Cynthia Lummis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cynthia Lummis
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Official portrait, 2020
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| United States Senator from Wyoming |
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| Assumed office January 3, 2021 Serving with John Barrasso
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| Preceded by | Mike Enzi |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Wyoming's at-large district |
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| In office January 3, 2009 – January 3, 2017 |
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| Preceded by | Barbara Cubin |
| Succeeded by | Liz Cheney |
| 27th Treasurer of Wyoming | |
| In office January 4, 1999 – January 9, 2007 |
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| Governor | Jim Geringer Dave Freudenthal |
| Preceded by | Stan Smith |
| Succeeded by | Joseph Meyer |
| Member of the Wyoming Senate from the 5th district |
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| In office January 14, 1993 – January 10, 1995 |
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| Preceded by | Harriet Elizabeth Byrd |
| Succeeded by | Don Lawler |
| Member of the Wyoming House of Representatives from the Laramie County district |
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| In office January 7, 1985 – January 14, 1993 |
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| In office January 8, 1979 – January 3, 1983 |
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| Preceded by | Multi-member district |
| Succeeded by | District abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Cynthia Marie Lummis
September 10, 1954 Cheyenne, Wyoming, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Alvin Wiederspahn
(m. 1983; died 2014) |
| Children | 1 |
| Education | University of Wyoming (BS, JD) |
| Signature |  |
| Website | |
Cynthia Marie Lummis Wiederspahn (born September 10, 1954) is an American lawyer and politician. She is a United States senator for the state of Wyoming. She has served in the Senate since 2021. Lummis is a member of the Republican Party.
Before becoming a senator, Lummis had many other jobs in government. She was a member of the Wyoming House of Representatives and the Wyoming Senate. She also served as the Wyoming State Treasurer. From 2009 to 2017, she represented Wyoming in the U.S. House of Representatives.
In 2020, Lummis was elected to the U.S. Senate. This made her the first woman to represent Wyoming in the Senate.
Contents
Early Life and School
Cynthia Marie Lummis was born in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Her family has lived in Wyoming since 1868. Her father was also involved in the Republican Party in Laramie County.
Lummis went to Cheyenne East High School. She later attended the University of Wyoming. She earned degrees in animal science, biology, and law. In 1977, she also worked as a student teacher.
Political Career
Lummis has had a long career in politics, starting in her home state of Wyoming.
Wyoming State Government
In 1978, at age 24, Lummis was elected to the Wyoming House of Representatives. She was the youngest woman ever to serve in the state legislature at the time. She served there for several years.
In 1992, she was elected to the Wyoming Senate. She served on the Judiciary Committee. After leaving the state legislature, she worked for Governor Jim Geringer.
In 1998, Lummis was elected as the State Treasurer. She was reelected in 2002 without anyone running against her. As treasurer, she helped manage the state's money and investments.
U.S. House of Representatives
In 2008, Lummis was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. She represented all of Wyoming. She was the first person from Wyoming in many years to serve on the House Committee on Agriculture. This committee works on laws related to farming.
Lummis was part of several groups in Congress. These included the Congressional Western Caucus, which focuses on issues important to western states. She was also a member of the Freedom Caucus and the Tea Party Caucus.
She decided not to run for reelection in 2016. Liz Cheney was elected to take her place.
U.S. Senate
In 2020, Lummis ran for the U.S. Senate seat that was open after Senator Mike Enzi retired. She won the election and became the first woman to serve as a senator from Wyoming.
In the Senate, Lummis serves on several important committees. These include committees on Banking, Environment, and Commerce.
During the counting of the electoral votes for the 2020 presidential election, Lummis voted to approve the results from Arizona. However, she voted against approving the results from Pennsylvania.
What Lummis Believes
Lummis has shared her views on many topics during her career.
Bitcoin and Digital Money
Lummis is a big supporter of cryptocurrency like Bitcoin. She is sometimes called the "Crypto Queen" in Congress because of her interest. She bought her first Bitcoin in 2013.
She believes there should be clear rules for digital money. In 2024, she introduced a plan for the U.S. government to create a "strategic Bitcoin reserve" by buying a large amount of Bitcoin.
The Economy
Lummis has often voted against government spending she feels is too high. She voted against the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. She also voted against a bill to provide money for relief after Hurricane Sandy. She said the government should cut spending elsewhere to pay for it.
She supported making the Bush tax cuts permanent. She also supports changing Social Security by raising the retirement age.
Energy and Environment
Lummis supports using more nuclear power. She also supports drilling for oil in parts of Alaska. She has said that she does not believe the science on climate change is settled.
Equality and Rights
In the past, Lummis supported the Equal Rights Amendment. This is a proposed change to the Constitution to guarantee equal rights for all citizens regardless of sex.
Lummis voted against the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act. She said that laws about hate crimes should be made by states, not the federal government.
She also voted for the Respect for Marriage Act in 2022. This act protects the right to same-sex marriage in federal law. She said her vote was based on the Wyoming Constitution and protecting religious freedom.
Health Care
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Lummis voted against the Affordable Care Act in 2009. She has supported efforts to cancel the law. She believes private insurance companies should be able to sell plans across state lines.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, she opposed a rule that would require large companies to have their employees get vaccinated.
Personal Life
Lummis was married to Alvin Wiederspahn, who was also a politician. He was a member of the Democratic Party. They served in the Wyoming House of Representatives at the same time. They had one daughter. Wiederspahn passed away in 2014.
Lummis is a Lutheran.
Images for kids
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Results of the 1998 Wyoming Treasurer election
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Results of the 2008 United States House of Representatives election in Wyoming
Lummis: Lummis—50–60% Lummis—60–70% Lummis—70–80%
See also
In Spanish: Cynthia Lummis para niños
- Women in the United States House of Representatives
- Women in the United States Senate
