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Craig Caplan @CraigCaplan - Tom Cole replaced Kay Granger as House Appropriations Chair in April 2024
Parent Post:
Craig Caplan @CraigCaplan - Former Fort Worth, Texas Republican Congresswoman Kay Granger, who served in the U.S. House for 28 years (1997-2025), was the first Republican woman from Texas elected to the House and the first female Republican appropriations chair, died Sunday night at age 83. She last spoke on the House floor on March 22, 2024 in support a $1.2 trillion government spending package, before stepping down the next month as appropriations chair. RIP. @cspan
Quoted Post:
Rep. Tom Cole @TomColeOK04 - It is with heartfelt sadness that I learned of the passing of my dear friend, and magnificent former colleague, Kay Granger of Fort Worth, Texas.
Some simply hold the gavel – Kay demonstrated what it meant to wield it. Her life and career were defined by a remarkable legacy of firsts: the first woman to become Mayor of Fort Worth, the first Republican woman elected to Congress from Texas, the first woman to Chair the Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, and the first woman to lead House Republicans on the Appropriations Committee. Yet, Kay never rested in the remarkableness of each milestone – she was always ready for the next responsibility, the next challenge, and the next opportunity to serve.
I admired Kay Granger the moment I met her. She carried herself with an unmistakable grace, but behind her regal appearance was a razor-sharp tenacity that commanded any room. Kay demanded respect, and she got it from everyone she ever interacted with. Whip-smart and Texas tough, she had a presence that could settle any debate with little more than a look.
I was lucky enough to know her personally and professionally through our work serving together in Republican leadership. So, I can attest with firsthand knowledge that ‘Don’t mess with Texas’ was more than a motto when it came to Kay. I know it well because I lost to her when we both sought the chairmanship of the Appropriations Committee previously. After that, our friendship and mutual respect didn’t change for one another. In fact, she named me to be her Vice Chair. Her mentorship and guidance were large parts of my own committee journey and helped prepare me for the privilege of succeeding her as Chairman.
On the Appropriations Committee, Kay was known as a fiscal conservative, a defense hawk, and a hard – but fair – negotiator. Ever proud of her Texas roots, Granger ferociously fought for the interests of the Lone Star State. Her colleagues on both sides of the aisle always respected her professionalism, her good humor, her unfailing civility, and her willingness to strike a deal. Indeed, she and the first woman to Chair the Appropriations Committee, Nita Lowey of New York, were fast friends. They were partners who set the gold standard of how to achieve bipartisan consensus. Their portraits above our dais today remind us of the example they set and the responsibility we inherit.
I will miss my friend Kay Granger. She set an unmatched standard of excellence, civility, professionalism, and dedication to duty that few can match – and no one will ever exceed.
My thoughts and prayers are with Kay’s family, friends, and many admirers. We have lost a great lioness of the House, and I have lost a dear friend to whom I shall always be indebted.
https://x.com/CraigCaplan/status/2084271217687572930
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