Abby Finkenauer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Abby Finkenauer
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| United States Special Envoy for Global Youth Issues |
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| In office December 1, 2022 – January 20, 2025 |
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| President | Joe Biden |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Iowa's 1st district |
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| In office January 3, 2019 – January 3, 2021 |
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| Preceded by | Rod Blum |
| Succeeded by | Ashley Hinson |
| Member of the Iowa House of Representatives from the 99th district |
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| In office January 12, 2015 – January 3, 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Pat Murphy |
| Succeeded by | Lindsay James |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Abby Lea Finkenauer
December 27, 1988 Sherrill, Iowa, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Daniel Wasta
(m. 2020) |
| Education | Drake University (BA) |
Abby Lea Finkenauer (born December 27, 1988) is an American politician. She currently serves as the United States Special Envoy for Global Youth Issues. This role is part of the U.S. Department of State. She has held this position since December 2022.
Before this, Finkenauer was a U.S. representative for Iowa's 1st congressional district. She served in Congress from 2019 to 2021. She is a member of the Democratic Party. In 2018, Finkenauer and Cindy Axne became the first women from Iowa elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. Finkenauer was also the second-youngest woman ever elected to the U.S. House.
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Early Life and Education
Abby Finkenauer grew up in Sherrill, Iowa. She went to Hempstead High School in Dubuque. In 2011, she graduated from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. She earned a bachelor's degree in public relations.
Career in Politics
Finkenauer started her political journey early. In 2006, she was a page for U.S. Representative Jim Nussle. A page helps out in Congress. The next year, she was a page for Patrick Murphy. He was the Speaker of the Iowa State House of Representatives.
In 2007, Finkenauer helped with Joe Biden's presidential campaign in Iowa. She later worked as an assistant for state Representative Todd Taylor. She also worked as a communications specialist for a community foundation.
Iowa House of Representatives
In 2014, Finkenauer ran for a seat in the Iowa House of Representatives. She was running for the seat previously held by Pat Murphy. She won the election when she was 25 years old. She was re-elected in 2016 without anyone running against her.
U.S. House of Representatives
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Elections to Congress
In May 2017, Finkenauer announced she would run for Congress. She aimed to represent Iowa's 1st congressional district. This seat was held by Republican Rod Blum. In June 2018, she won the Democratic primary election. She then defeated Rod Blum in the general election.
In 2020, Finkenauer ran for re-election. However, she was defeated by Republican Ashley Hinson.
Time in Congress
When Finkenauer was sworn in, she was almost 30 years old. She became the second-youngest woman ever elected to the House. She also served as an assistant whip. This role helps organize votes and make sure party members vote together.
Committees and Groups
While in Congress, Finkenauer was part of several important committees:
- Committee on Small Business
- Subcommittee on Innovation and Workforce Development
- Subcommittee on Rural Development, Agriculture, Trade, and Entrepreneurship (Chair)
- Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
- Subcommittee on Highways and Transit (Vice Chair)
- Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment
She was also a member of several groups called caucuses:
- Congressional Caucus for Women's Issues
- Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus
- Future Forum Caucus (Vice Chair)
- Congressional Endometriosis Caucus (Co-Chair)
2022 U.S. Senate Campaign
In July 2021, Finkenauer announced she would run for the United States Senate. She wanted to win the seat held by Chuck Grassley. She ran in the Democratic primary election. However, she was defeated by Michael Franken.
Biden Administration Role
On November 21, 2022, Abby Finkenauer was appointed as the United States Special Envoy for Global Youth Issues. She started this job on December 1, 2022. In this role, she travels to different countries. She represents the United States and works on issues important to young people around the world. She has visited places like Australia, New Zealand, Qatar, and Thailand. She also took part in the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative in Bali.
Personal Life
Abby Finkenauer married Daniel Wasta on August 8, 2020. He was involved in the Elizabeth Warren 2020 presidential campaign.
Finkenauer has talked about her experience with endometriosis. This is a health condition. She has worked to increase funding for research into this condition. She also started the Congressional Endometriosis Caucus.
Finkenauer is Roman Catholic.
See Also
- Women in the United States House of Representatives
Images for kids
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Abby Finkenauer
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Abby Finkenauer and Joe Biden at McKinley Elementary School
