Women in the United States House of Representatives
This article is part of a series on the |
United States House of Representatives |
---|
History of the House |
Members |
|
Congressional districts |
Politics and procedure |
Places |
United States portal |
Women have served in the United States House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the United States Congress, since 1917 following the election of Republican Jeannette Rankin from Montana, the first woman in Congress.[1] In total, 378 women have been U.S. representatives and seven more have been non-voting delegates. As of November 12, 2024, there are 127 women in the U.S. House of Representatives (not including four female non-voting delegates), making women 29.2% of the total.[2] Of the 385 women who have served in the House, 253 have been Democrats (including four from U.S. territories and the District of Columbia) and 132 have been Republicans (including three from U.S. territories, including pre-statehood Hawaii). One woman was the 52nd Speaker of the House, Democrat Nancy Pelosi of California.
Women have been elected to the House of Representatives from 49 of the 50 states. Mississippi is the only state that has not elected a woman to the House of Representatives, though it has elected a woman to the United States Senate. In 1917, Montana was the first state to send a woman to the House of Representatives and to Congress; in 2023, Vermont became the most recent state to send its first woman to the House, and in 2025, North Dakota will do the same to Congress. Women have also been sent to Congress from five of the six territories of the United States; the final territory to send a woman to the House of Representatives will be the Northern Mariana Islands, also in 2025. California has elected more women to Congress than any other state, with 46 U.S. representatives elected since 1923. To date, no woman who has served in the House has ever previously served in the Senate, has been elected to represent more than one state in non-consecutive elections, switched parties, or served as a third-party member in her career, although one was reelected as an independent.
Firsts
[edit]The first woman to be elected to Congress was Montana's Jeannette Rankin, a Republican, in the 1916 House elections;[3] notably, this occurred before the ratification of the 19th Amendment in 1920, which prohibits the federal government or any state from denying citizens the right to vote on the basis of sex.[4] On April 2, 1917, she took her oath of office along with the other members of the 65th Congress.[5]
Mae Nolan entered the House of Representatives in 1923 as the first Catholic woman in either chamber of Congress.[6] Clare Boothe Luce, who converted to the Catholic Church in 1946 before retiring as a Congresswoman, was the first female Catholic convert in either chamber.[7]
Florence Prag Kahn entered the House of Representatives in 1925 as the first Jewish and thus non-Christian woman in either chamber of Congress.[6]
Chase G. Woodhouse, born in Canada to American parents, entered the House of Representatives in 1945 as the first woman born outside the United States elected to either chamber of Congress. She went to become the first woman in congressional party leadership when elected secretary of the House Democratic Caucus in 1949. Lynn Morley Martin became the first Republican woman elected to a House leadership position as vice chair of the House Republican Conference in 1985.
Margaret Chase Smith became the first woman elected in both chambers of Congress; she first entered the House of Representatives in 1940, before her election into the Senate in 1948.[8]
Representative Vera Buchanan died in 1955, making her the first woman in either chamber of Congress to die in office.[9]
Patsy Mink, an Asian American, entered the House of Representatives in 1965 as the first woman of color in either chamber of Congress.[10][11]
Shirley Chisholm entered the House of Representatives in 1969 as the first African-American woman in either chamber of Congress.[11][12]
In 1969, Representative Charlotte Reid became the first woman to wear pants in the House of Representatives or Senate.[13]
In 1973, Representative Yvonne Brathwaite Burke became the first member of either the House of Representatives or Senate to give birth while in office, and she was the first member of Congress to be granted maternity leave, with the birth of her daughter Autumn.[14][15]
Mary Rose Oakar in 1977 became the first Arab-American woman elected to Congress.
The gym of the House of Representatives (with the exception of its swimming pool) first opened to women in 1985, the gym having previously been male-only. The swimming pool opened to women in 2009, the pool having previously been male-only.[16]
Barbara Vucanovich entered the House of Representatives in 1983 as the first Hispanic or Latina woman in either chamber of Congress.
Apart from single-member House delegations, the first all-woman delegation in either chamber of Congress was from Hawaii, in late 1990—Pat Saiki and Patsy Mink. They were also the first all-woman of color delegation in either chamber.[17] In 2013, New Hampshire became the first state to have an all-woman delegation in both houses of Congress.[17]
Enid Greene Waldholtz entered the House of Representatives in 1995 as the first Mormon woman in that chamber; however, she was the second Mormon woman in Congress, after Senator Paula Hawkins of Florida.[18]
Jo Ann Emerson entered the House of Representatives in 1997 as the first and, so far, only woman (re)elected as neither a Democrat nor a Republican from any state to either chamber of Congress.[19] She won two elections scheduled on November 5, 1996: a special election to fill out the remainder of her husband's term in the 104th Congress, and a general election for a full term in the 105th Congress. Emerson received the Republican nomination for the unexpired term; however, the party slot for the regular election was already filled by another contender. According to Missouri law, she was ineligible to run as a GOP candidate, so she sought reelection and won her first full term as an independent.[20] Emerson was sworn into office as such before rejoining the Republicans a few days later.
Tammy Baldwin, a lesbian, entered the House of Representatives in 1999 as the first openly LGBT woman in either chamber of Congress.[21]
Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat, rose through the ranks of her party leadership to be elected House whip in 2002,[22] before being elevated to House floor leader and minority leader the following year;[23] making her both the first woman whip and the first woman floor leader in either chamber of Congress. On January 4, 2007, she became the first woman to serve as Speaker of the House.[24][25] On January 3, 2019, Pelosi become the first woman to reclaim the speakership.[25][26]
Mazie Hirono entered the House of Representatives in 2007 as one of the first two Buddhists (alongside Hank Johnson) and first Buddhist woman elected in either chamber of Congress.[27]
In 2011, the House of Representatives got its first women's bathroom near the chamber (Room H-211 of the Capitol building); women in the Senate have had their own restroom off the Senate floor since 1993.[28]
Tammy Duckworth, an Iraq War combat veteran, entered the House of Representatives in 2013 as the first woman with a disability in either chamber of Congress.[29]
Tulsi Gabbard entered the House of Representatives in 2013 as the first Hindu person in either chamber of Congress.[30] Kyrsten Sinema also entered the House that same year as the first openly bisexual person in either chamber of Congress.[31]
In the 2018 House elections, there was a wave of firsts elected to the House of Representatives for the 116th Congress. A record-breaking 103 women were elected or reelected to the House, causing many to call it the "Year of the Woman" in a reference to the first such year, the 1992 Senate elections.[32][33][34] Sharice Davids and Deb Haaland became the first Native American women ever elected to either house of Congress.[35] Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib became the first Muslim women elected to either chamber, with Tlaib the first Palestinian-American woman elected to Congress and Omar the first Somali-American of either sex to be elected.[36] Angie Craig became the first lesbian mother to be elected. Additionally, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Donna Shalala became, respectively, the youngest woman ever elected to Congress and the oldest woman to be elected to Congress for the first time.[37][38]
Also in 2018, Jacky Rosen became the first sitting female House one-termer to be elected to the Senate.[39]
In 2020, Republican Stephanie Bice was elected to become the first Iranian American, Pakistani American, and first woman of Iranian parentage and Pakistani ancestry in Congress,[40][41] and her fellow Republican, Yvette Herrell, was also elected as the first Native American woman from the party in Congress.[42] Additionally, Republicans Michelle Steel and Young Kim, and Democrat Marilyn Strickland were the first Korean-American women elected.[43] Strickland is also the first Afro-Asian woman elected to the House of Representatives.[44]
Mary Peltola entered the House of Representatives on September 13, 2022, after winning a special election on August 16, as the first Alaska Native person in either chamber of Congress.[45]
Sarah McBride, the first transgender person who will serve in either chamber of Congress, was elected in 2024.[46]
Length of service
[edit]Representative Marcy Kaptur, who has served in the House since January 3, 1983, has the longest-serving tenure of any female member in the chamber's history.[47] In 2018, she surpassed the record previously held by Edith Nourse Rogers, who served in the House from 1925 until her death in 1960.[48] She went on to surpass the record previously held by Barbara Mikulski, who served in the House and Senate for a combined 40 years, thus making her the longest-serving woman in congressional history.[49]
Pat Saiki (born 1930) is currently the oldest living former female member of the House. Yvonne Brathwaite Burke is the former member having survived longest since her first election (1973).
List of states represented by women
[edit]State | Current members | Previous members | Total | First female member | Political party of first female member | Years with female members |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alabama | 1 | 2 | 3 | Elizabeth B. Andrews | Democratic | 1972–1973, 2011–present |
Alaska | 1 | 0 | 1 | Mary Peltola | Democratic | 2022–present |
Arizona | 1 | 6 | 7 | Isabella Greenway | Democratic | 1933–1937, 1993–1995, 2007–present |
Arkansas | 0 | 4 | 4 | Pearl Oldfield | Democratic | 1929–1933, 1961–1963, 1993–1997 |
California | 17 | 30 | 47 | Mae Nolan | Republican | 1923–1937, 1945–1951, 1973–1979, 1981–present |
Colorado | 4 | 3 | 7 | Pat Schroeder | Democratic | 1973–present |
