Representative Elizabeth Holtzman served four terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, helping create a path for women and immigrants in politics. Rep. Holtzman is the original sponsor of The Refugee Act of 1980, and continues to bring a great deal of knowledge, history, and passion to policy debates that impact the lives of refugees. The daughter of Russian immigrants, she grew up in Brooklyn, New York. Prior to her political career, she received her Bachelor’s degree from Radcliffe College graduating Magna Cum Laude and her J.D. from Harvard University. She went on to practice law and co-founded the Brooklyn Women’s Political Caucus. Rep. Holtzman served in the U.S. House of Representatives after defeating a 50-year House veteran, and notably becoming the youngest woman to serve in the House of Representatives during that time, engaging on issues ranging from America’s military action, women’s rights, and challenges faced by refugees. Rep. Holtzman’s engagement in social justice and equity speaks volumes to the accomplishments that she has had during her political career and beyond. Recently, she was a frequent MSNBC commentator during the 2020 impeachment hearings, as she sat on the Judiciary Committee during the Nixon hearings. Rep. Holtzman was also a keynote speaker at a HIAS event last year on The Refugee Act of 1980 at the Carter Library in Atlanta and has been published in CNN and other outlets on the topic of refugees.