Women in U.S. Congress 2017
Women in U.S. Congress 2017
In 2017, 105 (78D, 27R) women hold seats in the United States Congress, comprising 19.6% of the 535 members; 21 women (21%) serve in the United States Senate, and 84 women (19.3%) serve in the United States House of Representatives. Five women delegates (3D, 2R) also represent American Samoa, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands in the United States House of Representatives.
The 21 (16D, 5R) 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) | e 2012 | Maggie Hassan (D-NH) | e 2016 |
| Catherine Cortez-Masto (D-NV) | e 2016 | Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) | e 2012 |
| Maria Cantwell (D-WA) | e 2000, 2006, 2012 | Mazie Hirono (D-HI) | e 2012 |
| Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) | e 2014 | Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) | e 2006, 2012 |
| Susan Collins (R-ME) | e 1996, 2002, 2008, 2014 | Claire McCaskill (D-MO) | e 2006, 2012 |
| Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) | e 2016 | Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) | a 2002; e 2004, 2010, 2016 |
| Joni Ernst (R-IA) | e 2014 | Patty Murray (D-WA) | e 1992, 1998, 2004, 2010, 2016 |
| 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 |
| Kamala Harris (D-CA) | e 2016 |
84 women from 34 states serve in the U.S. House of Representatives.
- California has sent more women to Congress than any other state - a total of 41 to date.
- New York is next with 28 women to date.
- 2 states (MS, VT) have never sent a woman to either the House or the Senate.
38
of the 105 women serving in Congress in 2017 are women of color: 18 are Black, 10 Latina, 9 Asian American/Pacific Islander and 1 multiracial.
319
women (207D, 112R) have served in the U.S. Congress to date:
- 38 (24D, 14R) in the Senate only
- 269 (174D, 95R) in the House only
- 12 (9D, 3R) in both the House and Senate
61
women of color (57D, 4R) have served in the U.S. Congress to date: 37 have been Black, 11 Asian American/Pacific Islander, 12 Latina, and 1 multiracial.
-
1916Jeannette Rankin (R-MT) became the first woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.
-
1922Rebecca Latimer Felton (D-GA) became the first woman appointed to the Senate, but only served one day.
-
1964Patsy Takemoto Mink (D-HI) became the first woman of color elected to the House.
-
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.
-
1992Carol Moseley Braun (D-IL) became the first woman of color elected to the Senate.
-
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.