Women in the US Congress 2016
Women in the US Congress 2016
In 2016, 105 (77D, 28R) women hold seats in the United States Congress, comprising 19.6% of the 535 members; 20 women (20%) serve in the United States Senate, and 85 women (19.5%) serve in the United States House of Representatives. Four women delegates (3D, 1R) also represent American Samoa, the District of Columbia, Guam, and the Virgin Islands in the United States House of Representatives.
The 20 (14D, 6R) women currently serving in the Senate are:
| Name | Years elected (e), won special election (se), or appointed (a) | Name | Years elected (e), won special election (se), or appointed (a) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) | e 2010 | Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) | e 2012 |
| Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) | e 2012 | Mazie Hirono (D-HI) | e 2012 |
| Barbara Boxer (D-CA) | e 1992, 1998, 2004, 2010 | Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) | e 2006, 2012 |
| Maria Cantwell (D-WA) | e 2000, 2006, 2012 | Claire McCaskill (D-MO) | e 2006, 2012 |
| Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) | e 2014 | Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) | e 1986, 1992, 1998, 2004, 2010 |
| Susan Collins (R-ME) | e 1996, 2002, 2008, 2014 | Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) | a 2002; e 2004, 2010 |
| Joni Ernst (R-IA) | e 2014 | Patty Murray (D-WA) | e 1992, 1998, 2004, 2010 |
| Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) | se 1992; e 1994, 2000, 2006, 2012 | Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) | e 2008, 2014 |
| Deb Fischer (R-NE) | e 2012 | Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) | e 2000, 2006, 2012 |
| Kirsten E. Gillibrand (D-NY) | a 2009; e 2010, 2012 | Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) | e 2012 |
- California has sent more women to Congress than any other state - a total of 39 to date.
- New York is next with 27 women to date.
- 3 states (DE, MS, VT) have never sent a woman to either the House or the Senate.
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of the 105 women serving in Congress in 2016 are women of color: 18 African Americans, 9 Latinas, and 7 Asian American/Pacific Islanders
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women (198D, 109R) have served in the U.S. Congress to date:
- 35 (21D, 14R) in the Senate only
- 261 (169D, 92R) in the House only
- 11 (8D, 3R) in both the House and Senate
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women of color (50D, 4R) have served in the U.S. Congress to date: 35 African Americans, 9 Asian American/Pacific Islanders, and 10 Latinas
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1916Jeannette Rankin (R-MT) became the first woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.
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1922Rebecca Latimer Felton (D-GA) became the first woman appointed to the Senate, but only served one day.
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1964Patsy Takemoto Mink (D-HI) became the first woman of color elected to the House.
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1978Nancy Landon Kassebaum (R-KS) became the first woman elected to the Senate without having previously filled an unexpired Congressional term. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) was the first Democratic woman to do so in 1987.
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1992Carol Moseley Braun (D-IL) became the first woman of color elected to the Senate.
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1998Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) became the first openly gay or lesbian person elected to an initial Congressional term. She is now the first openly gay member of the Senate.