this historic room gives her hope. >> we sit next to each other and rather than at the head table, our job is to bring the committee together with the best ideas and most affordable ideas, not to square off. >> reporter: the 4'11" senator made a long career. >> it's not easy being 4'11" in an institution like this. >> reporter: she has a reputation for sometimes being intimidating. >> let them feel the hard landing that my constituents face. >> reporter: yeah. >> when women are persistent and insistent are viewed as tough. now, i view it as just being effective. >> reporter: one of her proudest achievements, legislation giving women equal pay for equal work, the first bill signed by the first black president. >> he said, this pen is yours.