Pramila Jayapal facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Pramila Jayapal
Chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus
In office January 3, 2021 – January 3, 2025 Serving with Mark Pocan (2019–2021)
Preceded by	Raúl Grijalva
Succeeded by	Greg Casar
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Washington's 7th district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2017
Preceded by	Jim McDermott
Member of the Washington Senate from the 37th district
In office January 12, 2015 – December 11, 2016
Preceded by	Adam Kline
Succeeded by	Rebecca Saldaña
Personal details
Born	(1965-09-21) September 21, 1965 (age 59) Chennai, Madras (now Tamil Nadu, India)
Citizenship	Indian (1965–2000) American (2000–present)
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Steve Williamson
Children	2
Relatives	Maya Jayapal (mother) Susheela Jayapal (sister)
Education	Georgetown University (BA) Northwestern University (MBA)

Pramila Jayapal (born September 21, 1965) is an American politician. She has been a U.S. representative for Washington since 2017. She is a member of the Democratic Party. She represents most of Seattle and parts of King County. Before joining the U.S. House, Jayapal was a state senator in Washington from 2015 to 2017.

She is the first Indian-American woman to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives. She is also the first Asian American to represent Washington at the federal level. Before becoming a politician, Jayapal was a civil rights activist in Seattle. She led an organization called OneAmerica, which helps immigrants. She started this group after the September 11 attacks. Jayapal also leads the Congressional Progressive Caucus, a group of lawmakers who support progressive ideas. She works on important committees in Congress, like the Judiciary Committee and the Budget Committee.

Early Life and Education

Pramila Jayapal was born in Chennai, India, on September 21, 1965. Her mother, Maya Jayapal, was a writer, and her father, Jayapal Menon, worked in marketing. She spent most of her childhood in Indonesia and Singapore.

When she was 16, in 1982, she moved to the U.S. for college. She earned a bachelor's degree from Georgetown University. Later, she got a master's degree in business from Northwestern University. After college, Jayapal worked as a financial analyst. She worked on development projects in different places, including Chicago and Thailand. In 1991, she started working in the public sector.

Early Career and Activism

Standing Up for Immigrants

After the September 11 attacks in 2001, Jayapal started a group called Hate Free Zone. This group helped immigrant communities. It encouraged new American citizens to vote and worked on making immigration laws better. The group even won a lawsuit against the government to stop the deportation of over 4,000 people from Somalia. In 2008, the group changed its name to OneAmerica. Jayapal left her leadership role there in 2012. In 2013, the White House recognized her as a "Champion of Change" for her important work.

Jayapal continued to speak out for immigrant rights. In 2018, she protested a government policy that separated immigrant families at the border. She said she was "proud" to stand up against what she called an "inhumane and cruel" policy.

Working in Washington State

Jayapal speaks in Seattle in 2015.

Before joining the U.S. Congress, Jayapal helped Seattle leaders with important decisions. She was part of a group that helped create Seattle's $15 minimum wage. She also helped choose the city's first female police chief.

In 2014, she decided to run for a seat in the Washington State Senate. She won the election and became a state senator. As a state senator, she helped pass a bill that created a program to train women and people of color for jobs in transportation. She also supported Bernie Sanders when he ran for president in 2016.

U.S. House of Representatives

Becoming a Congresswoman

In 2016, Pramila Jayapal decided to run for Congress to represent Washington's 7th congressional district. This happened after the current representative, Jim McDermott, announced he was retiring. Bernie Sanders supported her campaign.

She won the primary election, which meant she would run against another Democrat, Brady Walkinshaw, in the final election. This was special because it was the first time two Democrats competed for a federal seat in Washington state. Jayapal won the general election with 56% of the votes.

Her Time in Congress

Jayapal's freshman portrait.

When Jayapal joined the U.S. House of Representatives, she made history. She became the first Indian-American woman to serve in that role.

