Women in the United States House of Representatives

Throughout the history of the United States House of Representatives, there have been 218 women serving in that body. [Were all those women serving at once, they would make up the barest majority of the House. Whereas the 35 women who have served in the Senate (as of 2008) would not be enough even to sustain a filibuster.] In 1917 Jeanette Rankin, a Republican from Montana, became the first woman in the United States Congress upon being elected to the House.

Widow's succession

Mae Ella Nolan was the first woman elected to her husband's seat in Congress, which is sometimes known as the "widow's succession". In the early years of women in Congress, the seat was held only until the next election and the women retired after that single Congress. She thereby became a placeholder merely finishing out her late husband's elected term.

As the years progressed, however, more and more of these widow successors sought re-election. These women began to win their own elections. Many of them also went on to successful Senate careers.

As of 2004, 36 widows have won their husbands' seats in the House, and 8 in the Senate. Current examples are Representatives Mary Bono (widow of Sonny Bono) and Lois Capps and Doris Matsui, all of California, and Jo Ann Emerson of Missouri. The most successful example is Margaret Chase Smith of Maine, who served a total of 32 years in both houses and became the first woman elected to both the House and the Senate. She began the end of McCarthyism with 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 Republican Party Senate leadership (in the third-highest post of Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference). The third woman elected to Congress, Winnifred Huck, was similarly elected to her father's seat.

