Elizabeth Warren facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Elizabeth Warren
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Official portrait, 2016
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| Ranking Member of the Senate Banking Committee | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2025 |
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| Preceded by | Tim Scott |
| Vice Chair of the Senate Democratic Caucus | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2017 Serving with Mark Warner
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| Leader | Chuck Schumer |
| Preceded by | Chuck Schumer |
| United States Senator from Massachusetts |
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| Assumed office January 3, 2013 Serving with Ed Markey
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| Preceded by | Scott Brown |
| Special Advisor for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau | |
| In office September 17, 2010 – August 1, 2011 |
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| President | Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Raj Date |
| Chair of the Congressional Oversight Panel | |
| In office November 25, 2008 – November 15, 2010 |
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| Deputy | Damon Silvers |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Ted Kaufman |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Elizabeth Ann Herring
June 22, 1949 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic (1996–present) |
| Other political affiliations |
Republican (1991–1996) |
| Spouses |
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| Children | 2, including Amelia |
| Education | George Washington University University of Houston (BS) Rutgers University (JD) |
| Signature |  |
Elizabeth Ann Warren (born June 22, 1949) is an American politician and former law professor. She is a United States senator for Massachusetts, serving since 2013.
As a member of the Democratic Party, Warren is known for her progressive ideas. She focuses on protecting consumers, making sure everyone has a fair chance to succeed, and supporting programs that help people in need. In 2020, she ran for president but finished third in the Democratic primary.
Warren grew up in Oklahoma. She studied at the University of Houston and Rutgers Law School. Before becoming a senator, she taught law at several universities, including Harvard University. She has written many books and articles.
Warren first got involved in public policy in 1995. She worked to oppose a law that made it harder for people to declare bankruptcy. Later, she became well-known for pushing for stronger rules for banks after the 2007–2008 financial crisis. She led a group that watched over a government program to help the economy. She also helped create the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, an agency that protects consumers in financial matters.
In 2012, Warren won her election against Scott Brown. She became the first woman to be a U.S. senator from Massachusetts. She was reelected in 2018 and again in 2024.
Early Life and Education
Elizabeth Ann Herring was born in Oklahoma City on June 22, 1949. She was the fourth child of Pauline Louise and Donald Jones Herring. Her father was a U.S. Army flight instructor during World War II. Her family was Methodist.
Warren has said her family struggled financially. She described their life as "hanging on at the edges by our fingernails." When she was 12, her father had a heart attack. This led to many medical bills and less income. To help, her mother started working at Sears. When Warren was 13, she began waiting tables at her aunt's restaurant.
Warren was a talented debater at Northwest Classen High School. She won the state high school debating championship. At 16, she won a debate scholarship to George Washington University (GWU). She wanted to be a teacher. However, she left GWU after two years in 1968 to marry James Robert "Jim" Warren.
The Warrens moved to Houston. Elizabeth enrolled in the University of Houston. In 1970, she earned a degree in speech pathology and audiology.
Later, they moved to New Jersey. Warren became pregnant and stayed home to care for their daughter, Amelia. After Amelia turned two, Warren enrolled at Rutgers Law School. She earned her law degree in 1976. She passed the bar exam soon after.
Career Journey
After college, but before law school, Warren taught children with disabilities for a year. During law school, she worked at a law firm during the summer. After getting her law degree, she offered legal services from home. She wrote wills and helped with real estate closings.
In the late 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, Warren taught law at several universities. She also researched bankruptcy and how middle-class families manage their money. In the mid-1990s, she started working on public policy related to bankruptcy rules and consumer protection.
Academic Work and Research
Warren began teaching at Rutgers University–Newark in 1977. She then taught at the University of Houston Law Center and the University of Texas School of Law. She became a full professor in 1983. During this time, she also taught Sunday school.
Early in her career, Warren studied how economic ideas applied to law. She first thought that people filing for bankruptcy were often irresponsible. But her research, which included looking at court records and talking to people, changed her mind. She found that most people filing for bankruptcy were not trying to cheat the system. Instead, they were often middle-class families struggling with things like medical bills or trying to buy homes in good school districts. She realized the bankruptcy laws were not well designed to help them.
In 1989, she published a book called As We Forgive Our Debtors. This book shared her research findings. Her work showed that rising bankruptcy rates were often due to financial struggles, not just overspending.
Warren joined the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 1987. In 1995, she became a professor at Harvard Law School. She was a very influential law professor. Her main areas of study were bankruptcy and business law. She was one of the most-cited scholars in these fields.
Warren became more well-known around 2004. She appeared on TV shows and published books like The Two-Income Trap.
Advising Government and Public Service
In 1995, Warren was asked to advise the National Bankruptcy Review Commission. She helped write their report. For several years, she worked against laws that would make it much harder for consumers to file for bankruptcy. However, in 2005, Congress passed a law that did limit people's ability to declare bankruptcy.