Connecticut | 2 | 6 | 8 | Clare Boothe Luce | Republican | 1943–1947, 1949–1951, 1971–1975, 1982–present |
Delaware | 1 | 0 | 1 | Lisa Blunt Rochester | Democratic | 2017–present |
Florida | 9 | 15 | 24 | Ruth Owen | Democratic | 1929–1933, 1989–present |
Georgia | 3 | 6 | 9 | Florence Gibbs | Democratic | 1940–1941, 1946–1947, 1955–1963, 1993–2007, 2017–present |
Hawaii | 1 | 5 | 6 | Patsy Mink[a] | Democratic | 1965–1977, 1987–2002, 2007–2021, 2023–present |
Idaho | 0 | 2 | 2 | Gracie Pfost | Democratic | 1953–1963, 1995–2001 |
Illinois | 6 | 15 | 21 | Winnifred Huck | Republican | 1922–1923, 1929–1931, 1939–1947, 1951–1971, 1973–1997, 1999–present |
Indiana | 2 | 7 | 9 | Virginia E. Jenckes | Democratic | 1933–1939, 1949–1959, 1982–1985, 1989–1995, 1997–2007, 2013–present |
Iowa | 2 | 2 | 4 | Cindy Axne & Abby Finkenauer | Democratic | 2019–present |
Kansas | 1 | 5 | 6 | Kathryn O'Loughlin McCarthy | Democratic | 1933–1935, 1975–1979, 1985–1997, 2007–present |
Kentucky | 0 | 2 | 2 | Katherine G. Langley | Republican | 1927–1931, 1997–2007 |
Louisiana | 1 | 2 | 3 | Lindy Boggs | Democratic | 1973–1991, 2021–present |
Maine | 1 | 2 | 3 | Margaret Chase Smith | Republican | 1940–1949, 1979–1995, 2009–present |
Maryland | 0 | 8 | 8 | Katharine Byron | Democratic | 1941–1943, 1973–2003, 2008–2017, 2025–future |
Massachusetts | 3 | 4 | 7 | Edith Rogers | Republican | 1925–1960, 1967–1983, 2007–present |
Michigan | 6 | 9 | 15 | Ruth Thompson | Republican | 1951–1974, 1995–present |
Minnesota | 4 | 2 | 6 | Coya Knutson | Democratic–Farmer–Labor | 1955–1959, 2001–present |
Mississippi | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
Missouri | 2 | 6 | 8 | Leonor Sullivan | Democratic | 1953–1977, 1991–present |
Montana | 0 | 1 | 1 | Jeannette Rankin | Republican | 1917–1919, 1941–1943 |
Nebraska | 0 | 1 | 1 | Virginia D. Smith | Republican | 1975–1991 |
Nevada | 2 | 3 | 5 | Barbara Vucanovich | Republican | 1983–1997, 1999–present |
New Hampshire | 1 | 1 | 2 | Carol Shea-Porter | Democratic | 2007–2011, 2013–present |
New Jersey | 3 | 5 | 8 | Mary Norton | Democratic | 1925–1951, 1957–1973, 1975–2003, 2015–present |
New Mexico | 2 | 6 | 8 | Georgia Lusk | Democratic | 1947–1949, 1998–2009, 2013–present |
New York | 7 | 22 | 29 | Ruth Pratt | Republican | 1929–1945, 1947–1983, 1987–present |
North Carolina | 5 | 4 | 9 | Eliza Pratt | Democratic | 1946–1947, 1992–present |
North Dakota | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
Ohio | 4 | 9 | 13 | Frances P. Bolton | Republican | 1940–1969, 1977–present |
Oklahoma | 1 | 3 | 4 | Alice Robertson | Republican | 1921–1923, 2007–2011, 2019–present |
Oregon | 4 | 4 | 8 | Nan Honeyman | Democratic | 1937–1939, 1955–1974, 1993–2009, 2012–present |
Pennsylvania | 5 | 7 | 12 | Veronica Boland | Democratic | 1942–1943, 1951–1963, 1993–1995, 2001–2015, 2018–present |
Rhode Island | 0 | 1 | 1 | Claudine Schneider | Republican | 1981–1991 |
South Carolina | 1 | 5 | 6 | Elizabeth Gasque | Democratic | 1938–1941, 1944–1945, 1962–1963, 1987–1993, 2021–present |
South Dakota | 0 | 2 | 2 | Stephanie Herseth Sandlin | Democratic | 2004–2019 |
Tennessee | 1 | 6 | 7 | Willa Eslick | Democratic | 1932–1933, 1961–1965, 1975–1995, 2003–2019, 2021–present |
Texas | 8 | 5 | 13 | Lera Thomas | Democratic | 1966–1967, 1973–1979, 1993–present |
Utah | 1 | 4 | 5 | Reva Bosone | Democratic | 1949–1953, 1993–1997, 2015–2019, 2023–present |
Vermont | 1 | 0 | 1 | Becca Balint | Democratic | 2023–present |
Virginia | 4 | 5 | 9 | Leslie Byrne | Democratic | 1993–1995, 2001–2009, 2015–present |
Washington | 6 | 7 | 13 | Catherine May | Republican | 1959–1974, 1989–present |
West Virginia | 1 | 2 | 3 | Elizabeth Kee | Democratic | 1951–1965, 2001–2015, 2019–present |
Wisconsin | 1 | 1 | 2 | Tammy Baldwin | Democratic | 1999–present |
Wyoming | 1 | 3 | 4 | Barbara Cubin | Republican | 1995–present |
List of territories and the District of Columbia represented by women
[edit]Territory | Current members | Previous members | Total | First female member | Political party of first female member | Years with female members |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
American Samoa | 1 | 0 | 1 | Amata Radewagen | Republican | 2015–present |
District of Columbia | 1 | 0 | 1 | Eleanor Holmes Norton | Democratic | 1991–present |
Guam | 0 | 1 | 1 | Madeleine Bordallo | Democratic | 2003–2019 |
Hawaii Territory | 0 | 1 | 1 | Elizabeth P. Farrington[a] | Republican | 1954–1957 |
Northern Mariana Islands | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
Puerto Rico | 1 | 0 | 1 | Jenniffer González-Colón | Republican | 2017–present |
United States Virgin Islands | 1 | 1 | 2 | Donna Christian-Christensen | Democratic | 1997–present |
Family ties and widow's succession
[edit]Winnifred Sprague Mason Huck of Illinois, the third woman ever elected to Congress, became the first woman followed into national office due to family connections. She succeeded her father into the House in the wake of his death in 1921; Huck won a special election to fill out the remainder of his term, but lost a primary election for renomination in her own right, so she served just 14 weeks.[50][51] In 1990, Rep. Susan Molinari become the first woman elected to fill a vacancy caused by the resignation of her father rather than his death.[52]
Mae Nolan of California becomes the first woman elected to Congress to fill the vacant seat caused by the death of her husband in 1922, which is sometimes known as the widow's succession.[51][53] In the early years of women in Congress, such a seat was usually held only until the next general election, and the women retired after that single Congress, thereby becoming a placeholders to finishing elected terms of their husbands.[53] As the years progressed, however, more and more of these widow successors sought reelection. These women began to win their own elections, with Florence Prag Kahn of California becoming the first woman to do it. After entering the House of Representatives in 1925 to replace her late husband, she established herself as an effective legislator in her own right and would go on to win reelection five more times.[53][54] Rep. Debbie Dingell of Michigan succeeded her living spouse after his retirement, becoming the first woman to do it.[55]
To date, 45 women have directly succeeded their late husbands in Congress, with 38 of them seated in the House and eight in the Senate.[50] The only current example is Representative Doris Matsui of California.[b] One of the most prominent examples was Margaret Chase Smith of Maine, who served a total of 32 years in both the House and the Senate and been the first woman to do so. She began the end of McCarthyism with a famous speech, "The Declaration of Conscience", became the first major-party female presidential candidate and the first woman to receive votes at a national nominating convention, and was the first (and highest ranking to date) woman to enter the GOP Senate leadership (in the third-highest post of Chairwoman of the Senate Republican Conference).
Frances P. Bolton of Ohio became the first woman overlapping a tenure with her child in either chamber of Congress. She served alongside her son in the House of Representatives from 1953 to 1957 and again from 1963 to 1965; making them the first mother-son team ever to be simultaneously elected.[50][56]
In 1965, Elizabeth Kee of West Virginia became the first woman who directly preceded her own child in any chamber of Congress; event occurred after she stepped down from the House and her son was elected to a vacant seat.[57] Congresswomen Loretta and Linda Sánchez, both of California, served along each other from 2003 to 2017; making them the first pair of sisters elected to either chamber.[50][58]
Number of women
[edit]Number of women in the United States House of Representatives and Senate by Congress
[edit]Number of women in the United States Congress (1917–present):[61][62]
Congress | Years | in Congress | % |
---|---|---|---|
65th | 1917–1919 | 1 | 0.2% |
66th | 1919–1921 | 0 | 0% |
67th | 1921–1923 | 4 | 0.7% |
68th | 1923–1925 | 1 | 0.2% |
69th | 1925–1927 | 3 | 0.6% |
70th | 1927–1929 | 5 | 0.9% |
71st | 1929–1931 | 9 | 1.7% |
72nd | 1931–1933 | 8 | 1.5% |
73rd | 1933–1935 | 8 | 1.5% |
74th | 1935–1937 | 8 | 1.5% |
75th | 1937–1939 | 9 | 1.7% |
76th | 1939–1941 | 9 | 1.7% |
77th | 1941–1943 | 10 | 1.9% |
78th | 1943–1945 | 9 | 1.7% |
79th | 1945–1947 | 11 | 2.1% |
80th | 1947–1949 | 8 | 1.5% |
81st | 1949–1951 | 10 | 1.9% |
82nd | 1951–1953 | 11 | 2.1% |
83rd | 1953–1955 | 15 | 2.8% |
84th | 1955–1957 | 18 | 3.4% |
85th | 1957–1959 | 16 | 3.0% |
86th | 1959–1961 | 19 | 3.5% |
87th | 1961–1963 | 20 | 3.7% |
88th | 1963–1965 | 14 | 2.6% |
89th | 1965–1967 | 13 | 2.4% |
90th | 1967–1969 | 12 | 2.2% |
91st | 1969–1971 | 11 | 2.1% |
92nd | 1971–1973 | 15 | 2.8% |
93rd | 1973–1975 | 16 | 3.0% |
94th | 1975–1977 | 19 | 3.6% |
95th | 1977–1979 | 20 | 3.7% |
96th | 1979–1981 | 17 | 3.2% |
97th | 1981–1983 | 23 | 4.3% |
98th | 1983–1985 | 24 | 4.5% |
99th | 1985–1987 | 25 | 4.7% |
100th | 1987–1989 | 26 | 4.9% |
101st | 1989–1991 | 31 | 5.8% |
102nd | 1991–1993 | 33 | 6.2% |
103rd | 1993–1995 | 55 | 10.3% |
104th | 1995–1997 | 59 | 11.0% |
105th | 1997–1999 | 66 | 12.3% |
106th | 1999–2001 | 67 | 12.5% |
107th | 2001–2003 | 75 | 14.0% |
108th | 2003–2005 | 77 | 14.4% |
109th | 2005–2007 | 85 | 15.9% |
110th | 2007–2009 | 94 | 17.6% |
111th | 2009–2011 | 96 | 17.9% |
112th | 2011–2013 | 96 | 17.9% |
113th | 2013–2015 | 104 | 19.2% |
114th | 2015–2017 | 109 | 20.1% |
115th | 2017–2019 | 116 | 21.4% |
116th | 2019–2021 | 131 | 24.2% |
117th | 2021–2023 | 152 | 28.1% |
118th | 2023–2025 | 157 | 29.0% |
Number of women in the United States House of Representatives by party
[edit]Notes: "% of party" is taken from voting members at the beginning of the Congress, while numbers and "% of women" include all female House members of the given Congress
Congress | Years | Women total | Republicans | % of women | % of party | Democrats | % of women | % of party |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
65th | 1917–1919 | 1 | 1 | 100% | 0.5% | 0 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
66th | 1919–1921 | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
67th | 1921–1923 | 3 | 3 | 100% | 0.3% | 0 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
68th | 1923–1925 | 1 | 1 | 100% | 0.4% | 0 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
69th | 1925–1927 | 3 | 2 | 66.7% | 0.4% | 1 | 33.3% | 0.5% |
70th | 1927–1929 | 5 | 3 | 60.0% | 1.3% | 2 | 40.0% | 0.5% |
71st | 1929–1931 | 9 | 5 | 55.6% | 1.9% | 4 | 44.4% | 1.8% |
72nd | 1931–1933 | 7 | 3 | 42.9% | 1.4% | 4 | 57.1% | 1.4% |
73rd | 1933–1935 | 7 | 3 | 42.9% | 1.7% | 4 | 57.1% | 1.0% |
74th | 1935–1937 | 6 | 2 | 33.3% | 1.9% | 4 | 66.7% | 1.2% |
75th | 1937–1939 | 6 | 1 | 16.7% | 1.1% | 5 | 83.3% | 1.2% |
76th | 1939–1941 | 8 | 4 | 50.0% | 1.2% | 4 | 50.0% | 0.8% |
77th | 1941–1943 | 9 | 5 | 55.6% | 3.1% | 4 | 44.4% | 0.7% |
