Washington, DC— DNC Chair Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz released the following statement after Sen. Barbara Mikulski announced this morning that she will not run for re-election:

“I can honestly say that I wonder if I would be where I am today without Barbara Mikulski.

“She paved the way as a trailblazer for a young woman like me to run and win my first election at 26 years old. For the last four decades, there have been few stronger advocates of women’s equality than Barbara Mikulski. A few years ago, Sen. Mikulski introduced the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, the first bill signed into law by President Obama. But as a woman in Congress, I appreciate that her fight to bring equality to the workplace has been fought far longer and earned the hard way.

“Millions of breast cancer patients and survivors like me cannot express how thankful we are for her leadership to ensure that health care reform included free mammograms and preventive services for women.

“In her announcement this morning, Sen. Mikulski promised that she would not run for re-election so that she could focus on ‘raising hell.’ I have no doubt that is true, and know that as women, as Democrats, and as Americans, we are better off for having Barbara Mikulski fighting on our side.”