CNN 2012-03-21

 A woman was elected to the US Congress for the first time,96 years ago,today we'll meet the woman who served the longest time on Capital Hill,as our Women's History Month coverage 1 rolls on.

 
First up,though,we are looking at Puerto Rico as it gets some time in the US political spotligt.Puerto Rico is US territory.People who live there are US citizens.They don't get to vote in US presidential elections.But they are part of the nominating process.Yesterday,Puerto Rico held its Republican primary contest.There were 20 delegates up for grabs,and there's an interesting rule about how they get awarded.If one candidate gets more than 50% of the votes,he wins all of those delegates.No one get at least 50%,then the delegates are awarded proportionally based on how many votes each candidate gets.The results from Puerto Rico's primary were still coming in when we made the show yesterday.You can get the latest details by clicking on the CNN election center link and you'll find that in the spotlight 2 section on our homepage.
 
 
 
US time zones,we have them because on the date in history,in 1918,they were established by the Standard Time Act.
 
In 1932,the Sydney Harbor Bridge opened in Australia.More than a hundred and fifty thousands vehicles cross it everyday.
 
In 1953,the Oscars were broadcast on TV for the first time.Now tens of millions of Americans watch the show every year.
 
And in 2003,a coalition 3 led by the United States launched the first bombings of the war in Iraq.
 
Officials in Pakistan are considering how their country works with the United States.Pakistan's Parliament is set to start debating this issue on Tuesday.After the 911 terrorist attacks in 2001,Pakistan promised to work with the US to fight terrorism.That included fighting the Taliban,which was based in Afghanistan,Pakistan's neighbor.
There has been some tension from both the US and Pakistan lately,though.US and coalition forces have raise concerns about terrorist activities and the growing Taliban presence in Pakistan.Osama bin 4 Laden 5 was found and killed in Pakistan,and Pakistani officials have spoken out against air-strikes carried out by coalition forces in their country.Last November,24 Pakistani soldiers were killed by one of those strikes along the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan.And after that,the Pakistan set up a special committee to come up with some recommendations about how Pakistan should interact with the US,those suggestions are what the Pakistani Parliament will start debating tomorrow.
 
 
Today's Shout Out goes out to Ms.Holt's classes at,Westbrook Walnut 6 Grove 7 Schools in Westbrook,Minnesota.Who was the first woman elected to serve in the US Congress? Here we go.Was it,Shirley Chisholm,Hillary Clinton,Jeannette Rankin or Condoleezza Rice?You've got three seconds.Go.
 
 
Jeannette Rankin was elected to Congress in 1916 and then again in 1940.That's your answer and that's your Shout Out.
 
 
Jeannette Rankin served four years in Congress,two years each time she was elected.Barbara Mikulski has been elected to National Office ten times,five times in the US House of Representatives,five times in the US Senate.
 
 
Dana Bash caught up with senator Mikulski recently to talk about her experiences as the longest-serving-woman in Congress.
 
 
This is Senator Nacy Cathbell and me....
 
 
When Democrat 8 Barbara Mikulski came to the senate in 1988,there was only one another woman,a Republican.
 
 
There hemline was a little different.The hair color,that's when they were too.
 
 
The two forged to bond a cross-party lines,now they are 17-female senators.
 
 
We have 5 Republican women,12 Democratic women.
 
 
Mikulski is now becoming the longest serving woman in Congressional history.To mark it,she invited three other women across parties and generations to her capital hideaway to talk to us about what's senate women call their zone of civility.
 
 
She hosts the dinner every quarter of all the women senators and obviously those dinners were highly confidential 9.But we talked about...
 
 
..just among us girls...you can tell...(laughter)..
 
 
Well we talked but our families,and our concerns and our lives,sometimes we talk about we are working on,but it's verycollegial setting.
 
 
This subject is especially poignant 10 for Olympia Snowe,leaving the Senate because it's so polarized.
 
 
We are all a team as women.We may not agree on every issue but that's not the point.We know how to work together,and the give and take of it,to achieve results and that's what frustrates 11 us many times we get together for dinner.One thing we can let you in on.
 
 
Spill it.
 
 
Is that you know,we like to get results.
 
 
They differ everything from taxes to energy policy,but generally agree on women's issues.Ironically,this dean of the senate women learn from a old boys' network that no longer exists here.Get to know each other personally or better professionally.
 
 
I won't always be here but I hope the legacy 12 of civility that I've worked with other women to create will remain.
 
 
Dana Bash,CNN,Capital Hill.