Kay Granger, groundbreaking Texas Republican who made House history, dies at 83

Kay Granger, the pioneering Texas Republican who became the first Republican woman to chair the powerful House Appropriations Committee, has died at the age of 83.

Her son, J.D. Granger, confirmed her death on Sunday. A cause of death was not immediately released, though Granger revealed in 2024 that she was dealing with “unforeseen health challenges.”

Granger represented a Texas congressional district from 1997 until the end of her final term after announcing in 2023 that she would not seek re-election.

As chair of the House Appropriations Committee during her final term, Granger oversaw federal spending legislation, making her one of the most influential lawmakers in Congress. House Speaker Mike Johnson called her a trailblazer who “broke barriers for women in public service” and said she “was a dear friend who will be greatly missed.”

Granger’s career included a string of historic firsts. She was Fort Worth’s first female mayor and the first Republican woman elected to represent Texas in the U.S. House.

She also became the first Republican woman to lead the House Appropriations Committee. Democratic Rep. Rosa DeLauro praised her “steady leadership” and commitment to Congress’ constitutional responsibility to invest in the American people.

Before entering politics, Granger worked as a high school teacher and later built a successful insurance business after her divorce. Speaking to The Hill in 2008, she reflected on raising three young children alone.

“I was a high school teacher with three children, a 2-year and 6-month-old twins, and my husband left,” she said. “It’s the reason I talk so much to working mothers … you just fight your way through the day.”

Granger began her political career on Fort Worth’s zoning commission before serving on the city council. She was elected the city’s first female mayor in 1991, serving until 1995. During her tenure, she introduced anti-crime initiatives known as “Code: Blue” and helped attract major businesses to Fort Worth through public-private partnerships.

She won election to Congress in 1996 as a Republican after being courted by both major parties. In Washington, she served on the Budget, Oversight, and Transportation and Infrastructure committees before joining Appropriations, where she became a leading advocate for defense spending, including production of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter in Fort Worth.

After Republicans regained control of the House in 2023, Granger became chair of the Appropriations Committee. She pushed for deeper cuts to non-defense spending than those agreed to by then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy and President Joe Biden during negotiations to avoid a government default.

Granger’s health deteriorated during her final year in office. She did not cast a vote after July 2024, and her office said frequent travel to Washington had become “difficult and unpredictable” because of her health.