Strickland, Marilyn

Marilyn Strickland represents Washington's 10th Congressional District, which covers parts of Pierce and Thurston Counties in the South Sound region. Born in Seoul, South Korea in 1962, she moved to Tacoma as a child and earned degrees in business from the University of Washington and an MBA from Clark Atlanta University. Before entering Congress in 2021, Strickland served as mayor of Tacoma from 2010 to 2017 and as president and CEO of the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce. She is the first African American to represent Washington state at the federal level and one of the first Korean American women elected to Congress.

In the House, Strickland serves on the Armed Services Committee and the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. On Armed Services, she has focused on improving conditions for servicemembers and their families, securing a pay increase for junior enlisted personnel and restoring housing allowances. Through Transportation and Infrastructure, she has secured nearly $120 million in federal funding for her district for broadband, clean water, public transit, and road maintenance. Her legislative priorities reflect her background in business and local government, with bills addressing small farms, infrastructure efficiency, and support for tribal nations and military families.

Strickland holds significant leadership positions within the Democratic caucus, serving as Chief Deputy Whip and as Secretary of the Congressional Black Caucus. She is also active in the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus and chairs ASPIRE PAC, the political arm of Asian American and Pacific Islander Members of Congress. Her legislative work emphasizes economic development, military readiness, and infrastructure investment for her district.