Diana DeGette (CO-0001)

Biography

Diana DeGette represents Colorado's 1st Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives, a position she has held since 1997. A fourth-generation Coloradan born on July 29, 1957, in Tachikawa, Japan, she is a lawyer who lives in Denver with her husband Lino Lipinsky and their two daughters, Raphaela and Francesca. Notable achievements include leading on health care policy as the top Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee, co-authoring the 21st Century Cures Act, playing a key role in the Affordable Care Act, expanding stem cell research and the State Children's Health Insurance Program , sponsoring the Women's Health Protection Act, authoring the Colorado Wilderness Act to protect over 660,000 acres, and championing environmental enforcement, insulin cost reduction, and reproductive rights. She also serves as Co-Chair of the Reproductive Freedom Caucus and Vice-Chair of the LGBT Equality Caucus.

Education

DeGette earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Colorado College in 1979 and a Juris Doctor from New York University School of Law in 1982. She practiced law in Denver, focusing on civil rights and employment litigation.

Political Experience

DeGette began her political career in the Colorado House of Representatives , where she served as Assistant Minority Leader, authored the "Bubble Bill" , and the Voluntary Cleanup and Redevelopment Act. Elected to Congress in 1996, she has held leadership roles including Democratic Chief Deputy Whip , Chair of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, and Ranking Member of the Health Subcommittee on the Energy and Commerce Committee. She presided as Speaker pro tempore during the first impeachment debate of President Donald Trump in 2019.