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Lawmakers are mourning the death of former Rep. Kay Granger (R-Texas), who died on Sunday at the age of 83 years old.
Granger, the first GOP woman to chair the House Appropriations Committee, was well-respected within the Republican Party.
She previously served as vice chairwoman of the House Republican Conference in addition to co-chairing the Iraqi Women’s Caucus and the Women Impacting the Nation (WIN) coalition.
Granger announced her retirement from the House in 2023, sharing that her final days in Congress would be spent working alongside then-newly elected Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) “to advance our conservative agenda.”
“She was a dear friend who will be greatly missed,” Johnson wrote in a post on X, reflecting on the magnitude of Granger’s career in politics.
Prior to serving in Washington, D.C. and climbing the ranks in the House, Granger was a single mother selling insurance from her home, where she provided care to her elderly mother.
“I was making $13,000 a year,” she told The Hill in 2008.
“It’s the reason I talk so much to working mothers … you just fight your way through the day.”
Granger described that period of her life as “complicated” but said it didn’t stop her from expanding.
In 1991, she was elected mayor of Fort Worth, Texas, the first woman to hold such a role, and eventually went on to become the first Republican woman elected to represent Texas in the House.
“Kay Granger was a trailblazer, respected leader, and fearless advocate for the Fort Worth community. Serving under her chairmanship of the House Appropriations Committee, I grew to know her as a friend,” Rep. Steve Womack (R-Ark.) said in a statement on X.
“My prayers are with her family and loved ones as we all grieve her loss and reflect on her life of public service,” he added.
Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.) said Granger was a “titan” and “trailblazer” who served Fort Worth, Texas in multiple capacities.
“My thoughts are with her loved ones during this difficult time,” he added.
Rep. Lisa McClain (R-Texas), who now chairs the House GOP Conference, also thanked Granger for her longtime career as a public servant.
“Kay Granger was a pioneer, a dedicated public servant, and a trailblazing leader who opened doors for generations of Republican women to follow,” McClain wrote in a post on X.
“Her impact on Congress and our Nation will not be forgotten. My prayers are with her family and loved ones. Rest in peace,” she added.
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