Women in Congress

In 2005, the rate of female representation stands at nearly 16 percent globally.

 

WOMEN ON THE SUPREME COURT

Right now, there are two women serving as Associate Justices of the Supreme Court.

Sandra Day O’Connor was the first woman to serve on the High Court. She was nominated

by President Reagan on July 7, 1981 and was sworn in later that year (oath taken on September

25, 1981).

Ruth Bader Ginsburg was the second woman. She was nominated by President Clinton on

June 14, 1993 and also was sworn in later that year (oath taken on August 10, 1993).

Although no woman has served as Chief Justice of the United States, it is just a matter of

time.

Women in the United States Congress: 1917-2005

Summary

A record 84 women serve in the 109th Congress: 70 in the House (46 Democrats

and 24 Republicans) and 14 in the Senate (9 Democrats and 5 Republicans).

Representative Jeanette Rankin (R-MT, 1917-1919, 1941-1943) was the first woman

elected to Congress. Rebecca Latimer Felton (D-GA) was the first woman to serve

in the Senate. She was appointed in 1922 and served for only one day.

A total of 229 women have served in Congress, 144 Democrats and 85

Republicans. Of these women, 196 have served only in the House; 26 have served

only in the Senate; and seven have served in both houses. The figures include one

Delegate each from Guam, Hawaii, District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Of the 203 women who have served in the House, 36 were elected to fill

vacancies caused by the death of their husbands. Fifteen of the 36 were subsequently

elected to additional terms. Twenty women have been elected to fill other vacancies.

Edith Nourse Rogers (R-MA), who served in the House for 35 years, holds the

record for length of service by a woman in Congress. Margaret Chase Smith (RME),

the first woman elected to the House and Senate, holds the record