Artifacts
During her 16 years in Congress, Mary Rose Oakar of Ohio developed a reputation as a liberal who worked on behalf of women’s rights, most notably with her sponsorship of the Pay Equity Act and the Federal Pay Equity Act in the mid-1980s. She believed that “economic security is the truly liberating issue for women…if you’re economically liberated, you’re free to pursue other avenues in your life.”
Mary Rose Oakar Campaign Button, 1979, Collection of U.S. House of Representatives