Summer Lee Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Summer Lee


Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania's 12th district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2023
Preceded by	Mike Doyle (redistricting)
Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from the 34th district
In office January 1, 2019 – December 7, 2022
Preceded by	Paul Costa
Succeeded by	Abigail Salisbury

Personal details
Born	(1987-11-26) November 26, 1987 (age 37) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Other political affiliations	Democratic Socialists of America (until 2021)
Education	Pennsylvania State University (BA) Howard University (JD)
Signature

Summer Lynn Lee (born November 26, 1987) is an American politician. She is currently a U.S. representative for Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district. She started this job in 2023.

In 2022, Summer Lee made history. She became the first Black woman from Pennsylvania to be elected to the United States House of Representatives. Before joining the U.S. House, she served in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from 2019 to 2022. She is a member of the Democratic Party.

Early Life and Education

Summer Lee grew up in North Braddock, Pennsylvania. Her family has African American heritage. She went to Woodland Hills High School.

After high school, she studied at Pennsylvania State University. She graduated in 2009. Later, she earned a law degree from Howard University School of Law in 2015. After finishing law school, she worked on political campaigns.

Serving in the Pennsylvania House

Summer Lee decided to run for office in 2018. She challenged the person already holding the seat, Paul Costa. This was for the 34th district.

She won the election by a lot, with 67.8% of the votes. She said her victory came from talking directly to people in her community. This is called a grassroots campaign. She was the first Black woman to represent Southwestern Pennsylvania in the state legislature.

What She Worked On

As a state representative, Summer Lee was part of important groups called committees. These committees focused on:

Education
Health
Judiciary (which deals with laws and the justice system)

Representing Pennsylvania in the U.S. House

In 2023, Summer Lee began her term in the United States House of Representatives. This is part of the U.S. Congress, where laws are made for the whole country.

How She Was Elected

The 2022 Election

In 2021, Summer Lee announced she would run for Congress. The person who held the seat, Mike Doyle, was retiring. The election was for Pennsylvania's 18th congressional district.

Later, Pennsylvania's election districts changed. Her area became the 12th district. She decided to run for this new district.

She won the Democratic primary election on May 17, 2022. It was a very close race against Steve Irwin. Summer Lee won by about 740 votes. In the main election in November, she defeated Republican Mike Doyle. This made her the first Black woman from Pennsylvania to serve in the U.S. House.

The 2024 Election

In 2024, Summer Lee faced another election challenge. She ran against Bhavini Patel in the Democratic primary. Summer Lee won this election too, with about 60% of the votes.

Her Work in Congress

Summer Lee works on many important issues for her community and the country.

Equal Opportunity

The Supreme Court made a decision about how colleges can use race in admissions. Summer Lee said she was "disgusted" by this. She believes it makes it harder to achieve fairness in education.

The Economy

Summer Lee voted against a bill about the country's budget. She said that some politicians were risking the economy to get what they wanted. She was the only representative from western Pennsylvania to vote no.

Gun Safety

Summer Lee strongly supports stricter gun control laws. She criticized the expulsion of two lawmakers in Tennessee who protested for gun safety. She believes politicians should prioritize safety for everyone.

Improving Infrastructure

After a train accident in Pittsburgh, Summer Lee called for railroads to be more responsible. She wants better protection from trains carrying dangerous materials. She supports new laws to make train travel safer.

Foreign Relations

Summer Lee has voted on several issues related to other countries. She voted against a resolution condemning Iran's attack on Israel. She also voted against sending American technology to Iran.

She has also expressed concerns about the conflict between Israel and Palestine. She signed a letter to President Joe Biden about the violence. She voted against a resolution honoring Israel's independence. She also supported a bill to protect Palestinian children.

In October 2023, she voted against a resolution supporting Israel after an attack by Hamas. She has called for a ceasefire in the conflict. She has also spoken out against war crimes.

Russia

In 2023, Summer Lee and many other members of Congress were not allowed to enter Russia.

Syria

Summer Lee voted to remove U.S. troops from Syria. This bill would have required troops to leave within 180 days.

TikTok

Summer Lee supports TikTok. She believes it is a good way for people to organize and share ideas. She voted against a bill that could ban the app in the United States.

Groups She Belongs To

Summer Lee is a member of several important groups in Congress:

Congressional Black Caucus: A group of African American members of Congress.
Congressional Caucus for the Equal Rights Amendment: She is a vice chair of this group.
Congressional Progressive Caucus: A group of members who support progressive policies.

Her Committee Work

In the U.S. House, Summer Lee serves on these committees:

Committee on Science and Technology: This committee deals with science, research, and technology.
Committee on Oversight and Accountability: This committee watches over how the government spends money and operates.

Personal Life

Summer Lee lives in Swissvale, Pennsylvania.

Images for kids

Summer Lee announcing her campaign for Congress.

Summer Lee facts for kids

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