Ann L. McLane Kuster

Biography

Ann L. McLane Kuster was born on September 5, 1956, in Concord, New Hampshire. She is a proud New Hampshire native whose parents were community leaders who instilled in her the importance of public service. Her mother, Susan McLane, served in the New Hampshire State Senate and was an advocate for equal rights and a pioneer for women.

Before entering electoral politics, Kuster worked as a community activist and adoption attorney, maintaining a private adoption practice where she helped hundreds of New Hampshire families adopt children. She is a member of the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys. She also worked as a lobbyist before her election to Congress.

Education

Kuster graduated from Dartmouth College in 1978 as part of the college's third class to include women students. She later earned her law degree from Georgetown University Law Center in 1984.

Political Experience

Kuster is a member of the Democratic Party. She was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in November 2012 and was sworn into office on January 3, 2013. She represented New Hampshire's 2nd Congressional District from 2013 to 2025. In March 2024, she announced she would not seek re-election to a seventh term.

During her tenure in Congress, Kuster established a strong record of bipartisan collaboration. She served as a member of the prestigious House Energy and Commerce Committee, positioning her to work on healthcare access, prescription drug costs, and climate change initiatives. She chaired the New Democrat Coalition, a centrist caucus among House Democrats.

Among her notable achievements, Kuster founded the Bipartisan Opioid Task Force and the Bipartisan Task Force to End Sexual Violence. She worked across party lines to pass comprehensive VA reforms, including cosponsoring the VA MISSION Act to expand community care access for New Hampshire veterans. She also secured millions in funding for broadband expansion and infrastructure projects, including a $200 million low-interest loan for I-93 expansion. Her 2018 Jobs and Opportunity Agenda outlined legislative proposals focused on apprenticeships, vocational training, affordable housing, and support for working families.