Patricia Schroeder (born July 30, 1940), American politician, was a twelve-term Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives from Colorado, serving from 1972 to 1996.

Born in Portland, Oregon, she attended the University of Minnesota before getting a law degree from Harvard University in 1964. She worked for the National Labor Relations Board and Planned Parenthood before running for Congress.

While in Congress, she became the first woman to serve on the House Armed Services Committee, and was a prime mover behind the Family and Medical Leave Act. She briefly entertained the notion of running for President in 1988, before announcing her withdrawal in an emotional press conference on September 28, 1987.

She is perhaps best known, however, for saying, of Ronald Reagan, "He's just like a Teflon frying pan: Nothing sticks to him." Ironically, her characterization did stick, and the phrase "Teflon President" entered the American political lexicon.

Since 1997, she has been the President and CEO of the Association of American Publishers.

External links

The Association of American Publishers