Kay Granger, first Republican congresswoman to lead powerful US appropriations panel, dies at 83

Kay Granger, a Texas Republican who became the first woman from her party to chair the U.S. House of Representatives' powerful Appropriations Committee, has died at age 83, her son J.D. Granger confirmed to Reuters on Sunday.

No cause of death was provided. In 2024, Granger said she was facing "unforeseen health challenges."

Granger represented Texas' 12th Congressional District in the U.S. House from 1997 to 2025. She announced in 2023 that she would not seek re-election.

During her final term, Granger chaired the House Appropriations Committee for more than a year, overseeing federal spending legislation and becoming one of the most influential lawmakers in Congress.

House Speaker Mike Johnson honored Granger as a trailblazer, highlighting her achievements in public service. She was the first female mayor of Fort Worth and the first Republican woman elected to represent Texas in the U.S. House.

Although two Democratic lawmakers, Representatives Nita Lowey and Rosa DeLauro, previously led the budget panel, Granger was the first Republican woman to serve as chair of the committee.

DeLauro praised Granger’s leadership, saying she earned respect from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle through her commitment to Congress' constitutional role in serving the American people.

-Reporting by Saeed Azhar; Editing by Sergio Non and Stephen Coates/Reuters