Former US Representative Kay Granger, a pioneering Texas Republican who led the House Appropriations Committee, has died at age 83.
As the midterm election season intensifies and lawmakers scramble to position themselves on a flood of high-stakes legislation, Congress has been unusually active recently. Amid that swirl of political maneuvering, the Republican conference and the broader nation paused Sunday to mourn the loss of one of its most steadfast and trailblazing members. Former Rep. Kay Granger, R-Texas, the first Republican woman elected to Congress from Texas and the first Republican woman to lead the powerful House Appropriations Committee, has died at the age of 83. Her son, J.D. Granger, confirmed her death. A cause was not immediately released, though Granger had acknowledged experiencing “unforeseen health challenges” during the final months of her congressional career. Her family later revealed that dementia-related issues contributed to her absence from Washington for much of 2024.
Granger’s death prompted an outpouring of tributes from Republican leaders and Texas officials, who highlighted her nearly three decades of public service and her role as a trailblazer for women in politics. , called Granger a close friend and praised her lifetime of service to Fort Worth, Texas, and the nation.