Historic Day: Two American Indian Women Become Members of Congress

In a history making moment, two American Indian women were sworn-in today, January 3, 2019, as members of Congress. Deb Haaland (Laguna Pueblo), from the 1st Congressional District in New Mexico and Sharice Davids (Ho-Chunk), from the 3rd Congressional District in Kansas, became the first two American Indian women ever to become members of Congress.

The 116th Congress convened just after noon today. The new Congress changes to the control of the House of Representatives from Republican control to Democratic control. Both Rep. Haaland and Rep. Davids are Democrats.

The two American Indian women join two American Indian men as members of Congress. Tom Cole (R-Oklahoma – 4th Congressional District) is a tribal citizen of the Chickasaw Nation) and Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma – 2nd Congressional District) is a tribal citizen of the Cherokee Nation. Both men were reelected in November.