Historical Data
Women Who Have Chaired Congressional Committees, 1923–Present
Through the opening of the 112th Congress, 28 women have chaired congressional committees, including standing, joint, and select panels. This chronological list includes 18 Representatives and ten Senators.
House Committees
| Congress/Year | Member’s Name | House Committee |
|---|---|---|
| 112th (2011–2013) | Ileana Ros-Lehtinen | Foreign Affairs |
| 111th (2009–2011) | Zoe Lofgren | Standards of Official Conduct |
| Louise M. Slaughter | Rules | |
| Nydia M. Velázquez | Small Business | |
| 110th (2007–2009) | Stephanie Tubbs Jones | Standards of Official Conduct |
| Juanita Millender-McDonald | House Administration | |
| Louise M. Slaughter | Rules | |
| Nydia M. Velázquez | Small Business | |
| 109th (2005–2007) | N/A | |
| 108th (2003–2005) | N/A | |
| 107th (2001–2003) | N/A | |
| 106th (1999–2001) | N/A | |
| 105th (1997–1999) | N/A | |
| 104th (1995–1997) | Nancy L. Johnson | Standards of Official Conduct |
| Jan L. Meyers | Small Business | |
| 103rd (1993–1995) | N/A | |
| 102nd (1991–1993) | Patricia S. Schroeder | Children, Youth, and Families (Select) |
| 101st (1989–1991) | N/A | |
| 100th (1987–1989) | N/A | |
| 99th (1985–1987) | N/A | |
| 98th (1983–1985) | N/A | |
| 97th (1981–1983) | N/A | |
| 96th (1979–1981) | N/A | |
| 95th (1977–1979) | Yvonne Brathwaite Burke | House Beauty Shop (Select) |
| 94th (1975–1977) | Yvonne Brathwaite Burke | House Beauty Shop (Select) |
| Leonor K. Sullivan | Merchant Marine and Fisheries | |
| 93rd (1973–1975) | Martha Wright Griffiths | House Beauty Shop (Select) |
| Leonor K. Sullivan | Merchant Marine and Fisheries | |
| 92nd (1971–1973) | Martha Wright Griffiths | House Beauty Shop (Select) |
| 91st (1969–1971) | Martha Wright Griffiths | House Beauty Shop (Select) |
| 90th (1967–1969) | Martha Wright Griffiths | House Beauty Shop (Select) |
| 89th (1965–1967) | N/A | |
| 88th (1963–1965) | N/A | |
| 87th (1961–1963) | N/A | |
| 86th (1959–1961) | N/A | |
| 85th (1957–1959) | N/A | |
| 84th (1955–1957) | N/A | |
| 83rd (1953–1955) | Edith Nourse Rogers | Veterans' Affairs |
| 82nd (1951–1953) | N/A | |
| 81st (1949–1951) | Mary T. Norton | House Administration |
| 80th (1947–1949) | Edith Nourse Rogers | Veterans' Affairs |
| 79th (1945–1947) | Mary T. Norton | Labor |
| 78th (1943–1945) | Mary T. Norton | Labor |
| 77th (1941–1943) | Mary T. Norton | Labor |
| Mary T. Norton | Memorials | |
| Caroline O’Day | Election of the President, Vice President, and Representatives in Congress | |
| 76th (1939–1941) | Mary T. Norton | Labor |
| Caroline O’Day | Election of the President, Vice President, and Representatives in Congress | |
| 75th (1937–1939) | Mary T. Norton | Labor |
| Caroline O’Day | Election of the President, Vice President, and Representatives in Congress | |
| 74th (1935–1937) | Mary T. Norton | District of Columbia |
| 73rd (1933–1935) | Mary T. Norton | District of Columbia |
| 72nd (1931–1933) | Mary T. Norton | District of Columbia |
| 71st (1929–1931) | N/A | |
| 70th (1927–1929) | N/A | |
| 69th (1925–1927) | N/A | |
| 68th (1923–1925) | Mae Ella Nolan | Expenditures in the Post Office Department |
| 67th (1921–1923) | Mae Ella Nolan | Expenditures in the Post Office Department |
| 66th (1919–1921) | N/A | |
| 65th (1917–1919) | N/A |
Senate Committees
| Congress/Year | Member’s Name | Senate Committee |
|---|---|---|
| 112th (2011–2013) | Barbara Boxer | Ethics (Select) |
| Barbara Boxer | Environment and Public Works | |
| Dianne Feinstein | Intelligence (Select) | |
| Dianne Feinstein | Caucus on International Narcotics Control | |
| Mary Landrieu | Small Business and Entrepeneurship | |
| Patty Murray | Veterans | |
| Deborah A. Stabenow | Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry | |
| 111th (2009–2011) | Barbara Boxer | Ethics (Select) |
| Barbara Boxer | Environment and Public Works | |
| Dianne Feinstein | Intelligence (Select) | |
| Dianne Feinstein | Caucus on International Narcotics Control | |
| Mary Landrieu | Small Business and Entrepeneurship | |
| Blanche Lambert Lincoln | Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry | |
| 110th (2007–2009) | Barbara Boxer | Ethics (Select) |
| Barbara Boxer | Environment and Public Works | |
| Dianne Feinstein | Rules and Administration | |
| 109th (2005–2007) | Susan Margaret Collins | Governmental Affairs |
| Susan Margaret Collins | Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs | |
| Olympia Jean Snowe | Small Business and Entrepeneurship | |
| 108th (2003–2005) | Susan Margaret Collins | Governmental Affairs |
| Olympia Jean Snowe | Small Business and Entrepeneurship | |
| 104th (1995–1997) | Nancy Landon Kassebaum | Labor and Human Resources |
| 78th (1943–1945) | Hattie Wyatt Caraway | Enrolled Bills |
| 77th (1941–1943) | Hattie Wyatt Caraway | Enrolled Bills |
| 76th (1939–1941) | Hattie Wyatt Caraway | Enrolled Bills |
| 75th (1937–1939) | Hattie Wyatt Caraway | Enrolled Bills |
| 74th (1935–1937) | Hattie Wyatt Caraway | Enrolled Bills |
| 73rd (1933–1935) | Hattie Wyatt Caraway | Enrolled Bills |
Joint Committees
| Congress/Year | Member’s Name | Joint Committee |
|---|---|---|
| 111th (2009–2011) | Dianne Feinstein | Joint Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies |
| Carolyn B. Maloney | Joint Economic Committee | |
| 110th (2007–2009) | Dianne Feinstein | Joint Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies |
| Dianne Feinstein | Joint Committee on the Library | |
| 107th (2001–2003) | Dianne Feinstein | Joint Committee on Printing |
| 94th (1975–1977) | Corinne Claiborne (Lindy) Boggs | Joint Committee on Bicentennial Arrangements |