78th | 1943–1945 | 8 | 6 | 75.0% | 2.9% | 2 | 25.0% | 0.5% |
79th | 1945–1947 | 11 | 5 | 45.5% | 2.6% | 6 | 54.5% | 1.7% |
80th | 1947–1949 | 7 | 5 | 71.4% | 2.0% | 2 | 28.6% | 1.1% |
81st | 1949–1951 | 9 | 4 | 44.4% | 2.3% | 5 | 55.6% | 1.5% |
82nd | 1951–1953 | 10 | 6 | 60.0% | 3.0% | 4 | 40.0% | 0.9% |
83rd | 1953–1955 | 12 | 7 | 58.3% | 2.7% | 5 | 41.7% | 2.3% |
84th | 1955–1957 | 17 | 7 | 41.2% | 3.0% | 10 | 58.8% | 3.4% |
85th | 1957–1959 | 15 | 6 | 40.0% | 3.0% | 9 | 60.0% | 3.8% |
86th | 1959–1961 | 17 | 8 | 47.1% | 5.2% | 9 | 52.9% | 2.8% |
87th | 1961–1963 | 18 | 7 | 38.9% | 3.5% | 11 | 61.1% | 3.4% |
88th | 1963–1965 | 12 | 6 | 50.0% | 2.8% | 6 | 50.0% | 2.3% |
89th | 1965–1967 | 11 | 4 | 36.4% | 2.9% | 7 | 63.6% | 2.0% |
90th | 1967–1969 | 11 | 5 | 45.5% | 2.7% | 6 | 54.5% | 2.4% |
91st | 1969–1971 | 10 | 4 | 40.0% | 2.1% | 6 | 60.0% | 2.5% |
92nd | 1971–1973 | 13 | 3 | 23.1% | 1.1% | 10 | 76.9% | 3.5% |
93rd | 1973–1975 | 16 | 2 | 12.5% | 1.0% | 14 | 87.5% | 5.0% |
94th | 1975–1977 | 19 | 5 | 26.3% | 2.8% | 14 | 73.7% | 4.8% |
95th | 1977–1979 | 18 | 5 | 27.8% | 3.5% | 13 | 72.2% | 4.5% |
96th | 1979–1981 | 16 | 5 | 31.3% | 3.2% | 11 | 68.8% | 4.0% |
97th | 1981–1983 | 21 | 10 | 47.6% | 4.7% | 11 | 52.4% | 3.7% |
98th | 1983–1985 | 22 | 9 | 40.9% | 5.5% | 13 | 59.1% | 4.4% |
99th | 1985–1987 | 23 | 11 | 47.8% | 6.0% | 12 | 52.2% | 4.3% |
100th | 1987–1989 | 23 | 11 | 47.8% | 6.0% | 12 | 52.2% | 4.3% |
101st | 1989–1991 | 29 | 13 | 44.8% | 6.0% | 16 | 55.2% | 5.6% |
102nd | 1991–1993 | 30 | 9 | 30.0% | 5.5% | 21 | 70.0% | 7.0% |
103rd | 1993–1995 | 48 | 12 | 25.0% | 6.8% | 36 | 75.0% | 13.6% |
104th | 1995–1997 | 50 | 18 | 36.0% | 7.4% | 32 | 64.0% | 14.7% |
105th | 1997–1999 | 56 | 17 | 30.4% | 7.5% | 39 | 69.6% | 18.8% |
106th | 1999–2001 | 58 | 17 | 29.3% | 7.6% | 41 | 70.7% | 18.5% |
107th | 2001–2003 | 62 | 18 | 29.0% | 8.1% | 44 | 71.0% | 19.0% |
108th | 2003–2005 | 63 | 21 | 33.3% | 9.2% | 42 | 66.7% | 18.5% |
109th | 2005–2007 | 71 | 25 | 35.2% | 9.9% | 46 | 64.8% | 20.9% |
110th | 2007–2009 | 78 | 21 | 26.9% | 9.9% | 57 | 73.1% | 20.2% |
111th | 2009–2011 | 79 | 17 | 21.5% | 9.6% | 62 | 78.5% | 21.5% |
112th | 2011–2013 | 79 | 24 | 30.4% | 9.9% | 55 | 69.6% | 23.8% |
113th | 2013–2015 | 82 | 20 | 24.4% | 8.2% | 62 | 75.6% | 29.0% |
114th | 2015–2017 | 88 | 23 | 26.2% | 8.9% | 65 | 73.8% | 33.0% |
115th | 2017–2019 | 89 | 25 | 25.3% | 8.7% | 64 | 74.7% | 32.0% |
116th | 2019–2021 | 101 | 13 | 12.9% | 6.5% | 88 | 87.1% | 37.4% |
117th | 2021–2023 | 126 | 33 | 26.2% | 14.6% | 93 | 73.8% | 41.2% |
118th | 2023–2025 | 128 | 33 | 25.8% | 14.9% | 95 | 74.2% | 42.9% |
Percentage of women by party and year
[edit]List of female members
[edit]This is a complete list of women who have served as U.S. representatives or delegates of the United States House of Representatives. Members are grouped by the apportionment period during which such member commenced serving. This list includes women who served in the past and who continue to serve in the present.
Female members whose service began between 1917 and 1932
[edit]Portrait | Name (lifespan) |
Party | District | Term start | Term end | Reason(s) for leaving |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jeannette Rankin (1880–1973) [c] |
Republican | Montana at-large | March 4, 1917 | March 3, 1919 | Retired to run unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination for the 1918 United States Senate election in Montana | |
Montana's 1st | January 3, 1941 | January 3, 1943 | Retired | |||
Alice Robertson (1854–1931) [d] |
Republican | Oklahoma's 2nd | March 4, 1921 | March 3, 1923 | Lost reelection | |
Winnifred Huck (1882–1936) [e] |
Republican | Illinois's at-large | November 7, 1922 | Lost renomination | ||
Mae Nolan (1886–1973) [f] |
Republican | California's 5th | January 23, 1923 | March 3, 1925 | Retired | |
Florence Kahn (1866–1948) [g][h] |
Republican | California's 4th | March 4, 1925 | January 3, 1937 | Lost reelection | |
Mary Norton (1875–1959) [i][h] |
Democratic | New Jersey's 12th & 13th | January 3, 1951 | Retired | ||
Edith Rogers (1881–1960) [j][h] |
Republican | Massachusetts's 5th | June 30, 1925 | September 10, 1960 | Died in office | |
Katherine G. Langley (1888–1948) [k] |
Republican | Kentucky's 7th | March 4, 1927 | March 3, 1931 | Retired | |
Pearl Oldfield (1876–1962) [l] |
Democratic | Arkansas's 2nd | January 9, 1929 | Retired | ||
Ruth McCormick (1880–1944) [m] |
Republican | Illinois's at-large | March 4, 1929 | March 3, 1931 | Retired to run unsuccessfully for the 1930 United States Senate election in Illinois[n] | |
Ruth Owen (1885–1954) [o] |
Democratic | Florida's 4th | March 3, 1933 | Lost renomination[p] | ||
Ruth Pratt (1877–1965) |
Republican | New York's 17th | March 4, 1929 | Lost reelection | ||
Effiegene Wingo (1883–1962) [q] |
Democratic | Arkansas's 4th | November 4, 1930 | March 3, 1933 | Retired | |
Willa Eslick (1878–1961) [r] |
Democratic | Tennessee's 7th | August 14, 1932 | Not eligible for reelection having not qualified for nomination |
Female members whose service began between 1933 and 1942
[edit]Portrait | Name (lifespan) |
Party | District | Term start | Term end | Reason(s) for leaving |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Virginia E. Jenckes (1877–1975) |
Democratic | Indiana's 6th | March 4, 1933 | January 3, 1939 | Lost reelection | |
Kathryn O'Loughlin McCarthy (1894–1952) |
Democratic | Kansas's 6th | January 3, 1935 | Lost reelection | ||
Isabella Greenway (1886–1953) |
Democratic | Arizona's at-large | October 2, 1933 | January 3, 1937 | Retired | |
Marian W. Clarke (1880–1953) [s] |
Republican | New York's 34th | December 28, 1933 | January 3, 1935 | Retired | |
Caroline O'Day (1869–1943) |
Democratic | New York's at-large | January 3, 1935 | January 3, 1943 | Retired | |
Nan Honeyman (1881–1970) |
Democratic | Oregon's 3rd | January 3, 1937 | January 3, 1939 | Lost reelection | |
Elizabeth Gasque (1886–1989) [t] |
Democratic | South Carolina's 6th | September 13, 1938 | Retired | ||
Jessie Sumner (1898–1994) |
Republican | Illinois's 18th | January 3, 1939 | January 3, 1947 | Retired | |
Clara G. McMillan (1894–1976) [u] |
Democratic | South Carolina's 1st | November 7, 1939 | January 3, 1941 | Retired | |
Frances P. Bolton (1885–1977) [v] |
Republican | Ohio's 22nd | February 27, 1940 | January 3, 1969 | Lost reelection | |
Margaret Chase Smith (1897–1995) [w] |
Republican | Maine's 2nd | June 3, 1940 | January 3, 1949 | Retired to run successfully for the 1948 United States Senate election in Maine, thus becoming the first woman to serve in both houses of the United States Congress, and the first woman to represent Maine in either. | |
Florence Gibbs (1890–1964) [x] |
Democratic | Georgia's 8th | October 1, 1940 | January 3, 1941 | Retired | |
Katharine Byron (1903–1976) [y] |
Democratic | Maryland's 6th | May 27, 1941 | January 3, 1943 | Retired | |
Veronica Boland (1899–1982) [z] |
Democratic | Pennsylvania's 11th | November 3, 1942 | Retired |
Female members whose service began between 1943 and 1952
[edit]Portrait | Name (lifespan) |
Party | District | Term start | Term end | Reason(s) for leaving |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Clare Boothe Luce (1903–1987) [aa] |
Republican | Connecticut's 4th | January 3, 1943 | January 3, 1947 | Retired[ab] | |
Winifred C. Stanley (1909–1996) |
Republican | New York's at-large | January 3, 1945 | Retired | ||
Willa L. Fulmer (1884–1968) [ac] |
Democratic | South Carolina's 2nd | November 7, 1944 | Retired | ||
Emily Douglas (1899–1994) [ad] |
Democratic | Illinois's at-large | January 3, 1945 | January 3, 1947 | Lost reelection | |
Helen Gahagan Douglas (1900–1980) |
Democratic | California's 14th | January 3, 1951 | Retired to run unsuccessfully for the 1950 United States Senate election in California | ||
Chase G. Woodhouse (1890–1984) [ae] |
Democratic | Connecticut's 2nd | January 3, 1947 | Lost reelection | ||
January 3, 1949 | January 3, 1951 | Lost reelection | ||||
Helen Mankin (1896–1956) |
Democratic | Georgia's 5th | February 12, 1946 | January 3, 1947 | Lost renomination | |
Eliza Pratt (1902–1981) |
Democratic | North Carolina's 8th | May 25, 1946 | Retired | ||
Georgia Lusk (1893–1971) |
Democratic | New Mexico's at-large | January 3, 1947 | January 3, 1949 | Lost renomination | |
Katharine St. George (1894–1983) |
Republican | New York's 29th, 28th, & 27th | January 3, 1965 | Lost reelection | ||
Reva Bosone (1895–1983) |
Democratic | Utah's 2nd | January 3, 1949 | January 3, 1953 | Lost reelection | |
Cecil M. Harden (1894–1984) |
Republican | Indiana's 6th | January 3, 1959 | Lost reelection | ||
Edna F. Kelly (1906–1997) |
Democratic | New York's 10th & 12th | November 8, 1949 | January 3, 1969 | Lost renomination | |
Marguerite S. Church (1892–1990) [af] |
Republican | Illinois's 13th | January 3, 1951 | January 3, 1963 | Retired | |
Ruth Thompson (1887–1970) |
Republican | Michigan's 9th | January 3, 1957 | Lost renomination | ||
Elizabeth Kee (1895–1975) [ag] |
Democratic | West Virginia's 5th | July 17, 1951 | January 3, 1965 | Retired | |
Vera Buchanan (1902–1955) [ah] |
Democratic | Pennsylvania's 33rd & 30th | July 24, 1951 | October 26, 1955 | Died in office |
Female members whose service began between 1953 and 1962
[edit]Portrait | Name (lifespan) |
Party | District | Term start | Term end | Reason(s) for leaving |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gracie Pfost (1906–1965) |
Democratic | Idaho's 1st | January 3, 1953 | January 3, 1963 | Retired to run unsuccessfully for the 1962 United States Senate election in Idaho | |
Leonor Sullivan (1902–1988) [ai] |
Democratic | Missouri's 3rd | January 3, 1977 | Retired | ||
Elizabeth P. Farrington (1898–1984) [aj] |
Republican | Hawaii's at-large | July 31, 1954 | January 3, 1957 | Lost reelection | |
Iris Blitch (1912–1993) [ak] |
Democratic | Georgia's 8th | January 3, 1955 | January 3, 1963 | Retired | |
Edith Green (1910–1987) |
Democratic | Oregon's 3rd | December 31, 1974 | Resigned | ||
Martha Griffiths (1912–2003) |
Democratic | Michigan's 17th | Retired[al] | |||
Coya Knutson (1912–1996) |
Democratic (DFL) | Minnesota's 9th | January 3, 1959 | Lost reelection | ||
Kathryn E. Granahan (1894–1979) [am] |
Democratic | Pennsylvania's 2nd | November 6, 1956 | January 3, 1963 | Retired[an] | |
Florence P. Dwyer (1902–1976) |
Republican | New Jersey's 6th & 12th | January 3, 1957 | January 3, 1973 | Retired | |
Catherine May (1914–2004) |
Republican | Washington's 4th | January 3, 1959 | January 3, 1971 | Lost reelection | |
Edna O. Simpson (1891–1984) [ao] |
Republican | Illinois's 20th | January 3, 1961 | Retired | ||
Jessica M. Weis (1901–1963) |
Republican | New York's 38th | January 3, 1963 | Retired | ||
Julia Hansen (1907–1988) |
Democratic | Washington's 3rd | November 8, 1960 | December 31, 1974 | Resigned | |
Catherine Norrell (1901–1981) [ap] |
Democratic | Arkansas's 6th | April 19, 1961 | January 3, 1963 | Retired | |
Louise Reece (1898–1970) [aq] |