List of female members

This is a complete list of women who have served as members of the United States House of Representatives, ordered by seniority. This list includes women who served in the past and who continue to serve in the present.
*"The notation "w" indicates "Widow's succession."
# Jeannette Rankin (R-MT 1917-1919, 1941-1943), "first woman"
# Alice Mary Robertson (R-OK 1921-1923) "first woman to defeat an incumbent congressman"
# Winnifred Sprague Mason Huck (R-IL 1922-1923)
# Mae Ella Nolan (R-CA 1923-1925, w)
# Florence Prag Kahn (R-CA 1925-1937, w) "first Jewish women"
# Mary Teresa Norton (D-NJ 1925-1951), "first Democratic woman"
# Edith Nourse Rogers (R-MA 1925-1960, w)
# Katherine G. Langley (R-KY 1927-1931, w)
# Pearl Peden Oldfield (D-AR 1929-1931, w)
# Ruth Hanna McCormick (R-IL 1929-1931)
# Ruth Bryan Owen (D-FL 1929-1933), "later U.S. Ambassador to Denmark (1933-1936)"
# Ruth Baker Pratt (R-NY 1929-1933)
# Effiegene Locke Wingo (D-AR 1930-1933, w)
# Willa McCord Blake Eslick (D-TN 1932-1933, w)
# Kathryn O'Loughlin McCarthy (D-KS 1933-1935)
# Virginia E. Jenckes (D-IN 1933-1939)
# Isabella Greenway (D-AZ 1933-1937)
# Marian W. Clarke (R-NY 1933-1935, w)
# Caroline Love Goodwin O'Day (D-NY 1935-1943)
# Nan Wood Honeyman (D-OR 1937-1939)
# Elizabeth Hawley Gasque (SC 1938-1939, w)
# Jessie Sumner (R-IL 1939-1947)
# Clara G. McMillan (D-SC 1939-1941, w)
# Frances P. Bolton (R-OH 1940-1969, w)
# Margaret Chase Smith (R-ME 1940-1949, w), "later U.S. Senator (1949 – 1973)"
# Florence Reville Gibbs (D-GA 1940-1941, w)
# Katharine Byron (D-MD 1941-1943, w)
# Veronica Grace Boland (D-PA 1942-1943, w)
# Clare Boothe Luce (R-CT 1943-1947), "later U.S. Ambassador to Italy (1953-1956)
# Winifred C. Stanley (R-NY 1943-1945)
# Willa L. Fulmer (D-SC 1944-1945, w)
# Emily Taft Douglas (D-IL 1945-1947)
# Helen Gahagan Douglas (D-CA 1945-1951)
# Chase G. Woodhouse (D-CT 1945-1947, 1949-1951)
# Helen Douglas Mankin (D-GA 1946-1947)
# Eliza Jane Pratt (D-NC 1946-1947)
# Georgia Lee Lusk (R-NM 1947-1949)
# Katharine St. George (R-NY 1947-1965)
# Reva Zilpha Beck Bosone (D-UT 1949-1953)
# Cecil Murray Harden (R-IN 1949-1959)
# Edna Flannery Kelly (D-NY 1949-1969)
# Marguerite S. Church (R-IL 1951-1963, w)
# Ruth Thompson (R-MI 1951-1957) " first woman to serve on the House Judiciary Committee"
# Maude Elizabeth Kee (D-WV 1951-1965)
# Vera Daerr Buchanan (D-PA 1951-1955)
# Gracie Bowers Pfost (D-ID 1953-1963)
# Leonor Kretzer Sullivan (D-MO 1953-1977)
# Mary Elizabeth Pruett Farrington (HI 1954-1957)
# Iris Blitch (D-GA 1955-1963)
# Edith Starrett Green (D-OR 1955-1974)
# Martha Griffiths (D-MI 1955-1974), "later Lt. Governor of Michigan (1983-1991)"
# Coya Knutson (D-MN 1955-1959)
# Kathryn E. Granahan (D-PA 1956-1963, w), "later Treasurer of the U.S. (1963-1966)"
# Florence P. Dwyer (R-NJ 1957-1973)
# Catherine Dean May (R-WA 1959-1971)
# Edna Oakes Simpson (R-IL 1959-1961)
# Jessica M. Weis (R-NY 1959-1963)
# Julia Butler Hansen (D-WA 1960-1974)
# Catherine Dorris Norrell (D-AR 1961-1963, w)
# Louise Goff Reece (R-TN 1961-1963, w)
# Corinne Boyd Riley (D-SC 1962-1963, w)
# Charlotte Thompson Reid (R-IL 1963-1971)
# Irene Baker (R-TN 1964-1965, w)
# Patsy Mink (D-HI 1965-1977, 1990-2002), "first non-white woman, as well as the first Asian Pacific Islander"
# Lera Millard Thomas (D-TX 1966-1967, w)
# Margaret M. Heckler (R-MA 1967-1983), "later U.S. Secretary of HHS (1983-1985) and U.S. Ambassador to Ireland (1985-1989)"
# Shirley Chisholm (D-NY 1969-1983), "first African-American woman"
# Bella Abzug (D-NY 1971-1977)
# Ella Tambussi Grasso (D-CT 1971-1975), "later Governor of Connecticut (1975-1981)"
# Louise Day Hicks (D-MA 1971-1973) "later President of the Boston City Council"
