Sewell, Terri A.

Terri Sewell is in her eighth term representing Alabama's 7th Congressional District and is the first Black woman to serve in the Alabama Congressional delegation. In the 119th Congress, she serves as Ranking Member of the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Oversight—making her the first Black woman to hold a leadership role on that committee since its establishment in 1789—and as Ranking Member of the House Administration Subcommittee on Elections. As ranking member, she leads the Democratic opposition on these committees, shaping debate on tax policy, federal spending, and election administration.\n\nSewell brings more than 15 years of experience as a securities and public finance attorney to the Ways and Means Committee. She studied at Princeton University, Harvard Law School, and Oxford University, and before entering Congress worked as a securities lawyer and public finance lawyer, becoming the first Black woman partner at her firm. In the 119th Congress, she was selected to serve as Chief Deputy Whip and sits on the Steering and Policy Committee, which sets the policy direction of the Democratic Caucus.\n\nSince the Supreme Court's Shelby County v. Holder decision in 2013, Sewell has led efforts to restore the Voting Rights Act and is the author and lead sponsor of the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. Her first successful legislation honored the \"Four Little Girls\" killed in the 1963 16th Street Baptist Church bombing, passing unanimously in both houses and signed by President Obama. She chairs the Congressional Black Caucus Voting Rights Task Force and co-chairs the Congressional Voting Rights Caucus and Rural Caucus.