Republican | Tennessee's 1st | May 16, 1961 | Retired | ||
Corinne Riley (1893–1979) [ar] |
Democratic | South Carolina's 2nd | April 10, 1962 | Retired |
Female members whose service began between 1963 and 1972
[edit]Portrait | Name (lifespan) |
Party | District | Term start | Term end | Reason(s) for leaving |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Charlotte Reid (1913–2007) [as] |
Republican | Illinois's 15th | January 3, 1963 | October 7, 1971 | Resigned to become a member of the Federal Communications Commission | |
Irene Baker (1901–1994) [at] |
Republican | Tennessee's 2nd | January 7, 1964 | January 3, 1965 | Retired | |
Patsy Mink (1927–2002) [au] |
Democratic | Hawaii's at-large & 2nd | January 3, 1965 | January 3, 1977 | Retired to run unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination for the 1976 United States Senate election in Hawaii[av] | |
Hawaii's 2nd | September 22, 1990 | September 28, 2002 | Died in office | |||
Lera Thomas (1900–1993) [aw] |
Democratic | Texas's 8th | March 26, 1966 | January 3, 1967 | Retired | |
Margaret Heckler (1931–2018) |
Republican | Massachusetts's 10th | January 3, 1967 | January 3, 1983 | Lost reelection[ax] | |
Shirley Chisholm (1924–2005) [ay] |
Democratic | New York's 12th | January 3, 1969 | Retired | ||
Bella Abzug (1920–1998) |
Democratic | New York's 19th & 20th | January 3, 1971 | January 3, 1977 | Retired to run unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination for the 1976 United States Senate election in New York | |
Ella Grasso (1919–1981) |
Democratic | Connecticut's 6th | January 3, 1975 | Retired to run successfully for Governor of Connecticut | ||
Louise Hicks (1916–2003) |
Democratic | Massachusetts's 9th | January 3, 1973 | Lost reelection | ||
Elizabeth B. Andrews (1911–2002) [az] |
Democratic | Alabama's 3rd | April 4, 1972 | Retired |
Female members whose service began between 1973 and 1982
[edit]Portrait | Name (lifespan) |
Party | District | Term start | Term end | Reason(s) for leaving |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Yvonne Burke (born 1932) |
Democratic | California's 37th & 28th | January 3, 1973 | January 3, 1979 | Retired to run unsuccessfully for Attorney General of California | |
Marjorie Holt (1920–2018) |
Republican | Maryland's 4th | January 3, 1987 | Retired | ||
Elizabeth Holtzman (born 1941) [ba] |
Democratic | New York's 16th | January 3, 1981 | Retired to run unsuccessfully for the 1980 United States Senate election in New York | ||
Barbara Jordan (1936–1996) |
Democratic | Texas's 18th | January 3, 1979 | Retired | ||
Pat Schroeder (1940–2023) |
Democratic | Colorado's 1st | January 3, 1997 | Retired | ||
Lindy Boggs (1916–2013) [bb] |
Democratic | Louisiana's 2nd | March 20, 1973 | January 3, 1991 | Retired[bc] | |
Cardiss Collins (1931–2013) [bd] |
Democratic | Illinois's 7th | June 5, 1973 | January 3, 1997 | Retired | |
Millicent Fenwick (1910–1992) [be] |
Republican | New Jersey's 5th | January 3, 1975 | January 3, 1983 | Retired to run unsuccessfully for the 1982 United States Senate election in New Jersey[bf] | |
Martha Keys (born 1930) [bg] |
Democratic | Kansas's 2nd | January 3, 1979 | Lost reelection | ||
Marilyn Lloyd (1929–2018) [as] |
Democratic | Tennessee's 3rd | January 3, 1995 | Retired | ||
Virginia D. Smith (1911–2006) |
Republican | Nebraska's 3rd | January 3, 1991 | Retired | ||
Gladys Spellman (1918–1988) |
Democratic | Maryland's 5th | February 24, 1981 | After suffering a debilitating heart attack and slipping into a comatose state, her seat was declared vacant by the House | ||
Helen Meyner (1929–1997) |
Democratic | New Jersey's 13th | January 3, 1979 | Lost reelection | ||
Shirley Pettis (1924–2016) [bh] |
Republican | California's 37th | April 29, 1975 | Retired | ||
Barbara Mikulski (born 1936) [bi] |
Democratic | Maryland's 3rd | January 3, 1977 | January 3, 1987 | Retired to run successfully for the 1986 United States Senate election in Maryland | |
Mary Oakar (born 1940) [bj] |
Democratic | Ohio's 20th | January 3, 1993 | Lost reelection | ||
Beverly Byron (born 1932) [bk] |
Democratic | Maryland's 6th | January 3, 1979 | Lost renomination | ||
Geraldine Ferraro (1935–2011) |
Democratic | New York's 9th | January 3, 1985 | Retired to run unsuccessfully as the Democratic nominee for Vice President of the United States during the 1984 United States presidential election[bl] | ||
Olympia Snowe (born 1947) [bm] |
Republican | Maine's 2nd | January 3, 1995 | Retired to run successfully for the 1994 United States Senate election in Maine | ||
Bobbi Fiedler (1937–2019) |
Republican | California's 21st | January 3, 1981 | January 3, 1987 | Retired to run unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination for the 1986 United States Senate election in California | |
Lynn Morley Martin (born 1939) [bn] |
Republican | Illinois's 16th | January 3, 1991 | Retired to run unsuccessfully for the 1990 United States Senate election in Illinois[bo] | ||
Marge Roukema (1929–2014) |
Republican | New Jersey's 7th & 5th | January 3, 2003 | Retired | ||
Claudine Schneider (born 1947) |
Republican | Rhode Island's 2nd | January 3, 1991 | Retired to run unsuccessfully for the 1990 United States Senate election in Rhode Island | ||
Barbara B. Kennelly (born 1936) |
Democratic | Connecticut's 1st | January 12, 1982 | January 3, 1999 | Retired to run unsuccessfully for the 1998 Connecticut gubernatorial election | |
Jean Spencer Ashbrook (born 1934) [bp] |
Republican | Ohio's 17th | June 29, 1982 | January 3, 1983 | Retired | |
Katie Hall (1938–2012) |
Democratic | Indiana's 1st | November 2, 1982 | January 3, 1985 | Lost renomination |
Female members whose service began between 1983 and 1992
[edit]Portrait | Name (lifespan) |
Party | District | Term start | Term end | Reason(s) for leaving |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Barbara Boxer (born 1940) [bi] |
Democratic | California's 6th | January 3, 1983 | January 3, 1993 | Retired to run successfully for the 1992 United States Senate election in California | |
Nancy Johnson (born 1935) |
Republican | Connecticut's 6th & 5th | January 3, 2007 | Lost reelection | ||
Marcy Kaptur (born 1946) [bq] |
Democratic | Ohio's 9th | January 3, 1983 | Present | ||
Barbara Vucanovich (1921–2013) [br] |
Republican | Nevada's 2nd | January 3, 1983 | January 3, 1997 | Retired | |
Sala Burton (1925–1987) [bs] |
Democratic | California's 5th | June 21, 1983 | February 1, 1987 | Died in office | |
Helen Delich Bentley (1923–2016) |
Republican | Maryland's 2nd | January 3, 1985 | January 3, 1995 | Retired to run unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination for the 1994 Maryland gubernatorial election | |
Jan Meyers (1928–2019) |
Republican | Kansas's 3rd | January 3, 1997 | Retired | ||
Catherine Small Long (1924–2019) [bt] |
Democratic | Louisiana's 8th | March 30, 1985 | January 3, 1987 | Retired | |
Connie Morella (born 1931) |
Republican | Maryland's 8th | January 3, 1987 | January 3, 2003 | Lost reelection[bu] | |
Liz J. Patterson (1939–2018) [bv] |
Democratic | South Carolina's 4th | January 3, 1993 | Lost reelection | ||
Pat Saiki (born 1930) [bw] |
Republican | Hawaii's 1st | January 3, 1991 | Retired to run unsuccessfully for the 1990 United States Senate special election in Hawaii[bx] | ||
Louise Slaughter (1929–2018) |
Democratic | New York's 30th, 28th, & 25th | March 16, 2018 | Died in office | ||
Nancy Pelosi (born 1940) [by] |
Democratic | California's 5th, 8th, 12th, & 11th | June 2, 1987 | Present | ||
Nita Lowey (born 1937) |
Democratic | New York's 20th, 18th, & 17th | January 3, 1989 | January 3, 2021 | Retired | |
Jolene Unsoeld (1931–2021) |
Democratic | Washington's 3rd | January 3, 1995 | Lost reelection | ||
Jill Long Thompson (born 1952) |
Democratic | Indiana's 4th | March 20, 1989 | Lost reelection | ||
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (born 1952) [bz] |
Republican | Florida's 18th & 27th | August 29, 1989 | January 3, 2019 | Retired | |
Susan Molinari (born 1958) [ca] |
Republican | New York's 14th & 13th | March 20, 1990 | August 2, 1997 | Resigned to become co-host of CBS This Morning | |
Barbara-Rose Collins (1939–2021) |
Democratic | Michigan's 13th & 15th | January 3, 1991 | January 3, 1997 | Lost renomination | |
Rosa DeLauro (born 1943) |
Democratic | Connecticut's 3rd | January 3, 1991 | Present | ||
Eleanor Holmes Norton (born 1937) |
Democratic | DC's at-large | ||||
Joan Horn (born 1936) |
Democratic | Missouri's 2nd | January 3, 1991 | January 3, 1993 | Lost reelection | |
Maxine Waters (born 1938) |
Democratic | California's 29th, 35th, & 43rd | January 3, 1991 | Present | ||
Eva Clayton (born 1934) |
Democratic | North Carolina's 1st | November 3, 1992 | January 3, 2001 | Retired |
Female members whose service began between 1993 and 2002
[edit]Portrait | Name (lifespan) |
Party | District | Term start | Term end | Reason(s) for leaving |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Corrine Brown (born 1946) |
Democratic | Florida's 3rd & 5th | January 3, 1993 | January 3, 2017 | Lost renomination | |
Leslie Byrne (born 1946) |
Democratic | Virginia's 11th | January 3, 1995 | Lost reelection | ||
Maria Cantwell (born 1958) |
Democratic | Washington's 1st | Lost reelection[cb] | |||
Pat Danner (born 1934) |
Democratic | Missouri's 6th | January 3, 2001 | Retired | ||
Jennifer Dunn (1941–2007) |
Republican | Washington's 8th | January 3, 2005 | Retired | ||
Karan English (born 1949) |
Democratic | Arizona's 6th | January 3, 1995 | Lost reelection | ||
Anna Eshoo (born 1942) [cc] |
Democratic | California's 14th, 18th, & 16th | January 3, 1993 | Present | ||
Tillie Fowler (1942–2005) |
Republican | Florida's 4th | January 3, 1993 | January 3, 2001 | Retired | |
Elizabeth Furse (1936–2021) [cd] |
Democratic | Oregon's 1st | January 3, 1999 | Retired | ||
Jane Harman (born 1945) |
Democratic | California's 36th | Retired to run unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination for the 1998 California gubernatorial election | |||
January 3, 2001 | February 28, 2011 | Resigned to become the Director, President, and Chief Executive Officer of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars | ||||
Eddie Johnson (1934–2023) |
Democratic | Texas's 30th | January 3, 1993 | January 3, 2023 | Retired | |
Blanche Lincoln (born 1960) |
Democratic | Arkansas's 1st | January 3, 1997 | Retired[ce] | ||
Carolyn Maloney (born 1946) |
Democratic | New York's 14th & 12th | January 3, 2023 | Lost renomination | ||
Marjorie Margolies (born 1942) [cf] |
Democratic | Pennsylvania's 13th | January 3, 1995 | Lost reelection | ||
Cynthia McKinney (born 1955) |
Democratic | Georgia's 11th & 4th | January 3, 2003 | Lost renomination | ||
Georgia's 4th | January 3, 2005 | January 3, 2007 | Lost renomination[cg] | |||
Carrie Meek (1926–2021) [ch] |
Democratic | Florida's 17th | January 3, 1993 | January 3, 2003 | Retired | |
Deborah Pryce (born 1951) |
Republican | Ohio's 15th | January 3, 2009 | Retired | ||