# Elizabeth Bullock Andrews (D-AL 1972-1973, w)
# Yvonne Brathwaite Burke (D-CA 1973-1979)
# Marjorie Sewell Holt (R-MD 1973-1987)
# Elizabeth Holtzman (D-NY 1973–1981), "youngest woman ever to serve in the House of Representatives", "Later District Attorney of Kings County, and New York City Comptroller"
# Barbara Charline Jordan (D-TX 1973–1979)
# Patricia Nell Scott Schroeder (D-CO 1973–1997)
# Corinne Boggs (D-LA 1973-1991, w)
# Cardiss Collins (D-IL 1973–1997)
# Millicent Fenwick (R-NJ 1975-1983)
# Martha Elizabeth Keys (D-KS 1975-1978)
# Marilyn Lloyd (D-TN 1975-1995 w)
# Helen Stevenson Meyner (D-NJ 1975-1979)
# Virginia Dodd Smith (R-NE 1975-1991)
# Gladys Noon Spellman (D-MD 1975-1981)
# Shirley Neil Pettis (R-CA 1975-1979, w)
# Barbara Ann Mikulski (D-MD 1977-1987), "later U.S. Senator (1987-present)"
# Mary Rose Oakar (D-OH 1977-1993)
# Beverly Byron (D-MD 1979-1993, w)
# Geraldine Ferraro (D-NY 1979-1985), "first female Vice Presidential candidate representing a major party"
# Olympia Snowe (R-ME 1979-1995), "later U.S. Senator (1995 - present)"
# Bobbi Fiedler (R-CA 1981-1987)
# Lynn Morley Martin (R-IL 1981-1991), "later U.S. Secretary of Labour (1991-1993)"
# Margaret Roukema (R-NJ 1981-2003)
# Claudine Schneider (R-RI 1981-1991)
# Barbara Kennelly (D-CT 1982-1999)
# Jean Ashbrook ((R-OH 1982-1983 w)
# Katie Beatrice Hall (D-IN 1982-1985)
# Barbara Boxer (D-CA 1983-1993), "later U.S. Senator (1994-present)"
# Nancy Lee Johnson (R-CT 1983-2007)
# Marcia Kaptur (D-OH 1983–present), "Dean of the women in the House"
# Barbara Farrell Vucanovich (R-NV 1983-1997)
# Sala Burton (D-CA 1983-1987, w)
# Helen Delich Bentley (R-MD 1985-1995)
# Jan Meyers (R-KS 1985-1997)
# Catherine S. Long (D-LA 1985-1987, w), "first female veteran elected to congress"
# Constance A. Morella (R-MD 1987-2003) "later United States Ambassador to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (2003-2007"
# Elizabeth J. Patterson (D-SC 1987-1993)
# Patricia Fukuda Saiki (R-HI 1987-1991)
# Louise M. Slaughter (D-NY 1987-present) "first woman chairperson of the House Rules Committee"
# Nancy Pelosi (D-CA 1987-present), "currently Speaker of the House, the first female Speaker and Major Party Leader"
# Nita M. Lowey (D-NY 1989-present)
# Jolene Unsoeld (D-WA 1989-1995)
# Jill Long (D-IN 1989-1995) "later Under Secretary of Agriculture for Rural Development (1995-2001)"
# Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL 1989–present), "first Hispanic American woman"
# Susan Molinari (R-NY 1990-1997)
# Barbara-Rose Collins (D-MI 1991-1997)
# Rosa L. DeLauro (D-CT 1991-present)
# Joan Kelly Horn (D-MO 1991-1993)
# Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC * 1991-present)
# Maxine Waters (D-CA 1991-present)
# Eva Clayton (D-NC 1993–2003)
# Corinne Brown (D-FL 1993-present)
# Leslie Byrne (D-VA 1993-1995)
# Maria Cantwell (D-WA 1993-1995), "later U.S. Senator (2001-present)"
# Pat Danner (D-MI 1993–2001)
# Jennifer Dunn (R-WA 1993 – 2005)
# Karan English (D-AZ 1993–1995)
# Anna G. Eshoo (D-CA 1993-present)
# Tillie Fowler (R-FL 1993 – 2001)
# Elizabeth Furse (D-OR 1993–1999)
# Jane Harman (D-CA 1993–1999 and 2001–present)
# Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX 1993-present)
# Blanche Lincoln (D-AR 1993-1997), "later U.S. Senator (1999-present)"
# Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY 1993-present)
# Marjorie Margolies-Mezvinsky (D-PA 1993-1995)
# Cynthia McKinney (D-GA 1993-2003, 2005-2007)
# Carrie P. Meek (D-FL 1993–2003)
# Deborah Pryce (R-OH 1993-present)
# Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA 1993-present)
