Slaughter, Louise M. (Louise McIntosh), 1929-2018

Dorothy Louise Slaughter née McIntosh (August 14, 1929 – March 16, 2018) was an American politician elected to 16 terms as a United States Representative from New York, serving from 1987 until her death in 2018. She served as the Dean of the New York Congressional Delegation for the last few terms as Congresswoman before her death.

Slaughter was born in Lynch, Kentucky. She studied microbiology and public health at the University of Kentucky, earning both Bachelor's and Master's degrees. After moving to New York and becoming involved in politics as a member of the Democratic Party, she was elected to a seat in the New York State Assembly in 1982 and to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1986. Slaughter represented Rochester and most of surrounding Monroe County; she represented the 30th District from 1987 to 1993, the 28th District from 1993 to 2013, and the 25th district from 2013 until her death, often serving as the only microbiologist in Congress.

Slaughter served as Chair of the House Rules Committee from 2007 until 2011, and as ranking minority member of the Committee from 2005 to 2007, and from 2011 until her death. Slaughter was the lead House sponsor of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, which became law in 2008. Along with Senator Joe Biden she co-sponsored the Violence Against Women Act. At the time of her death, Slaughter was the oldest sitting member of Congress and the last sitting member born in the 1920s.