Squad (U.S. Congress) Facts for Kids

Founding members (clockwise from top left)

Later additions:

Greg Casar, TX-35
Summer Lee, PA-12
Delia Ramirez, IL-3

Former members no longer in Congress:

The Squad is a well-known group of progressive members of the U.S. House of Representatives. They are all part of the Democratic Party. The group is known for having some of the most left-wing ideas in the party.

The Squad started in 2018 with four members: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan. They were all elected to Congress for the first time that year.

After the 2020 elections, the group grew to six members when Jamaal Bowman of New York and Cori Bush of Missouri joined. In 2022, three more members were added: Greg Casar of Texas, Summer Lee of Pennsylvania, and Delia Ramirez of Illinois, making it a group of nine.

However, after the 2024 elections, the group became smaller. Bowman and Bush lost their elections, so the Squad now has seven members in Congress.

The members of the Squad often support big ideas like the Green New Deal to fight climate change and Medicare for All, a plan for the government to provide healthcare to everyone. They are supported by groups like the Justice Democrats, a political action committee that helps progressive candidates get elected.

Where Did the Name "The Squad" Come From?
History of The Squad
What The Squad Believes In
Who Are the Members of The Squad?
See also

Where Did the Name "The Squad" Come From?

The name "Squad" was first used by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. A week after the 2018 election, she posted a photo of the four original members on Instagram with the caption "Squad." The photo and the name quickly became popular online.

The word "squad" comes from hip-hop culture and means a close group of friends who support each other. By using this word, Ocasio-Cortez showed she was in touch with younger generations and their slang. The name suggests teamwork and loyalty.

While some political opponents have used the name to criticize them, the members embraced it. They even started a group called the Squad Victory Fund to raise money for their campaigns.

History of The Squad

The First Election in 2018

The Squad began after the 2018 elections. Ocasio-Cortez and Pressley won their spots in Congress by defeating experienced Democrats in primary elections. This was a big surprise to many people.

Tlaib won the seat that had been held by John Conyers, who had been in Congress for over 50 years. Omar won the seat of Keith Ellison, who left Congress to become Attorney General of Minnesota. The four women supported each other during their campaigns.

Becoming Famous in Congress

The four new congresswomen quickly got a lot of attention. On November 12, 2018, they appeared together in an interview and took a group photo. When Ocasio-Cortez posted it on Instagram with the "Squad" caption, the name stuck.

They became known for being very active on social media and for defending each other's ideas.

In July 2019, President Donald Trump wrote tweets suggesting the congresswomen should "go back" to the countries their families came from. This caused a major controversy because three of the four women were born in the United States, and Ilhan Omar became a U.S. citizen as a child. Many people called the president's comments racist. The House of Representatives even passed a resolution to condemn his words. The four members held a press conference together and said, "We are here to stay."

Growing the Group

In the 2020 elections, all four original members of the Squad won re-election. They were joined by two new progressive members, Jamaal Bowman and Cori Bush. Bush posted a photo of all six of them with the caption "Squad up."

After the 2022 elections, the group grew again. Greg Casar, Summer Lee, and Delia Ramirez were identified as new members, bringing the total to nine.

Changes After the 2024 Election

The 2024 elections brought a big change for the Squad. Two members, Jamaal Bowman and Cori Bush, lost their primary elections to other Democrats. A primary election is a contest to decide who will be a party's main candidate in the general election.

This meant Bowman and Bush were the first members of the Squad to be defeated. Their views on the conflict between Israel and Palestine were one reason they faced strong challenges. The other seven members of the Squad won their elections and remain in Congress.

What The Squad Believes In

The Squad is known for supporting some of the most progressive ideas in the Democratic Party. Their goal is to push the party to adopt more left-wing policies.

Climate Change

All members of the Squad are strong supporters of the Green New Deal. This is a plan to switch the United States to 100% clean energy while creating new jobs. They have urged leaders in their party to take bigger and faster action on climate change.

Healthcare and Other Policies

Squad members believe that healthcare is a human right. They support a plan called Medicare for All, where the government would provide health insurance for every American. They also support making public colleges and universities tuition-free.

The Israel-Palestine Conflict

Members of the Squad are often critical of the U.S. government's relationship with Israel. They have called for more support for the human rights of Palestinians.

After the Hamas attack on Israel in October 2023 and the start of the war in Gaza, most Squad members voted against a House resolution that supported Israel. They introduced their own resolution calling for a ceasefire to stop the fighting and save lives. Rashida Tlaib, who is Palestinian-American, has described Israel as an "apartheid state."

Supreme Court Reform

The Squad has called for major changes to the Supreme Court. They believe the court has become too political.

Some members have suggested expanding the court by adding more justices. They also want to create a code of ethics for the justices to follow. Some have even called for the impeachment of Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito, accusing them of being influenced by wealthy donors.

Who Are the Members of The Squad?

The news media almost always uses the name "Squad" to talk about this group of lawmakers.

Overview of Squad members
Member	Born	District	Prior experience	In office
Ocasio-Cortez, AlexandriaAlexandria Ocasio-Cortez	October 13, 1989 (age 35) New York City, New York	New York 14 (D+25)	Organizer, Bernie Sanders for President (2016)	2019 – present
Omar, IlhanIlhan Omar	October 4, 1982 (age 42) Mogadishu, Somalia	Minnesota 5 (D+29)	Minnesota House of Representatives (2017–2019)
Pressley, AyannaAyanna Pressley	February 3, 1974 (age 51) Cincinnati, Ohio	Massachusetts 7 (D+35)	Boston City Council (2010–2019)
Tlaib, RashidaRashida Tlaib	July 24, 1976 (age 49) Detroit, Michigan	Michigan 12 (D+23)	Michigan House of Representatives (2009–2014)
Bowman, JamaalJamaal Bowman	April 1, 1976 (age 49) New York City, New York	New York 16 (D+25)	Schoolteacher, school principal	2021 – 2025
Bush, CoriCori Bush	July 21, 1976 (age 49) St. Louis, Missouri	Missouri 1 (D+29)	Nurse, pastor, activist	2021 – 2025
Casar, GregGreg Casar	May 4, 1989 (age 36) Houston, Texas	Texas 35 (D+21)	Austin City Council (2015–2022)	2023 – present
Lee, SummerSummer Lee	November 26, 1987 (age 37) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania	Pennsylvania 12 (D+8)	Pennsylvania House of Representatives (2018–2022)
Ramirez, DeliaDelia Ramirez	June 8, 1983 (age 42) Chicago, Illinois	Illinois 3 (D+20)	Illinois House of Representatives (2018–2022)