WASHINGTON (TNND) — Former Rep. Kay Granger, the first Republican woman from Texas to be elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, has died at age 83.
Granger’s son, J.D., announced his mother’s death on Sunday.
House Speaker Mike Johnson reacted to the news of Granger’s passing in a post on X, describing her as someone who “broke barriers.”
“Kay Granger devoted her life to serving her Fort Worth, Texas community — 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,” Johnson wrote.
Throughout her career, she broke barriers for women in public service.”
Granger was the first woman to serve as Mayor of Fort Worth, the first Republican woman elected to represent Texas in the U.S. House of Representatives, and the first Republican woman to chair the House Appropriations Committee, Johnson explained.
Kelly and I send our prayers to her family, loved ones, and the Fort Worth community as we remember her extraordinary life of service and lasting legacy. She was a dear friend who will be greatly missed.”
In 1996, Granger was recruited by both parties to run for the House and won as a Republican.
She was named to an advisory board that consulted then-House Speaker Newt Gingrich and received seats on three committees, including Budget, House Oversight and Transportation and Infrastructure. When accepting an Appropriations Committee seat, she resigned those assignments.
Granger focused on defense spending, including the production of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter in Fort Worth. When Republicans took charge of the House in 2023, Granger took over as the committee’s chair through 2024.
After serving in the House since 1997, Granger retired in January 2025 following health challenges and extended absences from D.C.
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.