About Joyce

Congresswoman Joyce Beatty proudly represents Ohio’s Third Congressional District in the United States Congress. She sits on the exclusive House Committee on Financial Services and serves on three Subcommittees: Chair of Diversity and Inclusion, Housing, Community Development and Insurance, and Oversight and Investigations. As the first-ever Chairwoman of the Financial Services Subcommittee on Diversity and Inclusion, Beatty leads efforts to ensure the financial services industry works better for all Americans. Congresswoman Beatty is known for using her powerful voice to connect people to policy and politics, and for being a bridge-builder.

Recently, Beatty received national attention when she was peppered sprayed while standing with peaceful protesters over the killings of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd. In response, she introduced H.Res. 990, Racism is a ‘National Crisis.' Beatty has written 93 pieces of legislation and cosponsored over 1,600 bills. A sought after public speaker and recognized by Ebony Magazine as one of the 150 most powerful African-Americans in the United States.

She is leading the charge in Congress to ensure greater diversity at the Federal Reserve, introducing a bill modeled after the NFL’s “Rooney Rule” that guarantees at least one gender diverse candidate and racially or ethnically diverse candidate are interviewed when there is a vacancy among the Federal Reserve Regional Bank presidents. Her bill is known as the “Beatty Rule.” Beatty has written 93 pieces of legislation and cosponsored over 1,600 bills.

Congresswoman Beatty is Vice-Chair of the powerful Congressional Black Caucus, Regional Whip for Region 10, Co-Chair of the Financial and Economic Literacy Caucus and Congressional Heart and Stroke Coalition, Deputy Vice-Chair of the Congressional Voting Rights Caucus, and founder and Co-Chair of the Congressional Civility and Respect Caucus.

Prior to coming to Congress in 2013, Beatty was Senior Vice President of Outreach and Engagement at The Ohio State University. She also served in the Ohio House of Representatives and rose to become the first female Democratic House Leader in Ohio’s history.

Congresswoman Beatty was the first African-American female to chair the Columbus Urban League Board, and is a life member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., NAACP, National Council of Negro Women as well as a member of The Links, Inc., the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, the American Heart Association, and numerous other organizations.

She received her Bachelor of Arts from Central State University, her Master of Science from Wright State University, and completed all requirements but her dissertation for a doctorate at the University of Cincinnati. She has been awarded honorary doctorate degrees from Central State University and Ohio Dominican University, as well as an honorary juris doctor from Capital University Law School. She is married to Attorney Otto Beatty, Jr. and is the proud grandmother of Leah and Spencer.