Balint, Becca

Becca Balint represents Vermont's at-large congressional district in the House. Born in Heidelberg, Germany, and raised in Peekskill, New York, she earned degrees from Smith College, Harvard University, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She moved to Vermont in 1994 and worked as a teacher, rock-climbing instructor, and columnist before entering electoral politics. In 2014, she was elected to the Vermont State Senate from Windham County, becoming the first openly acknowledged lesbian to serve in that chamber. She was reelected in 2016, 2018, and 2020.

During her tenure in the Vermont Senate, Balint served on multiple committees including Economic Development, Housing and General Affairs, Finance, and Rules. She chaired the Senate Sexual Harassment Panel and was instrumental in a 2017 vote to suspend a senator following sexual assault accusations. In 2017, the Democratic caucus unanimously elected her majority leader. In 2020, she was selected to serve as president pro tempore, making her the first woman and openly LGBTQ person to hold that position in Vermont.

Balint was elected to the U.S. House in 2022, making her the first woman and openly LGBTQ person to represent Vermont in Congress. Her election was historically significant, as Vermont was the only state that had not previously elected a woman to Congress. In the House, she serves on the Budget Committee and the Judiciary Committee, with subcommittee assignments focused on the Constitution and Limited Government and the Administrative State, Regulatory Reform, and Antitrust. Her legislative priorities include mental health services, emergency medical services reimbursement, and nuclear plant decommissioning.