Women in the United States House of Representatives
Women have served in the United States House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber, since 1917 following the 1916 election of Republican Jeannette Rankin from Montana, the first woman in Congress.[1] In total, 374 women have been U.S. representatives and seven more women have been non-voting delegates. As of January 3, 2023, there are 124 women in the U.S. House of Representatives (not including four female non-voting delegates), making women 28.6% of the total.[2] Of the 381 women who have served in the House, 250 have been Democrats (including four from U.S. territories and the District of Columbia) and 131 have been Republicans (including three from U.S. territories, including pre-statehood Hawaii). One woman has been Speaker of the House, Democrat Nancy Pelosi of California.
Women have been elected to the House of Representatives from 48 of the 50 states. Montana became, in 1917, the first state to send a woman to Congress, and Vermont became, in 2023, the most recent state to do so. The states that have not elected a woman to the House of Representatives are Mississippi and North Dakota—though both have elected women to the United States Senate. Women have also been sent to Congress from 5 of the 6 territories of the United States; the only territory that has not sent a woman to the House of Representatives is the Northern Mariana Islands. 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 been a senator, been elected to represent more than one state in non-consecutive elections, switched parties, or served as a third-party member in her career, though one was reelected as an Independent.
Pat Saiki and Martha Keys are currently the oldest living former female members at the age of 92.
Firsts
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 states and the federal government from denying any citizen the right to vote because of that citizen's 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]
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; although she was the second 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 a 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 and the oldest woman ever elected to Congress.[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 and first woman of Iranian parentage in Congress,[40] and her fellow Republican, Yvette Herrell, was also elected as the first Native American woman from the party in Congress.[41] Additionally, Republicans Michelle Steel and Young Kim, and Democrat Marilyn Strickland were the first Korean-American women elected.[42] Strickland is also the first Afro-Asian woman elected to the House of Representatives.[43]
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.[44]
Length of service
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.[45] In 2018, she surpassed the record previously held by Edith Nourse Rogers, who served in the House from 1925 until her death in 1960.[46] 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.[47]
List of states represented by women
| 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 | 16 | 30 | 46 | 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 |
| 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 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 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 | 0 | 4 | 4 | Reva Bosone | Democratic | 1949–1953, 1993–1997, 2015–2019 |
| Vermont | 1 | 0 | 1 | Becca Balint | Democratic | 2023–present |
| Virginia | 3 | 5 | 8 | 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
| 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 | Republican | 2017–present |
| United States Virgin Islands | 1 | 1 | 2 | Donna Christian-Christensen | Democratic | 1997–present |
Family ties and widow's succession
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.[48][49] 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.[50]
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.[49][51] 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.[51] 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 became the first woman to do so. 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.[51][52]
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.[48] 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). Rep. Debbie Dingell succeeded her living spouse after his retirement, becoming the first woman to do so.[53]
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.[48][54]
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.[55] 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.[48][56]
Number of women
Number of women in the United States House of Representatives and Senate by Congress
Number of women in the United States Congress (1917–present):[59][60]
| 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 | 153 | 28.3% |
Number of women in the United States House of Representatives by party
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 | Republican | % of women | % of party | Democratic | % 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 | 124 | 33 | 26.6% | 14.9% | 91 | 73.4% | 42.9% |
Percentage of women by party and year
List of female members
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
| 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 | March 3, 1923 | 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 | March 4, 1925 | 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 | March 3, 1931 | 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 4, 1929 | March 3, 1933 | Lost renomination[p] | |
| Ruth Pratt (1877–1965) | Republican | New York's 17th | March 4, 1929 | March 3, 1933 | 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 | March 3, 1933 | Not eligible for reelection having not qualified for nomination |
Female members whose service began between 1933 and 1942
| 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 | March 4, 1933 | 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 | January 3, 1939 | 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 | January 3, 1943 | Retired |
Female members whose service began between 1943 and 1952