From 2006 to 2010, Warren was part of the FDIC Advisory Committee. This committee advises on economic inclusion. She also belongs to other groups that advise Congress on law.
Warren's research and public efforts helped lead to the creation of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) in 2011.
Overseeing Government Bailouts
In 2008, U.S. Senate majority leader Harry Reid asked Warren to lead the Congressional Oversight Panel. This group was created to watch over how the government was using money to help the economy during the financial crisis. The panel released monthly reports. These reports looked at things like home foreclosures, loans for small businesses, and the impact of the government's bailout program.
Creating the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
Warren was a strong supporter of creating the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). This agency was set up to protect consumers in financial matters. President Obama signed the law creating it in July 2010. In September 2010, Obama asked Warren to help set up the new agency.
Many groups wanted Warren to be the first director of the CFPB. However, some financial institutions and Republican lawmakers did not want her. They thought she would be too strict. President Obama later appointed Richard Cordray as the first director.
Political Party Affiliation
A friend from high school said that Warren was a "diehard conservative" back then. A colleague from the University of Texas said that in the early 1980s, Warren was sometimes "anti-consumer."
Warren was registered as a Republican from 1991 to 1996. She said she was a Republican because she thought they best supported markets. However, she also said she voted for the Republican presidential candidate only once before 1996.
Warren began voting Democratic in 1995. She said she no longer believed Republicans supported markets fairly. She felt the Republican Party was favoring large financial institutions over middle-class families.
U.S. Senate (2013–Present)
Senate Elections
2012 Election in Massachusetts
On September 14, 2011, Warren announced she would run for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate in Massachusetts. The seat was held by Republican Scott Brown. A week later, a video of Warren speaking went viral online.
Warren ran unopposed for the Democratic nomination. She won it on June 2, 2012. She faced strong opposition from business groups. However, she raised $39 million for her campaign, more than any other Senate candidate that year. This showed that it was possible to run against big banks without their money and still win.
Warren spoke at the 2012 Democratic National Convention. She presented herself as a champion for the middle class. She said, "People feel like the system is rigged against them. And here's the painful part: They're right. The system is rigged."
2018 and 2024 Elections
On January 6, 2017, Warren announced she would run for a second term. She said she would not "roll over and play dead" while the government hurt working people. In the 2018 election, Warren won against Republican Geoff Diehl.
In 2024, Warren won a third Senate term. She defeated Republican John Deaton.
Time in the Senate
On November 6, 2012, Warren defeated Scott Brown with 53.7% of the vote. She became the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate from Massachusetts. In December 2012, she was given a seat on the Senate Banking Committee. This committee oversees banking rules. Vice President Joe Biden swore her in on January 3, 2013.
At her first Banking Committee hearing in February 2013, Warren questioned banking regulators. She asked when they had last taken a Wall Street bank to trial. She said she was worried that banks that were "too big to fail" had become "too big for trial." Videos of her questions were viewed over a million times.
In May 2013, Warren introduced the Bank on Student Loans Fairness Act. This bill would let students borrow money for education at the same low rate that banks get from the government. Senator Bernie Sanders supported her bill.
Warren was a top fundraiser for Democrats during the 2014 election. After the election, she was given a new role as Strategic Adviser for the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee.
In 2015, Warren criticized the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a trade agreement. She argued that it did not protect American workers enough. In July 2015, Warren and other senators reintroduced a modern version of the Glass–Steagall Act. This law aimed to reduce risks in the financial system.
In September 2016, Warren called for the CEO of Wells Fargo, John Stumpf, to resign. This was after Wells Fargo opened millions of accounts without customers' permission.
In December 2016, Warren joined the Senate Armed Services Committee. This is a very important committee.
In February 2017, during a debate about Jeff Sessions's nomination for Attorney General, Warren read a letter from Coretta Scott King. The letter criticized Sessions. Senate Republicans voted that Warren had broken a rule by reading the letter. This stopped her from speaking further in the debate. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said, "She was warned. She was given an explanation. Nevertheless, she persisted." This phrase became a popular slogan for Warren and her supporters.
On October 3, 2017, Warren again called for the Wells Fargo CEO, Timothy J. Sloan, to resign. She said he was either "incompetent" or "complicit" in the bank's problems.
In July 2019, Warren introduced a bill to help low-income college students get food assistance.
In November 2020, Warren was considered for Secretary of the Treasury in the Biden Administration.
Warren was at the Capitol during the January 6 United States Capitol attack in 2021. She called it an "attempted coup" and an "act of insurrection." She called the people involved "domestic terrorists." She joined other lawmakers in calling for President Trump's removal from office.
Role in the 2016 Presidential Election
Before the 2016 United States presidential election, some people wanted Warren to run for president. But she said many times that she would not. In October 2013, she signed a letter with other Democratic women senators encouraging Hillary Clinton to run.
