Former U.S. Representative Kay Granger, the first Republican woman from Texas elected to the U.S. House, has died at 83, House Speaker Mike Johnson said. Johnson praised her decades of service in Fort Worth and nearly 30 years in Congress, noting she chaired the House Appropriations Committee. Late in her career, Granger faced scrutiny after reports said she was residing in a senior living facility following an extended absence from the House.
Former Rep. Kay Granger Dies at 83 — Trailblazing Texas Republican Remembered
Former U.S. Representative Kay Granger (R-Tex.) has died at the age of 83, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said in a statement. Granger was the first Republican woman from Texas elected to the U.S. House and a longtime public servant in Fort Worth.
"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 said.
Career and Public Service
Before Congress, Granger served on the Fort Worth Zoning Commission and City Council and was the first woman to serve as Mayor of Fort Worth. Elected to the U.S. House in 1996, she represented her district for nearly 30 years, becoming the first Republican woman from Texas to serve in the House and later the first Republican woman to chair the powerful House Appropriations Committee.
Late-Career Scrutiny
During her final term, Granger drew public attention after reports said she had been residing in a senior living facility following an extended absence from the House. The reports prompted questions about her ability to continue in office during that period.
Johnson's statement emphasized Granger’s decades of local and national service and the barriers she broke for women in public life. No immediate details about the cause of death or funeral arrangements were included in the statement.
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