patrick.net

In a Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade subcommittee hearing on Wednesday, Representative Jan Schakowsky of Illinois suggested (out loud, in front of people) that perhaps fewer women pursue manufacturing jobs because "manufacturing" has the word "man" in it.

"Yesterday, I met with a manufacturing company, but they also are engaged in getting young people more engaged in manufacturing. So, I asked them, so, how many of those students that are signing up and want to do this? How many are women?"

She was reportedly told it was 13%.

"It was a low number. And you had mentioned trying to engage more women in manufacturing. I'm just wondering if just the name manufacturing sounds like a guy."

Yes, this is an actual hypothesis offered up by a sitting member of the United States Congress.

Rep. Jan Schakowsky is planning to announce next month she won’t seek reelection after 14 terms in the House and has started informing allies of her retirement decision, according to two people granted anonymity to describe the private conversations.

The veteran Illinois Democrat, 80, confirmed in a statement that an announcement is forthcoming, though she did not say what it would entail: “I’m going to announce my plans on May 5th. Stay tuned,” she said. Schakowsky’s annual Ultimate Women’s Power Lunch is set for that date in Chicago.