There was also talk about Warren becoming Clinton's vice-presidential candidate. In June 2016, Warren officially supported Clinton for president. She said she was ready to be vice president. Clinton later chose Tim Kaine as her running mate.
Warren was neutral during the Democratic primary until June. She then supported and campaigned for Clinton. She called Donald Trump, the Republican candidate, dishonest and uncaring.
Committee Assignments
Current Committees
- Committee on Armed Services
- Subcommittee on Personnel (chair)
- Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
- Subcommittee on Economic Policy (chair)
- Committee on Finance
- Special Committee on Aging
Previous Committees
- Committee on Energy and Natural Resources (2015–2017)
- Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (2013–2021)
2020 Presidential Campaign
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In September 2018, Warren said she would "take a hard look" at running for president in the 2020 United States presidential election. On December 31, 2018, she announced she was forming a committee to explore a presidential run.
On February 9, 2019, Warren officially announced her candidacy at a rally in Lawrence, Massachusetts. She criticized President Trump, calling him a "symptom of a larger problem." She said the system was "rigged" to help the rich and powerful.
Warren started her campaign in Lawrence to show she wanted to appeal to working-class families, union members, women, and new immigrants. She proposed an "Economic Patriotism" plan to create opportunities for American workers.
One of her main ideas was a "wealth tax" on fortunes over $50 million. She became known for having many detailed policy proposals. On March 5, 2020, she ended her campaign.
Campaign Support and Funding
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In early June 2019, Warren was second in some polls, behind Joe Biden and ahead of Bernie Sanders. Her poll numbers grew steadily. An October 2019 poll placed her in the lead.
Warren was known for not taking money from political action committees (PACs). She also refused donations over $200 from executives at big banks, tech companies, and other large firms. In the third quarter of 2019, her campaign raised $24.6 million. Her average donation was $26.
Public Appearances
By September 2019, Warren had attended 128 town halls. She was known for staying after events to talk with people and take many selfies. Over 20,000 people attended a rally for her in New York City's Washington Square Park. People waited for hours to take selfies with her.
During President Trump's impeachment trial, Warren could not make in-person campaign stops. She sent her dog, Bailey Warren, to meet voters in Iowa instead.
Vice-Presidential Speculation
In June 2020, CNN reported that Warren was among the top choices for Joe Biden's vice-presidential running mate. Other candidates included Kamala Harris. Harris was officially announced as Biden's running mate on August 11, 2020.
Personal Life
Warren and her first husband divorced in 1978. Two years later, in 1980, she married law professor Bruce H. Mann. She kept her first husband's last name. Warren has three grandchildren through her daughter, Amelia.
In April 2020, Warren announced that her oldest brother, Don Reed Herring, had died from COVID-19. In October 2021, she shared that her brother, John Herring, had died of cancer.
As of 2019, Warren's net worth was reported to be $12 million.
Political Views
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Warren is seen as a progressive politician. In 2012, a British magazine named her one of the "top 20 U.S. progressives."
Warren supports workers having a say in company decisions. She wants to break up large companies that have too much control. She also supports stronger punishments for financial crimes. She believes in a "Medicare for All" plan to provide health insurance for everyone. She also supports a higher minimum wage.
Warren was very critical of the Trump administration. She worried about what she called Trump's conflicts of interest. She also criticized Trump's immigration policies. In 2018, she called for getting rid of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Warren has spoken out against U.S. involvement in the conflict in Yemen. In January 2019, she criticized Trump's decision to pull U.S. troops from Syria and Afghanistan. She agreed troops should leave but said it should be part of a "coordinated" plan with U.S. allies.
In April 2019, after reading the Mueller report, Warren called for Congress to begin impeachment proceedings against Trump. She said the report showed that a foreign government attacked the 2016 election to help Trump.
After the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022, Warren wrote an article asking President Biden to use his power to help states provide reproductive health services.
Ancestry and Native American Claims
Warren and her brothers have said that older family members told them they had some Native American ancestry. In 2012, she said that "being Native American has been part of my story." In 1984, she identified herself as Cherokee in a Native American cookbook. Warren is not a member of any Native American tribe.
During her 2012 Senate race, her opponent, Scott Brown, suggested she made up her Native ancestry to get job advantages. Warren has denied this. Several colleagues and employers, including Harvard, have said her reported ethnicity did not play a role in her hiring. From 1995 to 2004, Harvard Law School listed her as Native American on federal forms. Warren later said she did not know about this.
A 2018 Boston Globe investigation found that her claim to Native American ethnicity was not considered when she was hired for her law school jobs. The investigation concluded that "Warren was viewed as a white woman by the hiring committees." In February 2019, Warren apologized for identifying as Native American.
