING OUR RECRUITMENT.

THE FIRST WOMAN TO CHAIR RECRUITMENT IN THE HOUSE.

I DO FIND THAT A LOT OF WOMEN JUST HAVE NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT IT.

AND TO A CERTAIN DEGREE THEY NEED TO BE ASKED.

NOW IT'S ENCOURAGING TO SEE MORE WOMEN DOING IT.

WOMEN, I OFTEN FIND THAT WE LOOK FOR MODELS.

WE LOOK FOR OTHERS WHO HAVE DONE IT AND WE SAY OK, SHE DID IT, I CAN DO IT.

AND WE NEED MORE MODELS.

SO IT'S GOOD THAT MORE ARE RUNNING.

BUT THEY ALSO A LOT OF THEM JUST NOT ON THEIR RADAR SCREEN.

I CALLED A LADY LAST WEEK AND WAS TALKING TO HER ABOUT RUNNING FOR CONGRESS.

AND SHE IS TALKING ABOUT HER FAMILY AND HER JOB AND SHE IS JUST LIKE HOW IS THIS GOING TO WORK?

LIKE YOU STARTED AT THE BEGINNING.

AND SO I THINK AS THEY SEE MORE DOING IT AND THEY CAN TALK AND ASK THOSE QUESTIONS, BEING MY EXPERIENCE WAS ONE WHERE I WAS ENCOURAGED TO DO THIS.

AND I'M NOT SURE I'VE OFTEN WONDERED IF I WOULD HAVE SAID OK I'M GOING TO RUN FOR CONGRESS.

I WAS ENCOURAGED TO DO IT AND I WAS SINGLE SO THAT MADE THE FAMILY -- I EASED INTO THE FAMILY SIDE OF TO THE CONTRARY, SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.

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