Claudine Schneider was the Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate for the state of Rhode Island in 1990. Previously, Ms. Schneider served five terms representing Rhode Island's 2nd Congressional District. She was the first woman elected to Congress from the state of Rhode Island and served on the Space, Science & Technology Committee and the Merchant Marine & Fisheries Committee, and the Select Committee on Aging. She was a co-founder and co-chair of the Congressional Competitiveness Caucus, a bipartisan group of over 200 legislators concerned about America's overall economic standing in the world. Before joining Congress, Ms. Schneider was a producer and host of an NBC affiliate's public affairs program, a Federal Coordinator for the Rhode Island Coastal Zone Management Program, and Executive Director of the Conservation Law Foundation.