FLEXING HER MUSCLES

Brenda Lawrence

The 91 Democratic women now in the House of Representatives are organizing as a power center within the majority party, creating a formal caucus from their working group – from the Democratic Women's Working Group to the Democratic Women's Caucus. Oakland County's Rep. Brenda Lawrence (Southfield, West Bloomfield, Farmington Hills, Pontiac, eastern Detroit) is the co-chair of the new caucus, along with California Rep. Jackie Speier and Rep. Lois Frankel (FL). Lawrence will focus on issues relating to health care and women of color, while Speier focuses on sexual violence and women's safety, and Frankel takes on economic issues facing women. In addition, Lawrence also co-chairs the bipartisan Congressional Caucus for Women's Issues with Rep. Debbie Lesko (R-AZ), indicating the skyrocketing House profile of the Representative from Oakland.