Keeping Faith in Congress: Why Persistence, Compassion, and Teamwork Will Save Our Democracy
In 1996, Walter Capps won a seat in US House of Representatives. Less than a year later, he suffered a massive heart attack at Dulles Airport and died in his wife's arms. Lois Capps, a retired school nurse, decided just a few days later to run for her husband's seat. She won that election and went on to serve eight more terms in Congress, representing the central coast of California and advocating progressive causes.
In Keeping Faith in Congress, Lois Capps poignantly tells her story--of her husband's death and her decision to run, of her daughter's death to cancer just a few years later, of her efforts to work across the aisle, and of her work on behalf of her constituents.
No matter what personal or professional obstacles she faced, Representative Capps never lost faith in democracy. Instead, even the challenges taught her lessons. Now she shares those lessons, hoping that others can be inspired to work on behalf of the common good.
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Lois Capps represented the central coast of California in the US House of Representatives from 1998 to 2017. Before serving in Congress, she had successful careers in both nursing and education. In Congress, she was a leader on issues of public health, domestic violence against women, the environment, and mental health services. She helped get the Affordable Care Act passed, and she voted against the war in Iraq. She made a point of working collaboratively across the aisle, and she was voted the Nicest Person in Congress four times. Capps retired from Congress to Santa Barbara, where she is active in the community, her church, and with her grandchildren.
"Lois Capps and I served the people of California in Congress for many years, and I always admired her tenacity and her civility. It's no wonder she was voted the Nicest Member of the House! Her career proves that you can treat people with respect--even your political opponents--and still get things done. Her career--and this book--should be a roadmap for all who want to serve in elective office." --Senator Barbara Boxer
"Lois Capps has written an eloquent and moving account of the lessons learned during her decades of distinguished public service both on and off Capitol Hill. Weaving together stories and Scripture, Keeping Faith in Congress is a testament to the importance of balancing conviction with an open heart and an open mind. And it is a reminder of how sorely needed Capps's model of 'servant leader' is in our current political moment." --E. J. Dionne Jr., senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and author of Souled Out: Reclaiming Faith and Politics after the Religious Right
"For those of us who believe in progressive politics and progressive values, Lois Capps's book is the answer to our prayers. A must read for everyone who, like Lois, has what FDR called 'a strong and active faith.'" --Paul Begala, political strategist and former advisor to President Bill Clinton
"This is an inspirational book, especially recommended for those of us who are fed up with the name-calling, hyper-partisanship, and cynicism that currently pervade American politics. Lois Capps has faith in the great American democratic experiment and is optimistic that our present acrimony will in time succumb to what Abraham Lincoln called the better angels of our nature." --Lou Cannon, former White House correspondent for the Washington Post and author of President Reagan: The Role of a Lifetime
