Cathy McMorris Rodgers
A steady conservative voice from Eastern Washington, she broke barriers to become the highest-ranking Republican woman in Congress for nearly a decade.
Born 1969 (age 57)·American politician·Birthday: May 22·Generation X
Biography
Cathy McMorris Rodgers carved a political path rooted in the agricultural and business communities of Washington state. After serving in the state legislature, she won a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2004, representing the sprawling Fifth District anchored by Spokane. Her rise within the Republican ranks was methodical and marked by a focus on energy, technology, and disability policy—the latter deeply personal, as the mother of a son with Down syndrome. From 2013 to 2019, she chaired the House Republican Conference, a role that made her the party's chief messenger and the most powerful woman in GOP congressional leadership. Her tenure was defined by a pragmatic, business-friendly conservatism and a reputation for diligent constituent service, culminating in her leadership of the powerful Energy and Commerce Committee.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Cathy was born in 1969, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Cathy Was Born
The biggest hits of 1969
#1 Movie
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
Best Picture
Midnight Cowboy
#1 TV Show
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Cathy's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1969Born
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1974Started school
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1982Became a teenager
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1985Could drive
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1987Could vote
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1990Turned 21
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1999Turned 30
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2009Turned 40
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 50
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 57 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as Chair of the House Republican Conference from 2013 to 2019, the highest leadership position ever held by a Republican woman at that time.
- Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2004 and served for two decades, representing Washington's 5th district.
- Authored and championed the ABLE Act, which created tax-advantaged savings accounts for people with disabilities.
- Became the first woman to chair the House Energy and Commerce Committee in 2023.
Did You Know?
She is a former president of the Future Farmers of America (FFA).
She worked at her family's fruit orchard and drive-in restaurant while growing up.
She gave the Republican Spanish-language response to the State of the Union address in 2014.
“Our nation's strength comes from the people, not the government.”