| 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, 1943 | January 3, 1945 | Retired | |
| Willa L. Fulmer (1884–1968) [ac] | Democratic | South Carolina's 2nd | November 7, 1944 | January 3, 1945 | 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, 1945 | 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, 1945 | 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 | January 3, 1947 | 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, 1947 | 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, 1949 | 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, 1951 | 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
| 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, 1953 | 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 | January 3, 1955 | December 31, 1974 | Retired | |
| Martha Griffiths (1912–2003) | Democratic | Michigan's 17th | January 3, 1955 | December 31, 1974 | Retired[al] | |
| Coya Knutson (1912–1996) | Democratic (DFL) | Minnesota's 9th | January 3, 1955 | 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, 1959 | January 3, 1961 | Retired | |
| Jessica M. Weis (1901–1963) | Republican | New York's 38th | January 3, 1959 | January 3, 1963 | Retired | |
| Julia Hansen (1907–1988) | Democratic | Washington's 3rd | November 8, 1960 | December 31, 1974 | Retired | |
| 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 | January 3, 1963 | Retired | |
| Corinne Riley (1893–1979) [ar] | Democratic | South Carolina's 2nd | April 10, 1962 | January 3, 1963 | Retired |
Female members whose service began between 1963 and 1972
| 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 | January 3, 1983 | 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, 1971 | January 3, 1975 | Retired to run successfully for Governor of Connecticut | |
| Louise Hicks (1916–2003) | Democratic | Massachusetts's 9th | January 3, 1971 | January 3, 1973 | Lost reelection | |
| Elizabeth B. Andrews (1911–2002) [az] | Democratic | Alabama's 3rd | April 4, 1972 | January 3, 1973 | Retired |
Female members whose service began between 1973 and 1982
| 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, 1973 | January 3, 1987 | Retired | |
| Elizabeth Holtzman (born 1941) [ba] | Democratic | New York's 16th | January 3, 1973 | 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, 1973 | January 3, 1979 | Retired | |
| Pat Schroeder (born 1940) | Democratic | Colorado's 1st | January 3, 1973 | 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, 1975 | January 3, 1979 | Lost reelection | |
| Marilyn Lloyd (1929–2018) [as] | Democratic | Tennessee's 3rd | January 3, 1975 | January 3, 1995 | Retired | |
| Virginia D. Smith (1911–2006) | Republican | Nebraska's 3rd | January 3, 1975 | January 3, 1991 | Retired | |
| Gladys Spellman (1918–1988) | Democratic | Maryland's 5th | January 3, 1975 | 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, 1975 | January 3, 1979 | Lost reelection | |
| Shirley Pettis (1924–2016) [bh] | Republican | California's 37th | April 29, 1975 | January 3, 1979 | 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, 1977 | January 3, 1993 | Lost reelection | |
| Beverly Byron (born 1932) [bk] | Democratic | Maryland's 6th | January 3, 1979 | January 3, 1993 | Lost renomination | |
| Geraldine Ferraro (1935–2011) | Democratic | New York's 9th | January 3, 1979 | 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, 1979 | 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, 1981 | 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, 1981 | January 3, 2003 | Retired | |
| Claudine Schneider (born 1947) | Republican | Rhode Island's 2nd | January 3, 1981 | 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
| 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, 1983 | 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, 1985 | 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, 1987 | January 3, 1993 | Lost reelection | |
| Pat Saiki (born 1930) [bw] | Republican | Hawaii's 1st | January 3, 1987 | 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 | January 3, 1987 | 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, 1989 | January 3, 1995 | Lost reelection | |
| Jill Long Thompson (born 1952) | Democratic | Indiana's 4th | March 20, 1989 | January 3, 1995 | 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 | January 3, 1991 | Present | ||
| 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
| 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, 1993 | January 3, 1995 | Lost reelection | |
| Maria Cantwell (born 1958) | Democratic | Washington's 1st | January 3, 1993 | January 3, 1995 | Lost reelection[cb] | |
| Pat Danner (born 1934) | Democratic | Missouri's 6th | January 3, 1993 | January 3, 2001 | Retired | |
| Jennifer Dunn (1941–2007) | Republican | Washington's 8th | January 3, 1993 | January 3, 2005 | Retired | |
| Karan English (born 1949) | Democratic | Arizona's 6th | January 3, 1993 | 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, 1993 | January 3, 1999 | Retired | |
| Jane Harman (born 1945) | Democratic | California's 36th | January 3, 1993 | January 3, 1999 | 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 (born 1936) | Democratic | Texas's 30th | January 3, 1993 | January 3, 2023 | Retired | |
| Blanche Lincoln (born 1960) | Democratic | Arkansas's 1st | January 3, 1993 | January 3, 1997 | Retired[ce] | |
| Carolyn Maloney (born 1946) | Democratic | New York's 14th & 12th | January 3, 1993 | January 3, 2023 | Lost renomination | |
| Marjorie Margolies (born 1942) [cf] | Democratic | Pennsylvania's 13th | January 3, 1993 | January 3, 1995 | Lost reelection | |
| Cynthia McKinney (born 1955) | Democratic | Georgia's 11th & 4th | January 3, 1993 | 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, 1993 | January 3, 2009 | Retired | |
| Lucille Roybal-Allard (born 1941) [ci] | Democratic | California's 33rd, 34th, & 40th | January 3, 1993 | January 3, 2023 | Retired | |
| Lynn Schenk (born 1945) | Democratic | California's 49th | January 3, 1993 | January 3, 1995 | Lost reelection | |
