Rosa DeLauro’s Story
To really know Rosa, you have to know her family. From her first days tagging along with her father in Wooster Square, to standing up for her beliefs in Congress, one thing has never changed about Rosa — she cares deeply about people. Rosa’s parents always stressed the importance of hard work, compassion for others, and quality education.
Early Life
Rosa DeLauro is a powerhouse in American politics, with a career that spans over three decades of tireless public service. Representing Connecticut’s 3rd Congressional District since 1991, she’s known for her fierce advocacy for working families, progressive values, and a deep commitment to equity and public health.
Rosa was elected Chair of the mighty House Appropriations Committee in 2020. In the minority, she is now serving as the Ranking Member on the Committee, which oversees nearly every aspect of government spending. Only the second woman in history to lead this powerful Committee, and the first Congressperson ever from Connecticut. She also served as the Chair – and now Ranking Member while in the minority – of the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee, which oversees funding for the most critical programs for families and communities.
Top Democrat
As Chair and Ranking Member, Rosa directed roughly $1.4 trillion in annual spending that Congress doles out to build a more equitable country. She shifted federal spending priorities away from support for billionaires and corporations to programs to support hardworking Americans and communities and help them address the rising cost of living – investing in education and health care, addressing the climate crisis, and keeping our communities safe. She brought home over $70 million to Connecticut's Third Congressional District for local projects since 2021- $16 million in 2024 alone.
Rosa also served in the Democratic leadership as Chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education. Rosa was charged with overseeing what she considers the core responsibilities of our federal government, and saw Appropriations as the center of that activity.
Looking Forward
Rosa is the Dean of the Connecticut delegation and a founding member of the Progressive Caucus. She is the author of numerous bills, including The Paycheck Fairness Act and the Child Tax Credit. For Rosa, her work has been and will always be about helping people.
Since coming to Congress, she has built a reputation as a hard-working, passionate, and forthright advocate for her constituents, an honest broker who works with members of all parties, and a leader on matters of domestic and social policy. She has helped improve schools, bring tax relief to middle-class families, protect employee pensions, and encourage job creation in Connecticut.
Working for You
Leadership Roles & Legislative Impact
House Appropriations Committee: DeLauro made history as the second woman ever—and the first from Connecticut—to chair this influential committee, which controls over $1.4 trillion in annual federal spending.
Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education: She’s the Ranking Member here, overseeing funding for education, health care, and employment programs.
Legislative Achievements
Child Tax Credit Expansion: Won passage of the improved and expanded Child Tax Credit in the American Rescue Plan. This was the largest tax cut for working- and middle-class families in a generation that cut child poverty in half and was paid monthly.
Paycheck Fairness Act: Aimed at closing the gender wage gap.
Fighting Hunger: Secured the largest increase in SNAP benefits in history, leading to $181 million more for Connecticut and households receiving 21 percent more in food benefits.
National Infrastructure Bank: Proposed to modernize America’s infrastructure and stimulate job growth.
Progressive Values & Advocacy
Founding member of the Progressive Caucus.
Vocal supporter of paid family leave, equal pay, and affordable health care.
Opposes trade deals that ship jobs overseas and weaken labor and environmental protections.
Members of the U.S. House of Representatives write and vote on federal laws, including the federal budget. Each represents one district and serves a two-year term. Tax bills must start in the House, only the House can impeach federal officials, and members oversee federal agencies through their committees.