# Lynn Schenk (D-CA 1993-1995)
# Karen Shepherd (D-UT 1993–1995)
# Karen Thurman (D-FL 1993 – 2003) "later Chairman of the Florida Democratic Party (2005-present)"
# Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY 1993-present) "First Puerto Rican woman elected to congress"
# Lynn Woolsey (D-CA 1993-present)
# Helen Chenoweth-Hage (R-ID 1995-2001)
# Barbara Cubin (R-WY 1995–present)
# Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-TX 1995-present)
# Sue Kelly (R-NY 1995-2007)
# Zoe Lofgren (D-CA 1995-present)
# Karen McCarthy (D-MO 1995-2004)
# Sue Myrick (R-NC 1995-present)
# Lynn Rivers (D-MI 1995-2003)
# Andrea Seastrand (R-IL 1995-1997)
# Linda Smith (R-WA 1995-1999)
# Enid Greene Waldholtz (R-UT 1995-1997)
# Juanita Millender-McDonald (D-CA 1996-2007)
# Jo Ann Emerson (R-MO 1996-present)
# Julia Carson (D-IN 1997-2007)
# Donna M.C. Christensen (D-VI * 1997-present)
# Diana DeGette (D-CO 1997-present)
# Kay Granger (R-TX 1997-present)
# Darlene Hooley (D-OR 1997–present)
# Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick (D-MI 1997-present)
# Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY 1997-present)
# Anne Northup (R-KY 1997-2007)
# Loretta Sanchez (D-CA 1997-present)
# Debbie Stabenow (D-MI 1997-2001) "Later U.S. Senator 2001-present"
# Ellen Tauscher (D-CA 1997-present)
# Mary Bono (R-CA 1998-present, w)
# Lois Capps (D-CA 1998-present, w)
# Barbara Lee (D-CA 1998-present)
# Heather Wilson (R-NM 1998–present)
# Tammy Baldwin (D-WI 1999-present), "first openly gay person when initially elected"
# Shelley Berkley (D-NV 1999-present)
# Judith Borg Biggert (R-IL 1999-present)
# Stephanie Tubbs Jones (D-OH 1999-2008)
# Grace Napolitano (D-CA 1999-present)
# Janice Schakowsky (D-IL 1999-present)
# Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV 2001-present)
# Jo Ann Davis (R-VA 2001-2007)
# Susan A. Davis (D-CA 2001-present)
# Melissa Hart (R-PA 2001-2007)
# Betty McCollum (D-MN 2001-present)
# Hilda Solis (D-CA 2001-present)
# Diane Watson (D-CA 2001-present)
# Marsha Blackburn (R-TN 2003-present)
# Madeleine Bordallo (D-GU * 2003-present)
# Ginny Brown-Waite (R-FL 2003-present)
# Katherine Harris (R-FL 2003-2007)
# Denise Majette (D-GA 2003-2005)
# Candice Miller (R-MI 2003-present)
# Marilyn Musgrave (R-CO 2003-present)
# Linda Sanchez (D-CA 2003-present)
# Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (D-SD 2004-present)
# Melissa Bean (D-IL 2005-present)
# Thelma Drake (R-VA 2005-present)
# Virginia Foxx (R-NC 2005-present)
# Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA 2005-present)
# Gwen Moore (D-WI 2005-present)
# Allyson Schwartz (D-PA 2005-present)
# Debbie Wasserman-Schultz (D-FL 2005-present)
# Doris Matsui (D-CA 2005-present, w)
# Jean Schmidt (R-OH 2005-present)
# Shelley Sekula-Gibbs (R-TX 2006-2007)
# Michele Bachmann (R-MN 2007-present)
# Nancy Boyda (D-KS 2007-present)
# Kathy Castor (D-FL 2007-present)
# Yvette Clarke (D-NY 2007-present)
# Mary Fallin (R-OK 2007-present)
# Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ 2007-present)
# Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY 2007-present)
# Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI 2007-present), "first Buddhist woman"
# Carol Shea-Porter (D-NH 2007-present)
# Betty Sutton (D-OH 2007-present)
# Laura Richardson (D-CA 2007-present)
# Niki Tsongas (D-MA 2007-present)
# Jackie Speier (D-CA 2008-present)
# Donna Edwards (D-MD 2008-present)

See also

* Women in the United States Senate
* List of female state governors in the United States

References

External links

* Associated Press. " [http://www.showmenews.com/2005/Jan/20050122News019.asp Husbands' deaths often propel widows to office] ". "Columbia Daily Tribune", January 22, 2005. Retrieved February 15, 2005. ( [http://www.journalstar.com/articles/2005/01/21/nation/doc41f1716d9354516 alternate source] , via journalstar.com)