Former U.S. Rep. Kay Granger (R-Texas), who rose from Fort Worth City Hall to chair the powerful House Appropriations Committee, has died at 83, The Dallas Express has learned.
Granger represented Texas’ 12th Congressional District for 28 years. Across more than three decades in elected office, she became the first woman to serve as Fort Worth mayor, the first Republican woman elected to Congress from Texas and the first Republican woman to chair the House Appropriations Committee.
A Fort Worth trailblazer
Born in Greenville on January 18, 1943, Granger graduated from Eastern Hills High School in 1961 and earned a degree from Texas Wesleyan University in 1965. She worked as a teacher and business owner before entering public service.
Her path into politics began with a neighborhood fight over a proposed liquid-waste processing plant near her East Fort Worth home. Granger organized residents against the project, then served on the Fort Worth Zoning Commission from 1981 to 1989 and the City Council from 1989 to 1991.
Fort Worth voters elected Granger mayor in 1991. She served through 1995 before winning an open congressional seat in 1996. Granger took office on January 3, 1997, and served in 14 consecutive Congresses.
Power in Washington
Granger spent 25 years on the House Appropriations Committee, where lawmakers decide how the federal government spends taxpayer money. She became the committee’s ranking Republican in 2019 and its chairwoman in January 2023. Granger stepped down as chair in April 2024 and remained chairwoman emeritus through the end of her term.
Her committee work placed her at the center of defense, foreign policy and domestic spending decisions. She championed military readiness, support for veterans and major North Texas priorities, including defense and flood-control projects. Granger became the fourth Texan to lead the Appropriations Committee.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) praised Granger during her November 2024 portrait unveiling.
“Kay Granger has been a champion for Texas and a faithful public servant for the people of the 12th district for nearly three decades,” Johnson said.
A difficult final chapter
Granger announced in 2023 that she would not seek reelection. Serious health problems and a prolonged absence from the House floor marked her final months in office.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, Granger had not cast a House vote since July 24, 2024, and was living at a senior living facility in Fort Worth. Her son later confirmed that she was a resident and said she had experienced dementia issues. Granger’s office said her health challenges had made frequent travel to Washington difficult and unpredictable.
Her term ended on January 3, 2025. The disclosure renewed a national debate over how Congress handles lawmakers whose health prevents them from voting, an issue that resurfaced in July during U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell’s extended absence from the Senate.
That difficult final chapter did not erase the historic firsts and decades of service that defined Granger’s public career.
A legacy of service
State Board of Education Chairman Brandon Hall remembered Granger as a committed representative of North Texas.
“Congresswoman Granger will be remembered for her prolific career and as a dedicated public servant who worked tirelessly for her constituents,” Hall told The Dallas Express.
Fort Worth Inc. named Granger its 2025 Person of the Year in recognition of her influence on the city’s development, business community and national standing. In a 2025 profile, Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker said, “Kay’s influence will last in perpetuity. There will be nobody like her.”
Granger summarized her own public service at the portrait ceremony.
“As my time in Congress comes to an end, I feel fulfilled and depart with optimism that this chamber will continue to serve the best interests of the American people,” Granger said.
Provided by Dallas Express