Lucille Roybal-Allard (born 1941) [ci] |
Democratic | California's 33rd, 34th, & 40th | January 3, 2023 | Retired | ||
Lynn Schenk (born 1945) |
Democratic | California's 49th | January 3, 1995 | Lost reelection | ||
Karen Shepherd (born 1940) |
Democratic | Utah's 2nd | January 3, 1995 | Lost reelection | ||
Karen Thurman (born 1951) |
Democratic | Florida's 5th | January 3, 2003 | Lost reelection | ||
Nydia Velázquez (born 1953) |
Democratic | New York's 12th & 7th | January 3, 1993 | Present | ||
Lynn Woolsey (born 1937) |
Democratic | California's 6th | January 3, 1993 | January 3, 2013 | Retired | |
Helen Chenoweth (1938–2006) |
Republican | Idaho's 1st | January 3, 1995 | January 3, 2001 | Retired | |
Barbara Cubin (born 1946) |
Republican | Wyoming's at-large | January 3, 2009 | Retired | ||
Sheila Jackson Lee (1950-2024) |
Democratic | Texas's 18th | July 19, 2024 | Died in office | ||
Sue Kelly (born 1936) |
Republican | New York's 19th | January 3, 2007 | Lost reelection | ||
Zoe Lofgren (born 1947) |
Democratic | California's 16th, 19th, & 18th | January 3, 1995 | Present | ||
Karen McCarthy (1947–2010) |
Democratic | Missouri's 5th | January 3, 1995 | January 3, 2005 | Retired | |
Sue Myrick (born 1941) |
Republican | North Carolina's 9th | January 3, 2013 | Retired | ||
Lynn N. Rivers (born 1956) |
Democratic | Michigan's 13th | January 3, 2003 | Lost renomination | ||
Andrea Seastrand (born 1941) |
Republican | California's 22nd | January 3, 1997 | Lost reelection | ||
Linda Smith (born 1950) |
Republican | Washington's 3rd | January 3, 1999 | Retired to run unsuccessfully for the 1998 United States Senate election in Washington | ||
Enid Greene Waldholtz (born 1958) [cj] |
Republican | Utah's 2nd | January 3, 1997 | Retired | ||
Juanita Millender-McDonald (1938–2007) |
Democratic | California's 37th | March 26, 1996 | April 22, 2007 | Died in office | |
Jo Ann Emerson (born 1950) [ck] |
Republican | Missouri's 8th | November 5, 1996 | January 3, 1997 | Switched affiliation and retook seat as an independent, having been reelected under that designation | |
Independent | January 3, 1997 | January 8, 1997 | Changed party back to Republican | |||
Republican | January 8, 1997 | January 22, 2013 | Resigned to become the President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association | |||
Julia Carson (1938–2007) [cl] |
Democratic | Indiana's 10th & 7th | January 3, 1997 | December 15, 2007 | Died in office | |
Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick (born 1945) |
Democratic | Michigan's 15th & 13th | January 3, 2011 | Lost renomination | ||
Donna Christian-Christensen (born 1945) |
Democratic | U.S. Virgin Island's at-large | January 3, 2015 | Retired to run unsuccessfully for the 2014 United States Virgin Islands gubernatorial election | ||
Diana DeGette (born 1957) |
Democratic | Colorado's 1st | January 3, 1997 | Present | ||
Kay Granger (born 1943) |
Republican | Texas's 12th | ||||
Darlene Hooley (born 1939) |
Democratic | Oregon's 5th | January 3, 1997 | January 3, 2009 | Retired | |
Carolyn McCarthy (born 1944) |
Democratic | New York's 4th | January 3, 2015 | Retired | ||
Anne Northup (born 1948) |
Republican | Kentucky's 3rd | January 3, 2007 | Lost reelection | ||
Loretta Sánchez (born 1960) [cm] |
Democratic | California's 46th, 47th, & 46th | January 3, 2017 | Retired to run unsuccessfully for the 2016 United States Senate election in California | ||
Debbie Stabenow (born 1950) |
Democratic | Michigan's 8th | January 3, 2001 | Retired to run successfully for the 2000 United States Senate election in Michigan | ||
Ellen Tauscher (1951–2019) |
Democratic | California's 10th | June 26, 2009 | Resigned to become Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Affairs | ||
Lois Capps (born 1938) [cn] |
Democratic | California's 22nd, 23rd, & 24th | March 10, 1998 | January 3, 2017 | Retired | |
Mary Bono (born 1961) [co] |
Republican | California's 44th & 45th | April 7, 1998 | January 3, 2013 | Lost reelection | |
Barbara Lee (born 1946) |
Democratic | California's 9th, 13th, & 12th | April 7, 1998 | Present | ||
Heather Wilson (born 1960) |
Republican | New Mexico's 1st | June 25, 1998 | January 3, 2009 | Retired to run unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination for the 2008 United States Senate election in New Mexico[cp] | |
Tammy Baldwin (born 1962) [cq] |
Democratic | Wisconsin's 2nd | January 3, 1999 | January 3, 2013 | Retired to run successfully for the 2012 United States Senate election in Wisconsin, thus becoming the first openly LGBT person to serve in both houses of the United States Congress, and the first woman to represent Wisconsin in either.[67] | |
Shelley Berkley (born 1951) |
Democratic | Nevada's 1st | January 3, 1999 | Retired to run unsuccessfully for the 2012 United States Senate election in Nevada | ||
Judy Biggert (born 1937) |
Republican | Illinois's 13th | Lost reelection | |||
Grace Napolitano (born 1936) |
Democratic | California's 34th, 38th, 32nd, & 31st | January 3, 1999 | Present | ||
Jan Schakowsky (born 1944) |
Democratic | Illinois's 9th | ||||
Stephanie Tubbs Jones (1949–2008) |
Democratic | Ohio's 11th | January 3, 1999 | August 20, 2008 | Died in office | |
Shelley Moore Capito (born 1953) |
Republican | West Virginia's 2nd | January 3, 2001 | January 3, 2015 | Retired to run successfully for the 2014 United States Senate election in West Virginia | |
Jo Ann Davis (1950–2007) |
Republican | Virginia's 1st | October 6, 2007 | Died in office | ||
Susan Davis (born 1944) |
Democratic | California's 49th & 53rd | January 3, 2021 | Retired | ||
Melissa Hart (born 1962) |
Republican | Pennsylvania's 4th | January 3, 2007 | Lost reelection | ||
Betty McCollum (born 1954) |
Democratic (DFL) | Minnesota's 4th | January 3, 2001 | Present | ||
Hilda Solis (born 1957) |
Democratic | California's 31st & 32nd | January 3, 2001 | February 24, 2009 | Resigned to become United States Secretary of Labor | |
Diane Watson (born 1933) |
Democratic | California's 32nd & 33rd | June 5, 2001 | January 3, 2011 | Retired |
Female members whose service began between 2003 and 2012
[edit]Portrait | Name (lifespan) |
Party | District | Term start | Term end | Reason(s) for leaving |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Marsha Blackburn (born 1952) |
Republican | Tennessee's 7th | January 3, 2003 | January 3, 2019 | Retired to run successfully for the 2018 United States Senate election in Tennessee | |
Madeleine Bordallo (born 1933) |
Democratic | Guam's at-large | Lost renomination | |||
Ginny Brown-Waite (born 1943) |
Republican | Florida's 5th | January 3, 2011 | Retired | ||
Katherine Harris (born 1957) |
Republican | Florida's 13th | January 3, 2007 | Retired to run unsuccessfully for the 2006 United States Senate election in Florida | ||
Denise Majette (born 1955) |
Democratic | Georgia's 4th | January 3, 2005 | Retired to run unsuccessfully for the 2004 United States Senate election in Georgia | ||
Candice Miller (born 1954) |
Republican | Michigan's 10th | January 3, 2017 | Retired to run successfully for Public Works Commissioner of Macomb County | ||
Marilyn Musgrave (born 1949) |
Republican | Colorado's 4th | January 3, 2009 | Lost reelection | ||
Linda Sánchez (born 1969) [cr] |
Democratic | California's 39th & 38th | January 3, 2003 | present | ||
Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (born 1970) [cs] |
Democratic | South Dakota's at-large | June 1, 2004 | January 3, 2011 | Lost reelection | |
Melissa Bean (born 1962) |
Democratic | Illinois's 8th | January 3, 2005 | Lost reelection | ||
Thelma Drake (born 1949) |
Republican | Virginia's 2nd | January 3, 2009 | Lost reelection | ||
Virginia Foxx (born 1944) |
Republican | North Carolina's 5th | January 3, 2005 | present | ||
Cathy McMorris Rodgers (born 1969) |
Republican | Washington's 5th | ||||
Gwen Moore (born 1951) |
Democratic | Wisconsin's 4th | ||||
Allyson Schwartz (born 1948) |
Democratic | Pennsylvania's 13th | January 3, 2005 | January 3, 2015 | Retired to run unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination for the 2014 Pennsylvania gubernatorial election | |
Debbie Wasserman Schultz (born 1966) |
Democratic | Florida's 20th, 23rd, & 25th | January 3, 2005 | present | ||
Doris Matsui (born 1944) [ct] |
Democratic | California's 5th, 6th, & 7th | March 3, 2005 | |||
Jean Schmidt (born 1951) |
Republican | Ohio's 2nd | September 6, 2005 | January 3, 2013 | Lost renomination | |
Shelley Sekula-Gibbs (born 1953) |
Republican | Texas's 22nd | November 13, 2006 | January 3, 2007 | Lost election to full term | |
Michele Bachmann (born 1956) |
Republican | Minnesota's 6th | January 3, 2007 | January 3, 2015 | Retired | |
Nancy Boyda (born 1955) |
Democratic | Kansas's 2nd | January 3, 2009 | Lost reelection | ||
Kathy Castor (born 1966) |
Democratic | Florida's 11th & 14th | January 3, 2007 | present | ||
Yvette Clarke (born 1964) |
Democratic | New York's 11th & 9th | ||||
Mary Fallin (born 1954) |
Republican | Oklahoma's 5th | January 3, 2007 | January 3, 2011 | Retired to run successfully for the 2010 Oklahoma gubernatorial election | |
Gabrielle Giffords (born 1970) |
Democratic | Arizona's 8th | January 25, 2012 | Resigned due to the injuries from being shot in the head at close range during an assassination attempt during the 2011 Tucson shooting | ||
Kirsten Gillibrand (born 1966) |
Democratic | New York's 20th | January 25, 2009 | Resigned after being appointed to the United States Senate[cu] | ||
Mazie Hirono (born 1947) [cv] |
Democratic | Hawaii's 2nd | January 3, 2013 | Retired to run successfully for the 2012 United States Senate election in Hawaii | ||
Carol Shea-Porter (born 1952) |
Democratic | New Hampshire's 1st | January 3, 2011 | Lost reelection | ||
January 3, 2013 | January 3, 2015 | Lost reelection | ||||
January 3, 2017 | January 3, 2019 | Retired | ||||
Betty Sutton (born 1963) |
Democratic | Ohio's 13th | January 3, 2007 | January 3, 2013 | Lost reelection | |
Laura Richardson (born 1962) |
Democratic | California's 37th | August 21, 2007 | Lost reelection | ||
Niki Tsongas (born 1946) [cw] |
Democratic | Massachusetts's 5th & 3rd | October 16, 2007 | January 3, 2019 | Retired | |
Jackie Speier (born 1950) |
Democratic | California's 12th & 14th | April 8, 2008 | January 3, 2023 | Retired | |
Donna Edwards (born 1958) |
Democratic | Maryland's 4th | June 17, 2008 | January 3, 2017 | Retired to run unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination for the 2016 United States Senate election in Maryland | |
Marcia Fudge (born 1952) |
Democratic | Ohio's 11th | November 18, 2008 | March 10, 2021 | Resigned to become United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development | |
Kathy Dahlkemper (born 1957) |
Democratic | Pennsylvania's 3rd | January 3, 2009 | January 3, 2011 | Lost reelection | |
Debbie Halvorson (born 1958) |
Democratic | Illinois's 11th | Lost reelection | |||
Lynn Jenkins (born 1963) |
