rachelinbrooklyn:

Diane Sawyer interviews our 20 women senators. 

Sen. Susan Collins: “I think those issues [abortion, birth control] should be settled and should not be the main focus of debate.” 

Sen. Elizabeth Warren: “But Senator Collins, I don’t think they are entirely settled. I mean, that’s the problem, is that there were amendments introduced to say that women wouldn’t have access to health insurance coverage for birth control. There was a question raised about whether or not we’ll really have enforcement of equal pay for equal work laws. And boy if that’s the case, then we better stand up and we better speak out strong.”

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand: “But if Congress was 51 percent women, you can bet your bottom dollar we would not be debating contraception.”

Sen. Patty Murray: “We should be talking about transportation infrastructure or economic development or how to solve the budget deficit, and we keep facing these amendments on abortion. It’s like can’t you just leave that alone?”

Sen. Barbara Boxer: “And they’re always brought up by men, Diane.”