GENDER GAP IN THE 103rd CONGRESS

Abstract

The 1992 election brought a record number of women to the US Congress. The object of this research is to determine whether the increased number of women had an impact on legislative outcomes. This paper tests the idea that the women of the 103rd Congress voted differently than their male colleagues. The findings indicate that there is a gender gap in the voting behavior of male and female members of Congress, particularly on legislative issues where women have been found to be more liberal than men, such as social policy, defense, and gun control. Results also show that there is a women's voting bloc that often crosses party lines.