Tulsi Gabbard features in '25 Most Influential Women in Congress' list

Tulsi Gabbard, a US Congresswoman of Indian origin has recently been named in the list of 25 most influential women in the Congress. Being the first Hindu woman to have achieved this feat, this isn’t the first time Gabbard has proved to be a ‘first.’ The 34-year-old Congresswoman was also the first member of Congress from American Samoa. Having served in Iraq for two tours, she was also one of the first female combat veterans of the body.

Based on a book, "Powerful Women: The 25 Most Influential Women in Congress" by CQ-Roll Call, Gabbard ranks as one of the most accomplished and influential female leaders in Congress today. According to a report by the Economic Times, the book discusses despite having served in the Congress for just two years, Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard has been able to work with Democrats and Republicans and become a leading voice on military and foreign affairs on both the House Armed Services Committee, and the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Not very long ago, the US Democrat Congresswoman from Hawaii, had taken the administration to task for refusing to use the term “radical Islam” and called for the White House to be more aggressive, according to a report by The Hill.com. While many Congressmen and women are critical of the foreign policy, Gabbard is one of the first to have spoken publically about it.

She is also blunt when dealing with sexism. In an interview with Refinery29, when asked about her opinion on the required physical standards for women in the army, she said, “When people talk about the physical requirements of the military, often that’s followed by the assumption that somehow women are less physically equipped to meet the rigors of serving in the military than men… There are so many different qualities and skills and capabilities that make a strong professional warrior. The physical aspect is one of them.”

The Huffington Post>