Republican | Kansas's 2nd | January 3, 2019 | Retired | ||
Mary Jo Kilroy (born 1949) |
Democratic | Ohio's 15th | January 3, 2011 | Lost reelection | ||
Ann Kirkpatrick (born 1950) |
Democratic | Arizona's 1st | Lost reelection | |||
January 3, 2013 | January 3, 2017 | Retired to run unsuccessfully for the 2016 United States Senate election in Arizona | ||||
Arizona's 2nd | January 3, 2019 | January 3, 2023 | Retired | |||
Suzanne Kosmas (born 1944) |
Democratic | Florida's 24th | January 3, 2009 | January 3, 2011 | Lost reelection | |
Cynthia Lummis (born 1954) |
Republican | Wyoming's at-large | January 3, 2017 | Retired[cx] | ||
Betsy Markey (born 1956) |
Democratic | Colorado's 4th | January 3, 2011 | Lost reelection | ||
Chellie Pingree (born 1955) |
Democratic | Maine's 1st | January 3, 2009 | present | ||
Dina Titus (born 1950) |
Democratic | Nevada's 3rd | January 3, 2009 | January 3, 2011 | Lost reelection | |
Nevada's 1st | January 3, 2013 | present | ||||
Judy Chu (born 1953) [cy] |
Democratic | California's 32nd, 27th, & 28th | June 19, 2009 | |||
Sandy Adams (born 1956) |
Republican | Florida's 24th | January 3, 2011 | January 3, 2013 | Lost renomination | |
Karen Bass (born 1953) |
Democratic | California's 33rd & 37th | December 9, 2022 | Resigned to become mayor of Los Angeles | ||
Diane Black (born 1951) |
Republican | Tennessee's 6th | January 3, 2019 | Retired to run unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination for the 2018 Tennessee gubernatorial election | ||
Ann Marie Buerkle (born 1951) |
Republican | New York's 25th | January 3, 2013 | Lost reelection | ||
Renee Ellmers (born 1964) |
Republican | North Carolina's 2nd | January 3, 2017 | Lost renomination | ||
Colleen Hanabusa (born 1951) |
Democratic | Hawaii's 1st | January 3, 2015 | Retired to run unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination for the 2014 United States Senate special election in Hawaii | ||
November 14, 2016 | January 3, 2019 | Retired to run unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination for the 2018 Hawaii gubernatorial election | ||||
Vicky Hartzler (born 1960) |
Republican | Missouri's 4th | January 3, 2011 | January 3, 2023 | Retired to run unsuccessfully for the 2022 United States Senate election in Missouri | |
Nan Hayworth (born 1959) |
Republican | New York's 19th | January 3, 2013 | Lost reelection | ||
Jaime Herrera Beutler (born 1978) |
Republican | Washington's 3rd | January 3, 2023 | Lost renomination | ||
Kristi Noem (born 1971) |
Republican | South Dakota's at-large | January 3, 2019 | Retired to run successfully for the 2018 South Dakota gubernatorial election | ||
Martha Roby (born 1976) |
Republican | Alabama's 2nd | January 3, 2021 | Retired | ||
Terri Sewell (born 1965) |
Democratic | Alabama's 7th | January 3, 2011 | present | ||
Frederica Wilson (born 1942) |
Democratic | Florida's 17th & 24th | ||||
Kathy Hochul (born 1958) |
Democratic | New York's 26th | June 1, 2011 | January 3, 2013 | Lost reelection[cz] | |
Janice Hahn (born 1952) |
Democratic | California's 36th & 44th | July 12, 2011 | December 4, 2016 | Resigned to join the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors | |
Suzanne Bonamici (born 1954) |
Democratic | Oregon's 1st | January 21, 2012 | present | ||
Suzan DelBene (born 1962) |
Democratic | Washington's 1st | November 6, 2012 |
Female members whose service began between 2013 and 2022
[edit]Female members whose service began between 2023 and present
[edit]Female members-elect
[edit]Current female members
[edit]Women who gave birth while serving in the House
[edit]There have been 12 women who gave birth while serving in the House at least once during their tenure.[50] Two women gave birth multiple times, each giving birth three times while in office, and one woman gave birth twice while serving in each chamber of Congress.
Representatives who gave birth while in office | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Congresswoman | State | Party | Date of delivery | Mother's age | Notes |
Yvonne Brathwaite Burke | California | Democratic | November 23, 1973 | 41 | Gave birth to a daughter, Autumn, thus becoming the first woman to give birth while serving in either chamber of Congress.[15] |
Enid Greene Waldholtz | Utah | Republican | August 31, 1995 | 37 | Gave birth to a daughter, Elizabeth.[79] |
Susan Molinari | New York | Republican | May 10, 1996 | 38 | Gave birth to a daughter, Susan. The child's father was fellow congressman Bill Paxon.[80] |
Blanche Lincoln | Arkansas | Democratic | June 1996 | 35 | Gave birth to twin boys, Bennett and Reece. Lincoln chose not to run for re-election due to her pregnancy.[81] |
Cathy McMorris Rodgers | Washington | Republican | April 29, 2007 | 37 | Gave birth to a son, Cole.[82] |
December 1, 2010 | 41 | Gave birth to a daughter, Grace, thus becoming the first woman in either chamber of Congress to give birth in office twice.[83] | |||
November 24, 2013 | 44 | Gave birth to a daughter, Brynn, thus becoming the first woman in either chamber of Congress to give birth in office three times.[84] | |||
Kirsten Gillibrand | New York | Democratic | May 15, 2008 | 41 | Gave birth to a son, Henry.[85] |
Stephanie Herseth Sandlin | South Dakota | Democratic | December 15, 2008 | 38 | Gave birth to a son, Zachary. The child's father was former congressman Max Sandlin.[86] |
Linda Sánchez | California | Democratic | May 13, 2009 | 40 | Gave birth to a son, Joaquin. Sánchez was unmarried when pregnancy announced, getting married a month before delivery.[87] |
Jaime Herrera Beutler | Washington | Republican | July 15, 2013 | 34 | Gave birth to a daughter, Abigail.[88] |
May 18, 2016 | 37 | Gave birth to a son, Ethan.[89] | |||
May 21, 2019 | 40 | Gave birth to a daughter, Isana.[90] | |||
Tammy Duckworth | Illinois | Democratic | November 18, 2014 | 46 | Gave birth to a daughter, Abigail.[91] Duckworth later gave birth as a sitting United States senator, thus becoming the first woman to give birth in office while serving in each chamber of Congress.[92] |
Elise Stefanik | New York | Republican | August 27, 2021 | 37 | Gave birth to a son, Sam Manda.[93] |
Anna Paulina Luna | Florida | Republican | August 26, 2023 | 34 | Gave birth to a son, Henry.[94][95] |
Jenniffer González-Colón | Puerto Rico | Republican | February 16, 2024 | 47 | Gave birth to fraternal twins, a daughter named Jenniffer Nydia Mercedes and a son named José Yovin.[96] |
See also
[edit]- Women in the United States Senate
- List of female governors in the United States
- List of female speakers of legislatures in the United States
- Politics of the United States
- Sexism in American political elections
Notes
[edit]- ^ a b Farrington elected as a non-voting delegate representing Territory of Hawaii before its admission to the Union as the 50th U.S. state on August 21, 1959; Mink became, in 1965, Hawaii's first female Representative after statehood
- ^ Julia Letlow took the seat that her late husband won but who died before being seated.
- ^ Only member of Congress to vote against declaration of war against Japan in 1941
Voted against declaration of war against Germany in 1917
First woman elected to a non-consecutive terms
First woman elected to a national office - ^ First woman incumbent defeated in a general election
First woman to preside over the House
First woman to defeat an incumbent congressman
Formerly the oldest woman elected to Congress (at age 67) - ^ First woman incumbent defeated in a primary election
First woman to win a special election
First woman to succeed her parent
Succeeded her late father - ^ First woman chaired a congressional committee
First Catholic woman elected
First woman to succeed her spouse
Succeeded her late husband - ^ First non-Christian (Jewish) woman elected
Succeeded her late husband - ^ a b c One of the first women re-elected
- ^ First Democratic woman elected
- ^ Formerly the longest serving woman in the House and Congress (35 years, 72 days)[47]
Succeeded her late husband - ^ Served in the same seat as her husband (although she did not directly succeed him)
Daughter of James M. Gudger Jr. - ^ Succeeded her late husband
- ^ Married to Albert G. Simms
Followed her late husband (although she did not directly succeed him)
Daughter of Mark Hanna - ^ Later became the first woman to manage a presidential campaign
- ^ Daughter of William Jennings Bryan
- ^ Later became United States Envoy to Denmark, making her the first woman chief of mission at the minister rank in U.S. diplomatic history[63]
- ^ Succeeded her late husband
- ^ Succeeded her late husband
- ^ Succeeded her late husband
- ^ Succeeded her late husband
- ^ Succeeded her late husband
- ^ First woman who served alongside her child
Mother of Oliver P. Bolton
Succeeded her late husband - ^ Succeeded her late husband
- ^ Succeeded her late husband
- ^ Mother-in-law of Beverly Byron
Served in the same seat as her son (although she did not directly precede him)
Succeeded her late husband - ^ Succeeded her late husband
- ^ Served in the same seat as her stepfather (although she did not directly succeed him)
- ^ Later became United States Ambassador to Italy and to Brazil (declined second appointment)
- ^ Succeeded her late husband
- ^ Married to Paul Douglas
- ^ First woman elected to Congress leadership position (House Democratic Caucus secretary)
First female natural-born citizen elected
First woman born outside United States (in Canada) elected - ^ Succeeded her late husband
- ^ First woman to be succeeded by her child
Preceded her son
Succeeded her late husband - ^ Succeeded her late husband
- ^ Followed her late husband (although she did not directly succeed him)
- ^ First woman territorial delegate
Succeeded her late husband - ^ Only woman to sign the Southern Manifesto
- ^ Later elected Lieutenant Governor of Michigan
- ^ Succeeded her late husband
- ^ Later became Treasurer of the United States
- ^ Succeeded her late husband
- ^ Succeeded her late husband
- ^ Succeeded her late husband
Daughter of Guy D. Goff - ^ Formerly the oldest woman elected to Congress (at age 68)
Succeeded her late husband - ^ a b c Succeeded her late husband who was the nominee or a never seated member-elect
- ^ Stepmother of Howard Baker
Succeeded her late husband - ^ First Asian (Japanese) American woman elected
First woman of color elected - ^ Later became Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs
- ^ Succeeded her late husband
- ^ Later became United States Secretary of Health and Human Services and United States Ambassador to Ireland
- ^ First African-American woman to run for major party's presidential nomination
First African-American woman elected - ^ Succeeded her late husband
- ^ Formerly the youngest woman elected to Congress (at age 31)[64]
- ^ Succeeded her late husband
- ^ Later became United States Ambassador to the Holy See
- ^ Succeeded her late husband
- ^ Daughter of Ogden H. Hammond
- ^ Later became United States Ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture
- ^ Married to Andrew Jacobs Jr.
