Grace Napolitano facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Grace Napolitano
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California |
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| In office January 3, 1999 – January 3, 2025 |
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| Preceded by | Esteban Edward Torres |
| Succeeded by | Gil Cisneros |
| Constituency | 34th district (1999–2003) 38th district (2003–2013) 32nd district (2013–2023) 31st district (2023–2025) |
| Member of the California State Assembly from the 58th district |
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| In office December 7, 1992 – November 30, 1998 |
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| Preceded by | Tom Mays |
| Succeeded by | Tom Calderon |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Graciela Flores
December 4, 1936 Brownsville, Texas, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
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| Children | 5 |
| Education | Cerritos College Texas Southmost College |
Graciela "Grace" Napolitano (born December 4, 1936) is an American politician. She is a member of the Democratic Party. Grace Napolitano represented parts of Los Angeles County in the United States House of Representatives from 1999 to 2025.
Before joining Congress, she served in the California State Assembly. She also worked on the Norwalk City Council. At the time of her retirement, she was the oldest member serving in the House of Representatives.
Contents
Grace Napolitano's Early Life and Career
Grace Napolitano was born and grew up in Brownsville, Texas. After high school, she got married and moved to California. There, she and her husband raised five children.
Starting in Local Government
Napolitano began her political journey in 1986. She won a seat on the Norwalk City Council by a very small number of votes. Four years later, she was reelected by a much larger margin. In 1989, her fellow council members chose her to be the mayor.
As a council member, she focused on helping people in the city. She also worked on improving transportation and creating more jobs.
Serving in the California Assembly
After working for Ford Motor Company for 21 years, Napolitano retired in 1992. She was then elected to the California State Assembly. In the Assembly, she became a leader in several important areas. These included international trade, protecting the environment, transportation, and immigration.
She helped create the first new California State Assembly committee in nine years. This was the Committee on International Trade, which she led. She also served as the head of the Women's Caucus. She was also the vice chair of the Latino Caucus.
Grace Napolitano in the U.S. House of Representatives
In 1998, Grace Napolitano ran for a seat in the United States House of Representatives. She won and began serving in 1999. She represented different districts in California over the years. In July 2023, she announced that she would retire and not run for reelection in 2024.
Key Work in Congress
Grace Napolitano has worked on many important issues during her time in Congress. She is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. This group works on policies that aim to improve the lives of working families.
Natural Resources and Water
Napolitano has been a member of the House Committee on Natural Resources. She also led the Water and Power Subcommittee. She has worked hard to protect water resources. Her efforts include promoting water recycling and better water management. She focused on ensuring Southern California has enough clean water. She also helped with the CALFED Bay-Delta Program. This plan manages water for California.
Transportation and Infrastructure
She also served on the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. This committee oversees America's transportation systems. This includes aviation, roads, and railways. Napolitano used her experience to work on rail safety. She also worked to reduce traffic in the San Gabriel Valley.
Mental Health Support
Grace Napolitano is a co-chair of the Congressional Mental Health Caucus. This group works to improve mental health services. She has held meetings to discuss mental health needs for children and veterans. A main goal for her is to make sure health insurance covers mental health care fairly.
Hispanic Community Advocacy
Napolitano also chaired the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. This group addresses important issues for the Hispanic community. These issues include education, immigration, health, and civil rights.
Committee Assignments
For the 118th Congress, Grace Napolitano served on these committees:
- Committee on Natural Resources
- Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources
- Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries
- Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
- Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management
- Subcommittee on Highways and Transit
- Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials
- Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment (Ranking Member)
Caucus Memberships
Grace Napolitano was part of several groups in Congress:
- Medicare for All Caucus
- Congressional Hispanic Caucus
- Congressional Mental Health Caucus (Co-Chair)
- Congressional Wildlife Refuge Caucus
- United States Congressional International Conservation Caucus
- House Baltic Caucus
- Congressional Arts Caucus
- Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus
- Congressional Progressive Caucus
Grace Napolitano's Personal Life
Grace Napolitano was married to Frank Napolitano from the early 1980s until his death in 2017. She had five children from a previous marriage. In 2013, her daughter Yolanda Maria Louwers passed away.
In 2016, Napolitano had a minor stroke. She recovered and returned to her work in Congress a few months later.
See also
In Spanish: Grace Napolitano para niños
- List of Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States Congress
- Women in the United States House of Representatives
