Kay Granger, the First Republican Woman Texas Sent to Congress, Dies at 83

Kay Granger, the first Republican woman Texas elected to the U.S. House, died Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, at 83, closing a career that took her from Fort Worth city hall to control of the federal spending bills.

House Speaker Mike Johnson announced her death. No cause was released.

The firsts

Granger's career is measured in a series of them.

She was elected the first woman mayor of Fort Worth in 1991, serving until 1995. She was sworn into the U.S. House on Jan. 3, 1997 as the first Republican woman Texas had sent there. And in January 2023, she became the first Republican woman to chair the House Appropriations Committee.

She represented Texas' 12th Congressional District for nearly 28 years before retiring in January 2025.

The gavel

The Appropriations chairmanship is among the more consequential jobs in the House. The committee writes the bills that fund the federal government, which makes its chair a decisive voice on what gets built, funded and cut.

Granger took the gavel when Republicans won the majority in the 2022 election. She announced in March 2024 that she would give it up before the term ended, and Rep. Tom Cole of Oklahoma, whom she had named her vice chair, succeeded her.

For Texas, the post meant a member from the state sat at the head of the table on federal spending. Granger used the platform largely on defense, including the F-16 and F-35 fighter programs assembled in Fort Worth.

A quiet end to a long tenure

Her final period in office drew scrutiny. She was absent from votes for months, and in December 2024 it was confirmed she had been living in a Fort Worth senior living facility since that July. Her son said she had been dealing with dementia.

Reaction

Cruz said Granger "lived a life of historic firsts" and "championed North Texas, our Armed Forces, and a strong national defense."

Johnson said she "broke barriers for women in public service."

Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker described her as a mentor and cited her "unwavering commitment to Texas and Fort Worth."

Cole, her successor at Appropriations, issued a statement mourning her and describing her as a trailblazer.

Funeral arrangements had not been announced.