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Smith led the fight for granting women regular status in the armed services during 1944-48. After passage by the Senate in 1947, a bill providing for regular status for women encountered opposition in the House of Representatives Armed Services Committee from several members who would agree only to reserve status for women. Through adroit political maneuvering, Smith forced the issue to the floor, thereby demonstrating that regular status had strong support in the House and ultimately insuring the passage of the Women's Armed Services Integration Act of 1948.<ref>See Sherman (1990)</ref>
Smith led the fight for granting women regular status in the armed services during 1944-48. After passage by the Senate in 1947, a bill providing for regular status for women encountered opposition in the House of Representatives Armed Services Committee from several members who would agree only to reserve status for women. Through adroit political maneuvering, Smith forced the issue to the floor, thereby demonstrating that regular status had strong support in the House and ultimately insuring the passage of the Women's Armed Services Integration Act of 1948.<ref>See Sherman (1990)</ref>
Smith was a longtime supporter of the [[Equal Rights Amendment]] and the leading advocate for women's presence in the military. In her 1948 campaign, she released a statement that said she was "a champion for the women" but "no feminist" because "a woman's viewpoint should be...free of any emphasis on feminine interest."
Smith was a longtime supporter of the [[Equal Rights Amendment]] and the leading advocate for women's presence in the military. In her 1948 campaign, she released a statement that said she was "a champion for the women" but "no feminist" because "a woman's viewpoint should be...free of any emphasis on feminine interest."
Despite her mostly liberal-leaning record, Smith voted for [[Everett Dirksen]]'s [[school prayer]] constitutional amendment in 1966;<ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/89-1966/s451 TO PASS S. J. RES 144, A RESOLUTION PROPOSING A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT PERMITTING SCHOOL PRAYERS.]. ''GovTrack.us''. Retrieved June 14, 2021.</ref> there was only a 49–37 majority in support, far short of the required 67 votes.
She was a nominal candidate for president in 1964. She did respectably well, considering her lack of organization, time, and money. As a speaker she was pleasant and smiling; reasoned in her answers and without invective, she campaigned on the issues.
She was a nominal candidate for president in 1964. She did respectably well, considering her lack of organization, time, and money. As a speaker she was pleasant and smiling; reasoned in her answers and without invective, she campaigned on the issues.