The Squad (United States Congress) Facts for Kids

Ocasio-Cortez

Omar

Pressley

Tlaib

Bowman

Bush

Casar

Lee

Ramirez

The nine members of the Squad:

Founding members

Subsequent additions

Jamaal Bowman, NY-16
Cori Bush, MO-1
Greg Casar, TX-35
Summer Lee, PA-12
Delia Ramirez, IL-3

The Squad is a group of nine Democratic members in the U.S. House of Representatives. They are known for their left-wing and progressive ideas.

The group started with four women elected in 2018: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez from New York, Ilhan Omar from Minnesota, Ayanna Pressley from Massachusetts, and Rashida Tlaib from Michigan. Later, Jamaal Bowman of New York and Cori Bush of Missouri joined after the 2020 elections. Then, Greg Casar of Texas, Summer Lee of Pennsylvania, and Delia Ramirez of Illinois joined after the 2022 elections.

All members of The Squad were elected before they turned 50. They have been supported by a group called Justice Democrats. Many of them won their first elections by beating existing members of Congress. They often support ideas like Medicare for All (healthcare for everyone), the Green New Deal (a plan for climate action), and college without tuition fees. These ideas sometimes differ from what other leaders in their party believe.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez first used the name "Squad" in an Instagram post in 2018. The picture, taken at an event where the first four members spoke, quickly became very popular online.

What "The Squad" Means
Who is in The Squad?
Images for kids
See also

What "The Squad" Means

The word "squad" comes from East Coast hip hop culture. It means a group of friends or people who stick together. When Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez used it, it showed she was familiar with younger people's slang. It was a fun way to refer to a group of friends. The Bronx, where Ocasio-Cortez grew up, is where hip hop music began.

The New York Times newspaper says The Squad is unique. It's not like typical groups in Congress. It's not just a group working on one specific law. It's also not just a group focused on one special interest. The name "Squad" sounds a bit like a military term. This suggests ideas of protecting something important and being loyal to each other.

Some people, especially from the Republican party, use the name "Squad" in a negative way. However, the original four women use the term themselves. They use it to show they are united and stand with their supporters. For example, the Justice Democrats group shared a quote from Ayanna Pressley. She said, "We are more than four people... Our squad includes any person committed to creating a more equitable and just world."

In 2019, the average age of The Squad members was about 38 years old. This was much younger than the average age of all members in the House of Representatives, which was about 57 years old.

Who is in The Squad?

Even before the name "Squad" became popular, the first four members were often talked about as a group. Today, news media almost always uses "Squad" to refer to them.

Here is a look at the members of The Squad:

Overview of Squad members
Member	Born	District	Prior experience	In office
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez	October 13, 1989 (age 35) New York City, New York	New York 14	Organizer for Bernie Sanders (2016)	2019 - Present
Ilhan Omar Ilhan Omar	October 4, 1982 (age 42) Mogadishu, Somalia	Minnesota 5	Minnesota House of Representatives (2017–2019)
Ayanna Pressley Ayanna Pressley	February 3, 1974 (age 51) Cincinnati, Ohio	Massachusetts 7	Boston City Council (2010–2019)
Rashida Tlaib Rashida Tlaib	July 24, 1976 (age 48) Detroit, Michigan	Michigan 12	Michigan House of Representatives (2009–2014)
Jamaal Bowman Jamaal Bowman	April 1, 1976 (age 49) New York City, New York	New York 16	Schoolteacher, school principal	2021 - January 3, 2025
Cori Bush Cori Bush	July 21, 1976 (age 48) St. Louis, Missouri	Missouri 1	Nurse, pastor, activist	2021 - January 3, 2025
Greg Casar Greg Casar	May 4, 1989 (age 36) Houston, Texas	Texas 35	Austin City Council (2015–2022)	2023 - Present
Summer Lee Summer Lee	November 26, 1987 (age 37) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania	Pennsylvania 12	Pennsylvania House of Representatives (2018–2022)
Delia Ramirez Delia Ramirez	June 8, 1983 (age 42) Chicago, Illinois	Illinois 3	Illinois House of Representatives (2018–2022)