In 1990, no women served as U.S. senators; the first female senator, Rebecca Felton, took office in November 1922, but the 101st Congress (1989–1991) had zero women in the Senate.
How many female senators were there in 1991?
In 1991, exactly two women served as U.S. senators: Nancy Kassebaum (R-KS) and Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), both part of the 102nd Congress.
They became the first pair of women to serve together in the Senate, though neither sat on the Judiciary Committee. Their arrival was a quiet but real turning point for women in federal government.
How many U.S. Senators have been women?
From 1922 onward, women have appeared in every Congress, their numbers climbing from a single senator to over 60. The count includes both elected and appointed senators. For the full roster, check the Senate’s Women of the Senate page.
How many female senators were there in 1992?
In 1992, the number of female U.S. senators jumped to four: Kassebaum, Mikulski, plus newcomers Patty Murray (D-WA) and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA).
That quadrupling wasn’t random—it capped off a wave of female candidates winning Senate seats in the 1992 election, later called the "Year of the Woman." Feinstein and Murray were among the first elected in that surge.
What year were women allowed in the Senate?
Women officially entered the Senate in 1922, when Rebecca Latimer Felton took her oath on November 21 after being appointed.
The 19th Amendment, ratified in 1920, cleared the way for women’s eligibility by guaranteeing their right to vote. Felton served just one day, but her brief tenure cracked open the door for others.
Who is the longest serving woman in Congress?
As of 2026, Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) holds the record, serving from January 3, 1987, to January 3, 2017—a full 30 years.
Mikulski isn’t just the Senate’s longest-serving woman; she’s the longest-serving woman in Congress, period. Over in the House, Representative Marcy Kaptur (D-OH) holds the women’s record, first elected in 1982 and still serving as of 2026.
How many U.S. Senators are there?
The U.S. Senate has 100 voting members, with two senators from each of the 50 states, as spelled out in the Constitution.
Senators serve six-year terms, and roughly one-third of the seats go up for election every two years. The Constitution also allows non-voting delegates from places like Puerto Rico and Guam.
How many female senators were there in 2020?
That number ticked up to 29 by 2026, showing steady progress. Women now make up about 29% of the Senate, a big jump from just 5% back in 1992.
What percentage of the U.S. Congress is female?
That’s real progress since the 1990s, when women held fewer than 10% of congressional seats. Still, the U.S. ranks 73rd globally in women’s representation in national legislatures.
Who won the Senate in 1992?
In 1992, Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Barbara Boxer (D-CA) both won Senate seats, a historic double victory for California and for women nationwide.
Feinstein snagged a special election to finish a term, while Boxer won a full term. Their wins doubled the Senate’s female representation and cemented 1992’s nickname, the "Year of the Woman."
Who was the first woman depicted on a US postage stamp?
Martha Washington, George Washington’s wife, graced the first U.S. postage stamp featuring a woman—a 8-cent issue released in 1902.
Her portrait launched the first set of U.S. commemorative stamps. Early honorees also included Susan B. Anthony and Harriet Tubman.
Has Texas ever had a female senator?
Yes—Texas has elected two women to the U.S. Senate: Kay Bailey Hutchison (1993–2013) and Wendy Davis, who ran (but lost) against Ted Cruz in 2016.
Hutchison broke the barrier as Texas’s first elected female senator and served four terms. As of 2026, no other Texan woman has been elected to the Senate.
Who was the first woman speaker of the House in US history?
Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) made history in 2007, becoming the first woman—and first woman from a major party—to serve as Speaker of the House.
She held the gavel until 2011, then again from 2019 to 2023. As of 2026, Pelosi remains one of the most consequential women in U.S. political history.
Who is the highest ranking woman in the U.S. government?
As of 2026, Vice President Kamala Harris holds that title, serving as President of the Senate and first in the presidential line of succession.
Harris is the first woman, first Black American, and first South Asian American to serve as vice president. Other top-ranking women include Secretary of Homeland Security and former presidential candidate Nikki Haley.
Who is the oldest female senator?
As of 2026, Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) is the oldest, born June 22, 1933, and still serving at 93 years old.
Feinstein has held her Senate seat since 1992 and is the longest-serving woman in Senate history. She announced her retirement in 2023 and left office in 2024.
Who was the first lady to run for president?
Victoria Woodhull was the first, launching her 1872 presidential bid nearly 50 years before women could legally vote.
Woodhull, a suffragist and activist, ran under the Equal Rights Party banner. Though symbolic, her campaign cleared a path for later female candidates like Shirley Chisholm and Hillary Clinton.
