Granger's Congressional Career: From Fort Worth Mayor to House Appropriations Chair
Granger advanced from Fort Worth's first female mayor to the first Republican woman chairing the House Appropriations Committee.
Event / Politics
Kay Granger Death
Kay Granger, first Republican woman to represent Texas in Congress and first Republican female chair of the House Appropriations Committee, died at age 83 after serving 28 years in the U.S. House.
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2026-08-13 to 2026-11-10 · UTC publication dates
Coverage begins 3 Aug, 06:22 UTC
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What happened
Granger served as Fort Worth's first female mayor from 1991 to 1995
Kay Granger was elected as the first woman mayor of Fort Worth, Texas, serving in that role from 1991 to 1995. Before her mayoral election, she served on Fort Worth's zoning commission and later on the city council from 1989 to 1991.
Granger graduated from Texas Wesleyan University in 1965, worked as teacher and businesswoman
Kay Granger graduated from Texas Wesleyan University in 1965. She initially considered a career in fashion design but followed her mother into teaching, working in the Birdville school district for nine years teaching English literature and journalism. Following a divorce, she transitioned to selling insurance from home and eventually built a successful insurance business that she managed for more than two decades.
Granger implemented crime reduction and economic development programs as Fort Worth mayor
During her tenure as Fort Worth mayor, Granger launched 'Code: Blue' programs that included citizen patrol initiatives, which halved the city's rampant crime rate. She also brokered partnerships with the private sector that drew major businesses to Fort Worth, revitalizing the city's flagging economic fortunes and drawing national attention.
Granger championed F-35 Joint Strike Fighter production in Fort Worth
As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, Kay Granger focused on defense spending and championed the production of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter in Fort Worth, which benefited the local economy and defense industry.
Granger chaired House Appropriations Committee, first Republican woman to lead the panel
When Republicans took control of the House in 2023, Kay Granger became the first Republican woman to chair the House Appropriations Committee, one of the most powerful committees in Congress. She followed two Democratic predecessors, Representatives Nita Lowey and Rosa DeLauro, in leading the budget panel. As chair, she sought to enact steeper non-defense spending cuts than the spending levels agreed to by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and President Joe Biden.
Kay Granger, first Republican woman from Texas, dies at age 83
Kay Granger, the first Republican woman from Texas elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, died on Sunday at age 83. Her son J.D. Granger confirmed her death on August 2, 2026. The cause of death was not immediately disclosed, though Granger had been battling unspecified health challenges in her final months in Congress.
Granger served in House for nearly three decades, representing Texas' 12th District
Kay Granger represented Texas' 12th Congressional District, which includes a large part of Fort Worth, from 1997 to 2025. She was first elected to the House in 1996 and did not seek reelection in 2024. She did not cast a vote in Washington after July 2024, citing health challenges that made frequent travel to the capital difficult and unpredictable.
Former Texas Rep. Kay Granger dies at age 83
Kay Granger, former Republican representative from Texas who served in the U.S. House for 28 years, died on Sunday at age 83. She had not cast a vote since July 2024 and announced in 2023 that she would not seek re-election. In December 2024, it was reported that she was residing in an assisted living facility and experiencing dementia issues.
Kay Granger was first Republican woman to chair House Appropriations Committee
Kay Granger was the first Republican woman to chair the House Appropriations Committee. She also served as the first woman elected Mayor of Fort Worth and the first Republican woman elected to represent Texas in the U.S. House of Representatives.
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Kay Granger, Pioneering Republican Leader, Dies at 83
Former Texas Rep. Kay Granger, first Republican woman to chair House Appropriations Committee, dies at 83.