Terri Sewell

Democrat Representative of Alabama's 7th district

Representative
Alabama, district 7
January 5, 2011 - January 3, 2013
Representative
Alabama, district 7
January 3, 2013 - January 3, 2015
Representative
Alabama, district 7
January 6, 2015 - January 3, 2017
Representative
Alabama, district 7
January 3, 2017 - January 3, 2019
Representative
Alabama, district 7
January 3, 2019 - January 3, 2021
Representative
Alabama, district 7
January 3, 2021 - January 3, 2023
Representative
Alabama, district 7
January 3, 2023 - January 3, 2025

202-225-2665

@RepTerriSewell

sewell.house.gov

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Congresses Served

House Terms

January 1, 1965 (59 years old)

Birthday

American lawyer and politician
Has served as a U.S. representative since 2011
Represents a district that includes significant African American populations and areas known as the Black Belt
First African-American woman elected to Congress from her state
Has been the only Democrat in her state’s House delegation for her entire term
Native of Huntsville, wanted to be a Broadway star as a child but pursued law due to her mother’s influence
First Black valedictorian of her high school
Attended Princeton University, where she befriended Michelle Obama
Was a Marshall Scholar at the University of Oxford, befriended Susan Rice there
Attended Harvard Law School, where she was friends with Barack Obama
Worked as a securities lawyer in New York and was the first Black woman partner at a law firm in Alabama
Inspired to enter politics by Barack Obama’s speech during the 2008 presidential election
Has a strong record of bipartisanship according to the Bipartisan Index
Known for a liberal stance with a focus on job creation
Endorsed Joe Biden for president in 2020
Supports abortion rights and opposed the overturning of Roe v. Wade
Advocates for a $15 minimum wage and gender pay equity
Supports tariffs on countries involved in currency manipulation
Sponsored the Voting Rights Advancement Act to update the Voting Rights Act of 1965
Voted for the Equality Act and the Respect for Marriage Act
Co-sponsored legislation to support historically black colleges and oppose offshore drilling
Supported Obama’s policies on Afghanistan and opposed removing armed forces in 2011
Co-sponsored the STOCK Act and the DISCLOSE Act for government reform
Voted for the Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019
Supports the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid expansion
Voted for the American Rescue Plan, which included funding for COVID-19 response in her district
Opposed funding for Trump’s wall and supported extending the PATRIOT Act’s wiretapping provisions
Called Alabama governor Kay Ivey’s past blackface performance “reprehensible”
Voted in favor of both impeachments of Donald Trump
Holds committee assignments in the Armed Services, House Administration, and Ways and Means committees
Member of several caucuses including the Congressional Black Caucus and the New Democrat Coalition
Divorced, lifetime member of Brown Chapel AME Church in Selma, cousin of a Virginia House of Delegates member