Former president Donald Trump often mocked Warren for her claims of Native American ancestry. He called her "Pocahontas." In October 2018, Warren released a DNA test analysis. It showed her ancestry was mostly European but suggested a Native American ancestor several generations ago. The Cherokee Nation criticized Warren, saying that using a DNA test to claim a connection to a tribe is "inappropriate and wrong."
In January 2019, Warren was asked about her DNA test. She responded, "I am not a person of color; I am not a citizen of a tribe." She later apologized to the Cherokee Nation for causing confusion about tribal sovereignty. She apologized again in August 2019.
Awards and Recognition
In 2009, The Boston Globe named Warren the Bostonian of the Year. She also received the Lelia J. Robinson Award. The National Law Journal has named her one of the most influential women attorneys in America. In 2009, she became the first professor at Harvard to win the law school's Sacks–Freund Teaching Award a second time.
In 2011, she gave the commencement speech at Rutgers Law School, her old school. She also received an honorary law degree. In 2011, Warren was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame. New Statesman magazine named her one of the "top 20 U.S. progressives" in 2012. Time magazine included her in its list of the 100 Most Influential People in the World in 2009, 2010, 2015, and 2017.
In 2018, the theme for Women's History Month in the U.S. was "Nevertheless, She Persisted." This referred to the remark Mitch McConnell made about Warren.
Political Impact and Mentorship
Warren is seen as a leader for progressive ideas in the U.S. A journalist named Joshua Green said Warren helped shape the Democratic Party's move towards more left-leaning politics after the 2008 financial crisis. He said she showed a "new way" in politics by having "big, loud, messy fights" that helped people understand issues. Warren herself has said she took pride in being a "thorn" to the Obama administration.
Another journalist, Brian Stelter, agreed that Warren (along with Bernie Sanders) helped lead an economic "backlash" after the 2008 crisis. After Donald Trump's election in 2016, many saw Warren as a key leader for the Democratic Party.
Some columnists have written that Warren's ideas from her presidential campaign have influenced President Biden's plans. It seems the Biden administration is more open to Warren's input than the Obama administration was.
Mentoring Others in Politics
Warren has mentored several people who have gone on to hold important political jobs. U.S. Representative Katie Porter was her former law student and co-chaired Warren's presidential campaign. Michelle Wu, the mayor of Boston, was also her law student and worked on her 2012 Senate campaign. Other people who worked on Warren's campaigns or studied with her have also become political figures.
Influencing Appointments in Administrations
Warren strongly believes that who a president appoints to their team affects policy. She has influenced Presidents Obama and Biden, and Hillary Clinton, on who they should choose for their administrations.
Pressuring Hillary Clinton
Before the 2016 election, Warren quietly worked to influence who Hillary Clinton might appoint if she won. Warren pushed Clinton to promise not to appoint people who were too friendly with Wall Street. She also sent Clinton a list of people to consult on economic policy. Clinton and her advisors paid close attention to Warren's advice.
Biden Administration
Warren has been successful in influencing President Biden's appointments. Several people who worked for Warren have joined the Biden administration. In March 2021, a magazine wrote that "Warren has been a private but constant voice to the Biden administration on personnel decisions."
Books and Other Works
In 2004, Warren and her daughter, Amelia Tyagi, wrote The Two-Income Trap: Why Middle-Class Mothers and Fathers Are Going Broke. They wrote that a fully employed worker earned less money (after adjusting for inflation) than 30 years earlier. They said that while families spent less on clothes and appliances, the costs of things like mortgages, health care, and child care had gone up a lot. This meant that even families with two incomes were struggling to save money and were getting into more debt.
In 2005, Warren and David Himmelstein published a study on bankruptcy and medical bills. They found that half of all families filing for bankruptcy did so because of a serious medical problem. They said that three-quarters of these families had medical insurance. This study was often mentioned in policy discussions.
In April 2014, Warren published her book A Fighting Chance. The book's title refers to a time when families who worked hard had a fair chance at the American dream. Warren says that time is now gone.
In April 2017, Warren published her 11th book, This Fight Is Our Fight: The Battle to Save America's Middle Class. In this book, she explores the challenges faced by the American middle class. She argues that the government needs to do more to help working families with stronger social programs and more investment in education.
- Publications
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(with Teresa A. Sullivan and Jay Westbrook) (with Teresa A. Sullivan and Jay Westbrook) (with Amelia Warren Tyagi) (with Amelia Warren Tyagi) (with Lynn M. LoPucki, Daniel Keating, Ronald Mann, and Normal Goldenberg) (with Jay Westbrook) (with Lynn M. LoPucki) |
Images for kids
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Elizabeth Warren's signature
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In Spanish: Elizabeth Warren para niños
- List of people who received an electoral vote in the United States Electoral College
- Progressivism in the United States
- Women in the United States Senate