- ^ Succeeded her late husband
- ^ a b Shortest-statured women in Congress, at 4 feet 11 inches (1.50 m)[65][66]
- ^ First Arab (Lebanese and Syrian) American woman elected
- ^ Succeeded her late husband
- ^ Later became United States Ambassador to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights
- ^ Married to John R. McKernan Jr.
- ^ First Republican woman elected to the House leadership position (House Republican Conference vice chairwoman)
- ^ Later became United States Secretary of Labor
- ^ Succeeded her late husband
- ^ Longest serving woman in the House and Congress (41 years, 323 days)[47]
- ^ First Hispanic and Latina American woman elected
- ^ Succeeded her late husband
- ^ Succeeded her late husband
- ^ Later became United States Ambassador to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
- ^ Daughter of Olin D. Johnston
- ^ First Republican Asian American woman elected
- ^ Later became Administrator of the Small Business Administration
- ^ First woman regained speakership
First woman elected Speaker of the House
First woman elected floor leader (specifically minority leader)
First woman elected whip
Daughter of Thomas D'Alesandro Jr. - ^ First Republican woman elected to represent a former Confederate state other than Tennessee since Reconstruction
First Cuban-American woman elected - ^ Married to Bill Paxon
First woman to hold the distinction of "youngest member of the House"
First woman to succeed a living parent
Succeeded her father - ^ Later ran successfully for the 2000 United States Senate election in Washington
- ^ First Assyrian American woman elected
- ^ First British/Canadian-American woman elected
- ^ Later ran successfully for the 1998 United States Senate election in Arkansas
- ^ Married to Edward Mezvinsky
- ^ Ran for President of the United States as the nominee of the Green Party for the 2008 United States presidential election
- ^ Mother of Kendrick Meek
- ^ Daughter of Edward R. Roybal
- ^ First Latter-day Saint (Mormon) woman elected
- ^ First Independent woman (re)elected
Succeeded her late husband - ^ Grandmother of André Carson
- ^ Sister of Linda Sánchez
- ^ Succeeded her late husband
- ^ Married to Connie Mack IV
Succeeded her late husband - ^ Later became United States Secretary of the Air Force
- ^ First openly LGBT and lesbian woman elected
- ^ Sister of Loretta Sanchez
- ^ Married to Max Sandlin
- ^ Succeeded her late husband
- ^ Later ran successfully for the 2010 United States Senate special election in New York
- ^ First Buddhist woman elected
One of the first two Buddhists (alongside Hank Johnson) elected - ^ Served in the same seat as her late husband (although she did not directly succeed him)
- ^ Later ran successfully for the 2020 United States Senate election in Wyoming
- ^ First Chinese American woman elected
- ^ Later elected Lieutenant Governor, then succeeded as Governor of New York. Ran successfully for a full term
- ^ First woman with a disability elected
First Southeast Asian-American (Thai) woman elected
First Amerasian or Eurasian woman elected - ^ First Hindu elected
- ^ Formerly the oldest woman elected to Congress (at age 71)
- ^ First openly bisexual person elected
- ^ First woman to succeed a living spouse
Succeeded her husband - ^ Daughter of Bob Graham
- ^ First Republican African-American woman elected
- ^ Later appointed to the United States Senate and ran unsuccessfully for the 2020 United States Senate special election in Arizona
- ^ Daughter of Peter Tali Coleman
- ^ Formerly the youngest woman elected to Congress (at age 30)[72]
- ^ Served in the same seat as her father (although she did not directly succeed him)
- ^ First Indian American woman elected
- ^ Tenney won the November 2020 House election in New York's 22nd congressional district, but certification was delayed due to the closeness of the race and vote-counting issues. She was certified as the winner on February 8, 2021, before being seated in the 117th Congress three days later.[73]
- ^ Shortest-serving woman in the House
- ^ a b Tallest-statured women in Congress, at 6 feet (1.83 m)[74][75]
- ^ First openly LGBT woman of color elected
First openly LGBT Native American elected
One of the first two Native American women (alongside Deb Haaland) elected - ^ First Native Catholic woman elected
One of the first two Native American women (alongside Sharice Davids) elected - ^ Daughter of Samuel L. Devine
- ^ First woman of color to hold the distinction of "youngest member of the House"
Youngest woman elected to Congress (at age 29)[38] - ^ First Somali American elected
One of the first two Muslim women (alongside Rashida Tlaib) elected - ^ Oldest woman elected to Congress (at age 77)[37]
Only female former presidential cabinet member elected - ^ First Palestinian-American woman elected
One of the first two Muslim women elected (alongside Ilhan Omar) elected - ^ First Portuguese American woman elected
- ^ First Iranian American and Pakistani American elected
- ^ First Cherokee woman elected
First Republican Native American woman elected - ^ a b c One of the first Korean American women elected
- ^ First woman to graduate from the Citadel elected
- ^ First Ukrainian American woman elected
First woman born in the Soviet Union or Eastern Bloc elected - ^ First Afro-Asian American woman elected
- ^ First Mexican-born woman elected
- ^ First Alaska Native elected
- ^ Succeeded her late mother
- ^ District previously numbered California's 5th, 8th, and 12th congressional district
- ^ District previously numbered California's 29th and 35th congressional district
- ^ District previously numbered California's 14th congressional district and 18th congressional district
- ^ District previously numbered New York's 12th congressional district
- ^ District previously numbered California's 16th and 19th congressional district
- ^ District previously numbered California's 9th and 13th congressional district
- ^ District previously numbered California's 34th, 38th, and 32nd congressional district
- ^ District previously numbered California's 39th congressional district
- ^ District previously numbered Florida's 20th and 23rd congressional district
- ^ District previously numbered California's 5th and 6th congressional district
- ^ District previously numbered Florida's 11th congressional district
- ^ District previously numbered New York's 11th congressional district
- ^ District previously numbered California's 32nd and 27th congressional district
- ^ District previously numbered Florida's 17th congressional district
- ^ District previously numbered Florida's 21st congressional district
- ^ Previously served as Representative from Nevada's 3rd congressional district from January 3, 2009, to January 3, 2011
- ^ District previously numbered Michigan's 12th congressional district
- ^ District previously numbered Pennsylvania's 7th congressional district
- ^ District previously numbered Pennsylvania's 15th congressional district
- ^ District previously numbered Georgia's 6th congressional district
- ^ District previously numbered West Virginia's 3rd
- ^ District previously numbered California's 45th congressional district
- ^ District previously numbered Michigan's 8th congressional district
- ^ District previously numbered Michigan's 13th congressional district
- ^ District previously numbered Iowa's 1st congressional district
- ^ District previously numbered California's 53rd congressional district
- ^ District previously numbered California's 39th congressional district
- ^ District previously numbered Michigan's 10th congressional district
- ^ District previously numbered Iowa's 2nd congressional district
- ^ District previously numbered California's 48th congressional district
- ^ Previously served as Representative from New York's 22nd congressional district from January 3, 2017, to January 3, 2019
- ^ District previously numbered New York's 22nd congressional district
References
[edit]- ^ Katz, Elizabeth D. (July 30, 2021). "Sex, Suffrage, and State Constitutional Law: Women's Legal Right to Hold Public Office". Rochester, NY. SSRN 3896499.
- ^ "Women Serving in the 118th Congress (2023-2025)". Center for American Women in Politics. Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey.
- ^ McFadden, Robert D. (May 20, 1973). "Ex-Rep. Jeanette Rankin Dies; First Woman in Congress, 92". The New York Times. Archived from the original on September 1, 2022. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
- ^ "The Constitution of the United States: Amendments 11–27". National Archives and Records Administration. November 4, 2015. Archived from the original on August 29, 2022. Retrieved August 7, 2022.
- ^ "The Swearing-In of the First Woman Elected to Congress, Representative Jeannette Rankin of Montana". History, Art & Archives. U.S. House of Representatives. Archived from the original on August 27, 2022. Retrieved August 7, 2022.
- ^ a b "'I'm No Lady, I'm a Member of Congress': Women Pioneers on Capitol Hill, 1917–1934" (PDF). Women in Congress 1917–2006. U.S. Government Printing Office. 2006. pp. 24–25. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 24, 2022. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
- ^ "Clare Boothe Luce Becomes a Catholic". The New York Times. February 17, 1946. p. 1. Also published in New York Daily News on the same day.
- ^ Severo, Richard (May 30, 1995). "Margaret Chase Smith Is Dead at 97; Maine Republican Made History Twice". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 13, 2022. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
- ^ Mariotti, Renato (November 26, 2013). "Rep. Vera Buchanan dies in office, Nov. 26, 1955". Politico. Archived from the original on April 7, 2016. Retrieved April 12, 2018.
- ^ Zitner, Aaron (September 29, 2002). "Rep. Patsy Mink, 74; Legislator From Hawaii". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on June 23, 2022. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
- ^ a b "New Patterns". History, Art & Archives. U.S. House of Representatives. Retrieved April 12, 2018.
- ^ Barron, James (January 3, 2005). "Shirley Chisholm, 'Unbossed' Pioneer in Congress, Is Dead at 80". The New York Times. Archived from the original on April 14, 2022. Retrieved August 27, 2022.
- ^ "Update: First woman to wear pants on House floor, Rep. Charlotte Reid". The Washington Post. December 21, 2011. Archived from the original on December 28, 2011. Retrieved April 16, 2018.
- ^ "Women in Government: A Slim Past, But a Strong Future". Ebony. August 1977. pp. 89–92, 96–98.
- ^ a b Epstein, Kayla (April 9, 2018). "The first congresswoman to give birth in office was no stranger to breaking boundaries". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on September 1, 2018. Retrieved August 11, 2022.
- ^ Michelle Cottle, ed. (April 19, 2018). "Why Congress Remains Hostile to Women". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on April 28, 2018. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
- ^ a b "Milestones for Women in American Politics". Center for American Women in Politics. Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey.
- ^ King, Robert R.; King, Kay Atkinson (2000). "Mormons in Congress, 1851-2000". Journal of Mormon History. 26 (2): 1–50. JSTOR 23288216.
- ^ Official Manual State of Missouri 2001–2002. Missouri: Office of the Secretary of State. p. 117.
- ^ "Mo. 08: Emerson wins". AllPolitics. CNN. November 5, 1996. Archived from the original on September 1, 2022.
- ^ "Baldwin breaks barrier, becomes first openly lesbian House member". AllPolitics. CNN. November 3, 1998. Archived from the original on February 2, 2002.
- ^ Anderson, Nick (October 11, 2001). "Pelosi Makes History as New Minority Whip". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on February 27, 2021. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
- ^ Hulse, Carl (November 15, 2002). "Pelosi Easily Wins Election for House Democratic Leader". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 8, 2023. Retrieved August 13, 2022.
- ^ Branigin, William (January 4, 2007). "Pelosi Sworn in as First Woman Speaker of the House". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on January 22, 2019. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
- ^ a b "Speaker of the House Fast Facts". History, Art & Archives. U.S. House of Representatives.
