Rosa DeLauro

Rosa DeLauro
Born	Rosa Luisa DeLauro 2 3, 1943
Birthplace	New Haven, Connecticut, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician
Known for	U.S. Representative for Connecticut's 3rd congressional district; Chair of the House Appropriations Committee (2021–2023)
Children	3
Website	[[delauro.house.gov delauro.house.gov] Official site]

Rosa Luisa DeLauro (Template:IPAc-en; born March 2, 1943) is an American politician who has served as the U.S. representative for Connecticut's 3rd congressional district since 1991. A member of the Democratic Party, DeLauro represents a district centered on New Haven, Connecticut, and encompassing most of its surrounding suburbs. Over the course of more than three decades in Congress, she has established herself as a prominent figure in the Democratic caucus, serving in key leadership and committee roles. In 2020, she was selected as chair of the House Appropriations Committee for the 117th Congress, succeeding Nita Lowey and becoming the second woman to hold the position. She has been the dean of Connecticut's congressional delegation since 2013, following the retirement of Senator Joe Lieberman. DeLauro co-chaired the House Democratic Steering Committee from 2003 to 2021. As of the 118th Congress, she serves as the Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee. Throughout her career, DeLauro has focused on issues related to federal spending priorities, food safety, public health, labor protections, and women's and children's welfare.

Early Life

Rosa Luisa DeLauro was born on March 2, 1943, in New Haven, Connecticut. She grew up in New Haven's Wooster Square neighborhood, an area historically associated with the city's Italian-American community. Her parents were active in local civic and political life, and the family's roots in the New Haven community would later inform DeLauro's own political career and her deep connections to the district she would go on to represent.

DeLauro's upbringing in a working-class neighborhood of New Haven provided formative experiences that shaped her later policy interests, particularly in areas related to economic opportunity, labor rights, and public health. She has spoken publicly about her family's influence on her commitment to public service. Her mother, Luisa DeLauro, served on the New Haven Board of Aldermen, making the family's involvement in local politics a multigenerational endeavor.

Education

DeLauro attended local schools in New Haven before pursuing higher education. She earned a bachelor's degree from Marymount College in Tarrytown, New York, and later obtained a master's degree in international politics from Columbia University in New York City. Her academic background in international affairs and political science provided a foundation for her subsequent work in government and politics prior to entering Congress.

Career

Pre-Congressional Career

Before winning election to the U.S. House of Representatives, DeLauro accumulated significant experience in government and political organizing. She served as a development administrator for the city of New Haven and worked in various capacities in Connecticut politics. DeLauro also served as executive director of Countdown '87, a national campaign to fight hunger, and as chief of staff to U.S. Senator Christopher Dodd of Connecticut. Her work with Dodd gave her extensive experience in federal legislative processes and policy development, positioning her for her own run for Congress.

Election to Congress

DeLauro first won election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1990, succeeding Bruce Morrison as the representative for Connecticut's 3rd congressional district. She took office on January 3, 1991, and has been reelected in every subsequent general election. Her district, which encompasses New Haven and many of its suburbs, has consistently returned DeLauro to office by comfortable margins.

In the 2006 midterm elections, DeLauro won reelection with a strong majority, reflecting her continued popularity in the district. She maintained similarly strong showings in subsequent election cycles, including the 2010 elections, a cycle in which many Democratic incumbents faced difficult contests nationally.

Legislative Work and Policy Priorities

Throughout her congressional tenure, DeLauro has focused on a range of domestic policy issues. She has been a consistent advocate for food safety legislation, women's health, children's welfare, and worker protections. DeLauro has introduced and supported numerous bills related to these areas during her time in Congress.

DeLauro introduced legislation aimed at strengthening food safety regulations, including the Food Safety Modernization Act and related measures. She sponsored H.R. 875 in the 111th Congress, a bill focused on food safety and food establishment standards. Her work on food safety has been a consistent thread in her legislative career, motivated in part by her own experience as a cancer survivor and her broader concern about public health.

On key policy votes, DeLauro has aligned with the progressive wing of the Democratic caucus. Her voting record on issues including healthcare, environmental regulation, and fiscal policy has been documented by various nonpartisan organizations. DeLauro has publicly outlined her positions on major policy questions through various platforms, including the National Political Awareness Test conducted by Project Vote Smart.

House Democratic Steering Committee

DeLauro served as co-chair of the House Democratic Steering Committee from January 2003 to January 2021, working alongside House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The Steering Committee plays an important role in the Democratic caucus, as it is responsible for recommending committee assignments for Democratic members of the House. DeLauro's long tenure in this position gave her significant influence over the internal workings of the House Democratic caucus. She was succeeded in the co-chair role by Representative Cheri Bustos when the position turned over in 2021. Her predecessor in the role was Representative Steny Hoyer, who had held it before moving to other leadership positions.

