WASHINGTON, D.C., USA — Margaret Chase Smith, a groundbreaking politician who represented Maine in the United States Congress for more than 30 years, now has her own room in the U.S. Capitol.
Smith, a Republican, was the first woman to serve in both chambers of the Congress, and she was the first woman to represent Maine in either chamber.
"Sen. Smith has been a role model for me and an inspiration ever since I had the privilege of meeting her when I was a high school senior from Caribou, Maine," Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said during a ceremony Wednesday.
Collins shared a story about Smith inviting Collins into her office in Washington D.C. when Collins was visiting on a high school trip in 1971. Collins said Smith was the only woman serving in the Senate at the time, and it was an even bigger deal because Smith was from her home state.
"She talked to me for nearly two hours," Collins said. "A high school girl, 18 years old, from Caribou, Maine, spent two hours with the legendary Margaret Chase Smith. And I remember leaving her office and feeling so proud that she was my senator. And I also remember thinking that women could do anything."
Sen. Angus King also spoke about Smith at Wednesday's ceremony, remembering her 1950 "Day of Conscience" speech condemning the Cold War tactics used by U.S. leadership.
"The speech reads today as if it could've been written last week," King said.
In addition to Smith's room, a room was also dedicated to longtime Democratic Maryland politician Barbara Mikulski, who served in the House of Representatives for about 10 years before serving in the Senate for another 30.
"Both of these senators made great contributions to the country and it's an honor for us to be able to honor them," King said.
The Senate voted unanimously to dedicate the rooms to the two senators. On Wednesday, with a group of bipartisan colleagues looking on, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, Collins emphasized the reasons she believes Smith and Mikulski were so effective: civility and respect.
"Sen. Smith and Sen. Mikulski belonged to different parties but they shared a common commitment to civility and respect for the opposition and for their fellow colleagues in their caucus, and that's why they were so effective and got so much done," she said.
"Sen. Smith said, 'The right way is not always the popular or easy way. Standing for right when it is unpopular is a true test of moral character,'" Jonathan Rubin, director of the The Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center at the University of Maine, said. "She also said, 'Public service must be more than just doing a job efficiently and honestly. It must be a complete dedication to the people and to the nation."
Rubin encouraged everyone in the nation to visit the Margaret Chase Smith Library in Skowhegan.