11 Democratic Congresswomen on Their Priorities, the Shutdown, and What Bipartisanship Looks Like in 2019

At the start of the year, the 116th Congress was sworn into office, immediately becoming the most diverse Congress in history—all in the midst of a record-long government shutdown. Now, just days after the government has reopened, these members are ready to get to work on the issues that brought them to D.C. in the first place. On Tuesday night, during Rep. Maxine Waters' second Millennial Media Row event, ELLE.com got the chance to talk to a number of Congresswomen about those very priorities, that very shutdown, and what they'd say to young women discouraged by what they see in politics.

At the start of the year, the 116th Congress was sworn into office, immediately becoming the most diverse Congress in history—all in the midst of a record-long government shutdown. Now, just days after the government has reopened, these members are ready to get to work on the issues that brought them to D.C. in the first place. On Tuesday night, during Rep. Maxine Waters' second Millennial Media Row event, ELLE.com got the chance to talk to a number of Congresswomen about those very priorities, that very shutdown, and what they'd say to young women discouraged by what they see in politics.