Washington, DC – Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Vice Chair of the House Republican Conference, was recognized today with the “2012 Best of Congress Award” by Corporate Voices for Working Families and Working Mother Media.  Only 30 Members of Congress – from both sides of the aisle – were celebrated for their outstanding leadership in improving the quality of life for working families.

“As a wife and a mom with two young children, I know first-hand the importance of being able to balance a demanding job with a family – and ever since I’ve been in Congress, it’s been my goal to provide that opportunity to families all across this country,” said Rep. McMorris Rodgers.  “I’m honored to join such a distinguished group of lawmakers in accepting this year’s ‘Best of Congress Award.’  It represents what I think is the most important part of my job in Congress: to improve the lives of America’s families.” 

“These Members of Congress stand as role models for what can be accomplished through a combination of legislation and a personal commitment to policies that benefit working families.  Through their actions, they are improving the quality of life for working parents nationwide,” said former Congresswoman Patricia Schroeder (D-CO), a 2012 Best of Congress Steering Committee member. 

Recipients of the 2012 Best of Congress Award are:

U.S. Senate

o   Michael Bennet (CO)

o   Sherrod Brown (OH)

o   Robert Casey (PA)

o   Mike Crapo (ID)

o   Kirsten Gillibrand (NY)

o   Kay Bailey Hutchison (TX)

o   Herbert Kohl (WI)

o   Patty Murray (WA)

U.S. House of Representatives

o   Tammy Baldwin (WI-2)

o   Russ Carnahan (MO-3)

o   Susan Davis (CA-53)

o   Rosa DeLauro (CT-3)

o   Jeff Denham (CA-19)

o   Chaka Fattah (PA-2)

o   Raul Grijalva (AZ-7)

o   Carolyn Maloney (NY-25)

o   Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-5)

o   Kristi Noem (SD-1)

o   Erik Paulsen (MN-3)

o   Ed Perlmutter (CO-7)

o   Dave Reichert (WA-8)

o   Peter Roskam (IL-6)

o   C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger  (MD-2)

o   Linda Sanchez (CA-39)

o   Allyson Schwartz (PA-13)

o   Adam Smith (WA-9)

o   Pete Stark (CA-15)

o   Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-20)

o   Lynn Woolsey (CA-6)

o   John Yarmuth (KY-3)

This year’s applicants were judged on several important criteria:  Their voting record, sponsorship of legislation, constituent casework, and other activities that demonstrate their commitment to improving the lives of working families. They also were asked to submit employment policies and practices within their own offices that support working parents and flexible workplace options.

Applications were reviewed by a bipartisan steering committee co-chaired by Arianna Huffington, President and Editor?in?Chief of The Huffington Post Media Group and the Honorable Jane Swift, CEO of Middlebury Interactive Languages and former Governor of Massachusetts.  Other steering committee members are the Honorable Pat Schroeder, former Congresswoman from Colorado and former president and CEO of the Association of American Publishers; Ted Childs, Founder and Principal of Ted Childs, LLC; and Patricia Kempthorne, President of the Twiga Foundation.