- ^ Caygle, Heather; Bade, Rachael (January 3, 2019). "'Madame Speaker': Pelosi reclaims the gavel". Politico. Archived from the original on January 4, 2021. Retrieved August 14, 2022.
- ^ Wheaton, Sarah (January 2, 2007). "A Congressman, a Muslim and a Buddhist Walk Into a Bar..." The New York Times. Archived from the original on September 1, 2022. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
- ^ "In the House, a Step Toward Potty Parity". The New York Times. July 20, 2011. Archived from the original on September 9, 2022. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
- ^ Weinstein, Adam (November 7, 2012). "Tammy Duckworth Sends Tea Party Loudmouth Packing". Mother Jones. Archived from the original on June 9, 2017. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
- ^ Prothero, Stephen (January 3, 2013). "Column: A Hindu moment for Congress". USA Today. Archived from the original on January 4, 2013. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
- ^ Newcomb, Alyssa (November 12, 2012). "Kyrsten Sinema Becomes First Openly Bisexual Member of Congress". ABC News. Archived from the original on January 29, 2022. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
- ^ Kamarck, Elaine (November 7, 2018). "2018: Another 'Year of the Woman'". Brookings. Archived from the original on November 16, 2018. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
- ^ Zhou, Li (November 2, 2018). "The striking parallels between 1992's "Year of the Woman" and 2018, explained by a historian". Vox. Archived from the original on November 2, 2018. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
- ^ Lu, Denise; Collins, Keith (November 16, 2018). "'Year of the Woman' Indeed: Record Gains in the House". The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 15, 2021. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
- ^ Sunshine Manning, Sarah (November 8, 2018). "Two Native American women are headed to Congress. This is why it matters". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on November 8, 2018. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
- ^ Watkins, Eli (November 6, 2018). "First Muslim women in Congress: Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar". CNN. Archived from the original on November 7, 2018. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
- ^ a b Cochrane, Emily (December 30, 2018). "Too Old to Be a Freshman in Congress? Donna Shalala Doesn't Care". The New York Times. Archived from the original on July 30, 2021.
- ^ a b "Ocasio-Cortez to be youngest woman ever elected to Congress". CNN. November 7, 2018. Archived from the original on November 7, 2018. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
- ^ Chernikoff, Helen (December 3, 2018). "From Shul President To Nevada Senator". The Forward. Archived from the original on September 14, 2022. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
- ^ "PAAIA Celebrates Historic Election for Iranian Americans". Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans. November 4, 2020. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
- ^ Azma, Sheeva (January 21, 2023). "Stephanie Bice and A Tale of Two Iranian-Oklahomans". Fancy Comma, LLC.
Stephanie Bice's dad, Joe Asady, writes in his memoir that he was born in Iran to a Pakistani dad and Iranian mom.
- ^ D'Ammassa, Algernon (November 4, 2020). "Give 'em Herrell: New Mexico's 2nd congressional district back in Republican hands". Las Cruces Sun-News. Retrieved January 23, 2021.
- ^ "Making history: Three Korean American women, two representing California, win seats in Congress". Los Angeles Times. November 15, 2020. Retrieved January 23, 2021.
- ^ "Marilyn Strickland's Black, Korean American roots are 1st for Congress". NBC News. Associated Press. November 7, 2020. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
- ^ Cochrane, Emily (September 13, 2022). "A Day of Firsts for Peltola in Congress Starts a Sprint to Another Election". The New York Times. Archived from the original on September 13, 2022. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
- ^ "AP Race Call: Democrat Sarah McBride wins election to U.S. House in Delaware's 1st Congressional District". AP. November 6, 2024.
- ^ a b c "Women With 25 Years or More House Service". History, Art & Archives. U.S. House of Representatives.
- ^ Lisinski, Chris (April 14, 2018). "Kaptur Passes Rogers for Longest House Service by Woman". Associated Press. Archived from the original on January 19, 2023. Retrieved April 15, 2018.
- ^ Kurtz, Judy (January 3, 2023). "Marcy Kaptur becomes longest-serving woman in congressional history on Tuesday". The Hill. Archived from the original on January 11, 2023. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
- ^ a b c d e "Familial Connections of Women Members of Congress". History, Art & Archives. U.S. House of Representatives.
- ^ a b Glass, Andrew (February 15, 2018). "Trio of pioneering female GOP members pose on U.S. House steps, Feb. 15, 1923". Politico. Archived from the original on February 15, 2018. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
- ^ Levy, Clifford J. (March 21, 1990). "Molinari victory puts daughter in father's House seat". UPI. Archived from the original on September 6, 2022. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
- ^ a b c Diamond, Anna (February 3, 2020). "The History of Wives Replacing Their Dead Husbands in Congress". Smithsonian. Archived from the original on February 5, 2020. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
- ^ Pollack, Chana (January 9, 2014). "Throwback Thursday: Jewish Congresswoman from Utah". The Forward. Archived from the original on August 3, 2021. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
- ^ Stolberg, Sheryl Gay (November 23, 2014). "Debbie Dingell Ready for Spotlight as Her Husband, the 'Dean' of Congress, Steps Aside". The New York Times. Archived from the original on November 24, 2014. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
- ^ O'Neill, Edward A. (March 11, 1977). "Former Rep. Frances Bolton, in Congress 29 Years, Dies". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on September 30, 2018. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
- ^ Glass, Andrew (February 15, 2012). "Maude 'Elizabeth' Kee dies at 79, Feb. 15, 1975". Politico. Archived from the original on September 7, 2022. Retrieved September 7, 2022.
- ^ Simon, Richard (January 8, 2003). "Loretta and Linda Sanchez Star in House's First Sister Act". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on November 24, 2020. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
- ^ Rachael Dottle; Ella Koeze; Julia Wolfe (November 13, 2018). "The 2018 Midterms, In 4 Charts". FiveThirtyEight.
- ^ Women candidates for Congress 1974 - 2018. Center for American Women and Politics. There are separate columns for House and Senate numbers by election. Party and seat summary for major party nominees.
- ^ Manning, Jennifer E.; Brudnick, Ida A. (September 23, 2020). Women in Congress, 1917-2020: Service Dates and Committee Assignments by Member, and Lists by State and Congress (PDF). Washington, D.C.: Congressional Research Service. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
- ^ "The U.S. Made Zero Progress in Adding Women to Congress". Fortune. November 10, 2016.
- ^ "Women in Diplomacy". state.gov. U.S. Department of State. Archived from the original on October 25, 2020.
- ^ Lamson, Peggy (1979). In the Vanguard: Six American Women in Public Life. Boston, Massachusetts: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. ISBN 9780395276082.
- ^ Kanin, Zach (November 17, 2007). "Does Height Matter in Politics?". HuffPost.
- ^ Saenz, Arlette (March 2, 2015). "Barbara Mikulski: From Girl Scout to Senator, 7 Things You Might Not Know About the Retiring Senator". ABC News.
- ^ Kroll, Andy (November 7, 2012). "Wisconsin's Tammy Baldwin Writes Her Way Into the History Books". Mother Jones. Archived from the original on June 18, 2017. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
- ^ Fitzsimons, Tim (November 13, 2018). "Kyrsten Sinema makes history as first bisexual member of U.S. Senate". NBC News. Archived from the original on November 13, 2018. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
- ^ "Rep. Jackie Walorski dies in Elkhart County crash". WNDU 16 News Now. August 3, 2022. Retrieved August 3, 2022.
- ^ Gay, Roxane (2019). The Women of the 116th Congress: Portraits of Power. The New York Times. Page 28. Abrams. ISBN 9781683357810.
- ^ Kowalewski, Albin (2018). Asian and Pacific Islander Americans in Congress, 1900-2017. Government Printing Office. Page 558. ISBN 9780160940408.
- ^ Iyengar, Rishi (November 5, 2014). "Elise Stefanik Becomes the Youngest Woman Ever Elected to Congress". Time. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
- ^ Cohen, Ethan (February 8, 2021). "New York certifies Claudia Tenney's victory in last unresolved House race of 2020". CNN. Retrieved February 10, 2021.
- ^ "Cindy Axne tells how she fought off would-be rapist in speech to Des Moines business leaders". The Des Moines Register. October 2, 2018.
A former West Des Moines Valley basketball player who stands six feet tall...
- ^ "Lori Trahan helped set a mark for women elected to Congress. Here's what makes her tick". The Boston Globe. January 6, 2019.
The 6-foot Trahan easily stood out.
- ^ LeBlanc, Paul (October 27, 2019). "Rep. Katie Hill announces resignation amid allegations of improper relationships with staffers". CNN. Retrieved October 27, 2019.
- ^ Mutnick, Ally; Ferris, Sarah (July 28, 2023). "Abigail Spanberger tells Democrats she will run for governor". Politico. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
- ^ "Mary Sattler Kapsner". The Alaska State Legislature. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
- ^ Foster, David (November 19, 1995). "The Tale Of Joe And Enid: From D.C. To Disaster". The Seattle Times. Associated Press. Archived from the original on September 2, 2022. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
- ^ Fisher, Ian (May 11, 1996). "Missing Adoption Bill Vote, Rep. Molinari Gives Birth". The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 21, 2011. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
- ^ Henneberger, Melinda (June 13, 1998). "No Escaping Motherhood on Campaign Trail". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 27, 2015. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
- ^ "It's a boy for Washington congresswoman". NBC News. Associated Press. April 30, 2007. Archived from the original on May 7, 2021. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
- ^ Barone, Michael; Chuck McCutcheon (2011). "Washington/Fifth District". The Almanac of American Politics (2012 ed.). University of Chicago Press, National Journal Group, Inc. pp. 1716–1718. ISBN 978-0-226-03808-7.
- ^ "Cathy McMorris Rodgers has baby girl — makes history for giving birth three times while in Congress". The Washington Post. November 25, 2013. Archived from the original on September 27, 2015. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
- ^ "Son Born to New York Congresswoman". The New York Times. Associated Press. May 16, 2008. Archived from the original on November 6, 2021.
- ^ Good, Chris (December 16, 2008). "Herseth Sandlin Has a Son". The Hill. Archived from the original on September 2, 2022. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
- ^ "Congresswoman Sanchez has baby boy". UPI. May 14, 2009. Archived from the original on June 5, 2011. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
- ^ "Rep. Jamie Herrera Beutler's baby is born, overcomes typically fatal condition". The Washington Post. July 29, 2013. Archived from the original on April 16, 2022. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
- ^ Dake, Lauren (May 19, 2016). "Herrera Beutler gives birth to baby boy". The Columbian. Archived from the original on May 21, 2016. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
- ^ Dake, Lauren (May 23, 2019). "Herrera Beutler gives birth to girl". The Columbian. Archived from the original on May 24, 2019. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
- ^ Skiba, Katherine (November 20, 2014). "Rep. Tammy Duckworth gives birth to daughter". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on November 20, 2014. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
- ^ Stack, Liam (April 9, 2018). "Tammy Duckworth Becomes First U.S. Senator to Give Birth While in Office". The New York Times. Archived from the original on April 11, 2018. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
- ^ "First child born for Elise Stefanik, No. 3 House GOP member". AP News. August 30, 2021. Archived from the original on December 20, 2021. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
- ^ "Rep. Anna Paulina Luna announces pregnancy with first child: 'Children are a blessing'". Fox News. May 8, 2023. Retrieved October 18, 2023.
- ^ Anna Paulina Luna [@realannapaulina] (August 28, 2023). "GH 🤍 8.26.23" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ "Resident commissioner gives first interview after giving birth to twins". The San Juan Daily Star. March 1, 2024.
External links
[edit]- house.gov:
- Women in Congress Archived September 24, 2010, at the Wayback Machine — Companion site to book produced by the Office of the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives
- National Women's History Museum: Legislating History: 100 Years of Women in Congress Archived April 23, 2018, at the Wayback Machine. 2017.