Throughout the month of March, NewsChannel 34 is highlighting the contributions and hidden histories of women across the country.

In the midterm elections, voters elected a record number of women to Congress.

Now, those women are getting to work.

NewsChannel 34’s Alexandra Limon spoke to some of the new lawmakers about their priorities, goals and how they hope to empower other women through the legislation they help craft.

NEARLY 100 YEARS AFTER WOMEN WON THE RIGHT TO VOTE, AMERICAN VOTERS ELECTED THE MOST WOMEN EVER TO BOTH HOUSES OF CONGRESS.

NEWLY ELECTED CONGRESSWOMAN VERONICA ESCOBAR REPRESENTS THE 16TH DISTRICT IN TEXAS.

“And I feel grateful to the community for allowing me the opportunity and the privilege.”

VETERAN CALIFORNIA CONGRESS WOMAN JACKIE SPEIER HAS BEEN A LEADER ON CAPITOL HILL OF THE ‘ME TOO’ MOVEMENT AGAINST SEXUAL HARASSMENT AND DISCRIMINATION.

SHE WELCOMES ALL THE NEW FACES.

SHE ALSO WELCOMES THEIR NEW IDEAS.

“They want to shake up the system, and I think that’s a good thing.”

NEVADA’S NEWLY ELECTED SENATOR JACKY ROSEN DEFEATED REPUBLICAN SENATOR DEAN HELLER IN THE 2018 MIDTERMS; MAKING NEVADA ONE OF ONLY SIX STATES WITH TWO FEMALE UNITED STATES SENATORS.

“I think now, with this election, those girls in junior high and high school are going to look at United States Congress and the Senate, and say there’s a woman like me out there, I can do that.”

BUT, THERE’S STILL NEVER BEEN A WOMAN IN THE OVAL OFFICE.

“What do you think it’s going to take to change that?”

That’s a very good question. It could be that the first woman president might be a republican.

BUT THE REPUBICAN PARTY IS STRUGGLING TO ATTRACT FEMALE CANDIDATES.

SOMETHING SENATE MAJORITY LEADER MITCH MCCONNELL SAYS IS A PROBLEM.

THE WOMEN SERVING IN THE 116TH CONGRESS SAY DIVERSITY WILL LEAD TO BETTER POLICIES AND NEW IDEAS.

AND THEY ENCOURAGE MORE WOMEN TO GET INVOLVED.

IN WASHINGTON, ALEXANDRA LIMON.

NewsChannel 34 will air a half hour Celebrating Women special featuring stories from across the country and here at home this Saturday at 5:00 PM on WIVT NewsChannel 34.

You can also catch other individual stories on the Celebrating Women page at https://BinghamtonHomepage.com.