| Karen Shepherd (born 1940) | Democratic | Utah's 2nd | January 3, 1993 | January 3, 1995 | Lost reelection | |
| Karen Thurman (born 1951) | Democratic | Florida's 5th | January 3, 1993 | 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, 1995 | January 3, 2009 | Retired | |
| Sheila Jackson Lee (born 1950) | Democratic | Texas's 18th | January 3, 1995 | Present | ||
| Sue Kelly (born 1936) | Republican | New York's 19th | January 3, 1995 | 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, 1995 | January 3, 2013 | Retired | |
| Lynn N. Rivers (born 1956) | Democratic | Michigan's 13th | January 3, 1995 | January 3, 2003 | Lost renomination | |
| Andrea Seastrand (born 1941) | Republican | California's 22nd | January 3, 1995 | January 3, 1997 | Lost reelection | |
| Linda Smith (born 1950) | Republican | Washington's 3rd | January 3, 1995 | 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, 1995 | 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, 1997 | January 3, 2011 | Lost renomination | |
| Donna Christian-Christensen (born 1945) | Democratic | U.S. Virgin Island's at-large | January 3, 1997 | 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 | January 3, 1997 | Present | ||
| 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, 1997 | January 3, 2015 | Retired | |
| Anne Northup (born 1948) | Republican | Kentucky's 3rd | January 3, 1997 | January 3, 2007 | Lost reelection | |
| Loretta Sánchez (born 1960) [cm] | Democratic | California's 46th, 47th, & 46th | January 3, 1997 | 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, 1997 | January 3, 2001 | Retired to run successfully for the 2000 United States Senate election in Michigan | |
| Ellen Tauscher (1951–2019) | Democratic | California's 10th | January 3, 1997 | 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.[65] | |
| Shelley Berkley (born 1951) | Democratic | Nevada's 1st | January 3, 1999 | January 3, 2013 | Retired to run unsuccessfully for the 2012 United States Senate election in Nevada | |
| Judy Biggert (born 1937) | Republican | Illinois's 13th | January 3, 1999 | January 3, 2013 | 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 | January 3, 1999 | Present | ||
| 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 | January 3, 2001 | October 6, 2007 | Died in office | |
| Susan Davis (born 1944) | Democratic | California's 49th & 53rd | January 3, 2001 | January 3, 2021 | Retired | |
| Melissa Hart (born 1962) | Republican | Pennsylvania's 4th | January 3, 2001 | 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
| 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 | January 3, 2003 | January 3, 2019 | Lost renomination | |
| Ginny Brown-Waite (born 1943) | Republican | Florida's 5th | January 3, 2003 | January 3, 2011 | Retired | |
| Katherine Harris (born 1957) | Republican | Florida's 13th | January 3, 2003 | 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, 2003 | 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, 2003 | January 3, 2017 | Retired to run successfully for Public Works Commissioner of Macomb County | |
| Marilyn Musgrave (born 1949) | Republican | Colorado's 4th | January 3, 2003 | 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 | January 3, 2011 | Lost reelection | |
| Thelma Drake (born 1949) | Republican | Virginia's 2nd | January 3, 2005 | 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 | January 3, 2005 | present | ||
| Gwen Moore (born 1951) | Democratic | Wisconsin's 4th | January 3, 2005 | present | ||
| 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 | present | ||
| 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, 2007 | 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 | January 3, 2007 | present | ||
| 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 3, 2007 | 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 3, 2007 | January 25, 2009 | Resigned after being appointed to the United States Senate[cu] | |
| Mazie Hirono (born 1947) [cv] | Democratic | Hawaii's 2nd | January 3, 2007 | 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, 2007 | 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 | January 3, 2013 | 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 | January 3, 2009 | January 3, 2011 | Lost reelection | |
| Lynn Jenkins (born 1963) | Republican | Kansas's 2nd | January 3, 2009 | January 3, 2019 | Retired | |
| Mary Jo Kilroy (born 1949) | Democratic | Ohio's 15th | January 3, 2009 | January 3, 2011 | Lost reelection | |
| Ann Kirkpatrick (born 1950) | Democratic | Arizona's 1st | January 3, 2009 | January 3, 2011 | 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, 2009 | January 3, 2017 | Retired[cx] | |
| Betsy Markey (born 1956) | Democratic | Colorado's 4th | January 3, 2009 | 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 | present | ||
| 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 | January 3, 2011 | December 9, 2022 | Resigned to become mayor of Los Angeles | |
| Diane Black (born 1951) | Republican | Tennessee's 6th | January 3, 2011 | 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, 2011 | January 3, 2013 | Lost reelection | |
| Renee Ellmers (born 1964) | Republican | North Carolina's 2nd | January 3, 2011 | January 3, 2017 | Lost renomination | |
| Colleen Hanabusa (born 1951) | Democratic | Hawaii's 1st | January 3, 2011 | 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, 2011 | January 3, 2013 | Lost reelection | |
| Jaime Herrera Beutler (born 1978) | Republican | Washington's 3rd | January 3, 2011 | January 3, 2023 | Lost renomination | |
| Kristi Noem (born 1971) | Republican | South Dakota's at-large | January 3, 2011 | January 3, 2019 | Retired to run successfully for the 2018 South Dakota gubernatorial election | |
| Martha Roby (born 1976) | Republican | Alabama's 2nd | January 3, 2011 | 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 | January 3, 2011 | present | ||
| 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 | Retired to run successfully for 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 | present |
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