House Appropriations Committee

DeLauro's role on the House Appropriations Committee has been central to her congressional career. She rose through the ranks of the committee over the course of her tenure in Congress, eventually becoming its most senior Democratic member. In 2020, she was selected by the House Democratic caucus to serve as chair of the House Appropriations Committee for the 117th Congress, which convened in January 2021. She succeeded Nita Lowey, who retired from Congress, and became the second woman to chair the committee.

As chair of the Appropriations Committee during the 117th Congress (2021–2023), DeLauro oversaw the process of writing and advancing federal spending legislation, a responsibility that placed her at the center of negotiations over government funding levels and policy priorities embedded in spending bills. The Appropriations Committee is one of the most powerful committees in Congress, as it controls discretionary federal spending.

Following the Republican takeover of the House in the 2022 elections, DeLauro became the Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee at the start of the 118th Congress in January 2023, with Representative Kay Granger assuming the chair position. As Ranking Member, DeLauro has continued to serve as the leading Democratic voice on appropriations matters, offering the minority party's perspective on spending bills and funding negotiations.

Recent Congressional Activity

DeLauro has remained active in congressional debates in the current session. In 2025, she has continued to use her position as Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee to weigh in on federal spending disputes and broader policy questions.

In June 2025, DeLauro proposed funding the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as standalone measures amid a potential Department of Homeland Security funding lapse, suggesting the agencies could be funded separately while splitting out more contentious elements of the DHS budget. She also voted against the full Department of Homeland Security funding bill, citing concerns about the legislation's provisions related to immigration enforcement.

DeLauro issued a statement in response to a Supreme Court ruling striking down President Donald Trump's unilateral tariffs, commenting on the decision's implications for congressional authority over trade policy. She also joined Representatives Jerrold Nadler, Jim McGovern, Joe Morelle, and Jamie Raskin in filing an amicus brief in Texas v. Bondi, arguing for the preservation of Congress's authority to set its own rules.

In a joint statement with Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz, DeLauro raised concerns about a Department of Veterans Affairs policy change that she argued could endanger veterans' care.

DeLauro was among Connecticut Democrats who participated in events protesting President Trump's State of the Union address in 2025, choosing to attend an alternative gathering rather than the official address.

She also issued a statement following the death of civil rights leader Reverend Jesse Jackson, honoring his legacy and contributions to the civil rights movement.

Constituent Services and District Engagement

DeLauro has maintained an active presence in her district throughout her congressional career. During significant weather events affecting Connecticut, she has been involved in coordinating responses and advocating for federal disaster assistance. In August 2011, when Hurricane Irene struck the northeastern United States, DeLauro was active in monitoring the storm's impact on her district and advocating for affected communities. The storm caused significant damage and power outages across Connecticut, prompting DeLauro and other members of the state's delegation to seek federal resources for recovery efforts. Her response to Hurricane Irene, along with that of other public officials, was evaluated by local media and constituents in the weeks following the storm.

DeLauro has also been active on local issues affecting New Haven and surrounding communities, including economic development, infrastructure, and public safety matters.

Personal Life

Rosa DeLauro has three children. She is a cancer survivor, having been diagnosed with ovarian cancer in the 1980s. Her personal experience with the disease has informed her legislative focus on healthcare, cancer research funding, and women's health issues throughout her congressional career.

DeLauro is known for her distinctive personal style, which has made her a recognizable figure in Congress. She maintains deep ties to the New Haven community where she was raised, and her connections to the city's neighborhoods and institutions have been a hallmark of her political identity.

Dean of the Connecticut Delegation

DeLauro has served as the dean of Connecticut's congressional delegation since 2013, a designation that reflects her status as the longest-serving member of the state's representation in Congress. She assumed this informal role following the retirement of Senator Joe Lieberman, who had served in the Senate since 1989. As dean, DeLauro has served as a coordinating figure among the state's members of Congress on issues of shared concern to Connecticut, including federal funding, military installations, and disaster response.

Legacy

Rosa DeLauro's career in the U.S. House of Representatives, spanning more than three decades, has made her one of the longest-serving members of Congress from Connecticut. Her rise to the chairmanship of the House Appropriations Committee represented a significant milestone both in her career and in the broader history of the committee, as she became only the second woman to lead the body that controls discretionary federal spending. Her long service on the committee, combined with her earlier role as co-chair of the House Democratic Steering Committee, placed her among the most influential members of the House Democratic caucus during a period of significant political change.

DeLauro's sustained focus on food safety, women's health, children's welfare, and worker protections has defined her legislative identity. Her advocacy for federal food safety reform contributed to the broader national conversation about food regulation that culminated in legislation during the Obama administration. As a cancer survivor who has publicly discussed her diagnosis and treatment, DeLauro has added a personal dimension to her advocacy for cancer research funding and healthcare access.

Her representation of Connecticut's 3rd congressional district since 1991 has made her a fixture in the political life of New Haven and surrounding communities. DeLauro's career in Congress has been marked by consistent reelection victories and a sustained engagement with both national policy debates and local constituent concerns.