Former Texas Congresswoman Kay Granger, a pioneering Republican leader who chaired 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 âunforeseen health challengesâ 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.
Grangerâs 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. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., called Granger a close friend and praised her lifetime of service to Fort Worth, Texas, and the nation. âKay Granger devoted her life to serving her Fort Worth, Texas community â as a teacher and businesswoman, on the Fort Worth Zoning Commission and City Council, as Mayor, and in Congress for nearly three decades, where she also served as Chairwoman of the House Appropriations Committee,â Johnson wrote on X. Johnson noted that Granger broke several barriers throughout her career, becoming the first woman to serve as mayor of Fort Worth, the first Republican woman elected to represent Texas in the House, and the first Republican woman to chair the Appropriations Committee.