Maxine Waters

Democrat Representative of California's 43rd district

Representative
California, district 29
January 3, 1991 - January 3, 1993
Representative
California, district 35
January 5, 1993 - January 3, 1995
Representative
California, district 35
January 4, 1995 - January 3, 1997
Representative
California, district 35
January 7, 1997 - January 3, 1999
Representative
California, district 35
January 6, 1999 - January 3, 2001
Representative
California, district 35
January 3, 2001 - January 3, 2003
Representative
California, district 35
January 7, 2003 - January 3, 2005
Representative
California, district 35
January 4, 2005 - January 3, 2007
Representative
California, district 35
January 4, 2007 - January 3, 2009
Representative
California, district 35
January 6, 2009 - January 3, 2011
Representative
California, district 35
January 5, 2011 - January 3, 2013
Representative
California, district 43
January 3, 2013 - January 3, 2015
Representative
California, district 43
January 6, 2015 - January 3, 2017
Representative
California, district 43
January 3, 2017 - January 3, 2019
Representative
California, district 43
January 3, 2019 - January 3, 2021
Representative
California, district 43
January 3, 2021 - January 3, 2023
Representative
California, district 43
January 3, 2023 - January 3, 2025

202-225-2201

@RepMaxineWaters

waters.house.gov

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Congresses Served

House Terms

August 15, 1938 (86 years old)

Birthday

Serving as the U.S. representative for California’s 43rd congressional district since 1991
Has served in the House for 17 terms, making her the most senior of the 13 black women in Congress
Chaired the Congressional Black Caucus from 1997 to 1999
Second-most senior member of the California congressional delegation after Nancy Pelosi
Chaired the House Financial Services Committee from 2019 to 2023 and became the ranking member in 2023
Served seven terms in the California State Assembly before her tenure in Congress, where she advocated for divestment from South Africa’s apartheid regime
Outspoken opponent of the Iraq War and has criticized several U.S. presidents
Included in Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of 2018
Born in St. Louis, Missouri, and moved to Los Angeles in 1961
Worked in a garment factory and as a telephone operator before becoming an assistant teacher with the Head Start program
Graduated with a bachelor’s degree in sociology from California State University, Los Angeles
Worked as chief deputy to City Councilman David S. Cunningham, Jr. before being elected to the California State Assembly
Involved in various controversies and investigations, including allegations of corruption and ethics violations, but was cleared of all ethics charges by the House Ethics Committee in 2012
Objected to the results of the 2000, 2004, and 2016 presidential elections
Known for her confrontational style, including urging public confrontation of Trump administration officials and her “reclaiming my time” moment during a House Financial Services Committee meeting
Called for investigations into the CIA’s alleged involvement in the crack epidemic in Los Angeles
Advocated for affordable housing initiatives and co-sponsored legislation for reparations for slavery
Received an “A” grade from the nonpartisan Lugar Center’s Congressional Oversight Hearing Index for her tenure as chair of the House Financial Services Committee in the 116th Congress