She has been a strong voice for her party. In 2017, she chose to meet with people in her home district instead of attending the presidential inauguration. She was called "a leader of the resistance" by The Nation magazine, and Nancy Pelosi, a top Democratic leader, called her "a rising star." Jayapal has spoken about facing challenges from some colleagues in Congress.

In 2020, she again supported Senator Bernie Sanders for president. In 2024, she helped raise money for Kamala Harris's election campaign and praised her work.

Foreign Policy Views

Jayapal with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ro Khanna and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, February 2, 2023.

Jayapal has strong views on foreign policy. In 2019, she voted against a resolution that criticized a movement targeting Israel. She has also spoken out about human rights issues in other countries.

In 2019, she was one of the lawmakers who asked President Trump to stop U.S. military support for a conflict in Yemen. They said the conflict was causing a lot of suffering for civilians. She also introduced a bill asking India to lift restrictions on communication in Kashmir.

Jayapal meets with President Joe Biden in October 2021 in the Red Room of the White House.

In 2022, Jayapal led a letter from some Democrats asking President Biden to talk with Vladimir Putin to end the conflict in Ukraine. The letter was later withdrawn. In 2023, she opposed the decision to send certain types of weapons to Ukraine.

Views on Spending and Healthcare

Hands Off Budget rally in Washington, D.C., May 24, 2017.

Jayapal believes the U.S. should spend less money on its military. She tried to reduce the size of a large defense spending bill, but her effort did not pass. She also voted against a bill in 2023 that dealt with government spending.

She strongly supports universal health care, which means everyone should have access to health insurance. She has introduced bills called the "Medicare for All Act" multiple times. These bills would create a government-funded healthcare system for all U.S. residents.

Other Important Policies

Jayapal works to make the government more open and honest. She supports banning members of Congress from trading stocks. She also works on environmental issues, especially how climate change affects communities.

She supports making public colleges and universities free for most families and reducing student debt. She also supports immigration reform and the Equal Rights Amendment, which aims to ensure equal rights for all citizens regardless of sex.

Leadership Roles and Committees

Pramila Jayapal holds several important leadership positions in Congress:

• Senior Whip for the Democratic Party.
• Vice Ranking Member on the Budget Committee.
• Chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.
• Co-chair of the United for Climate and Environmental Justice Task Force.
• Chair of the Immigration Task Force for the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.
• Co-chair of the Women's Working Group on Immigration Reform.

She is also a member of these important committees:

• Committee on the Judiciary
  • Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship
  • Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial and Administrative Law
• Committee on Education and Labor
  • Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development
  • Subcommittee on Workforce Protections
• Committee on the Budget

She is part of several caucuses (groups of lawmakers with shared interests), including:

• Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus
• Medicare for All Caucus
• Congressional Freethought Caucus
• Congressional LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus (as vice chair)
• Congressional Progressive Caucus (as chair)

Personal Life

Pramila Jayapal lives in Seattle with her husband, Steven R. Williamson. She has a child named Kashika from a previous marriage, who is transgender. She also has a stepson named Michael.

Jayapal became a U.S. citizen in 2000. She wrote a book called Pilgrimage: One Woman's Return to a Changing India, which was published in 2000. Her older sister, Susheela Jayapal, is also involved in politics and serves on the Multnomah County Commission in Oregon.

In January 2021, Jayapal tested positive for COVID-19. She spoke out about the importance of wearing masks, especially after some lawmakers did not wear them during a lockdown at the Capitol. In 2022, a man was arrested for stalking Jayapal at her home in Seattle. He later pleaded guilty.

Images for kids

• 

  Pramila Jayapal's official portrait.

• 

  Jayapal speaking in Seattle in 2015.

• 

  Jayapal's freshman portrait in Congress.

• 

  Jayapal with other politicians and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

• 

  Jayapal meets with President Joe Biden in October 2021.

• 

  Jayapal at a "Hands Off Budget" rally in Washington, D.C., in 2017.

See also