Scanlon, Mary Gay

Mary Gay Scanlon is a Democratic member of the House of Representatives representing Pennsylvania's 5th Congressional District since 2019. As Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Limited Government within the House Judiciary Committee, she leads the Democratic opposition on constitutional and civil liberties matters. In this role, she shapes the committee's legislative agenda on issues ranging from voting rights to civil rights protections. She also serves as a member of the House Committee on Rules.

Scanlon brings extensive expertise in law and public interest advocacy to her committee work. She earned her law degree from the University of Pennsylvania Law School and spent decades as a public interest attorney, including work with the Education Law Center of Pennsylvania where she led class action lawsuits to enforce the rights of students with disabilities. Her career has focused on children's welfare, education rights, voting rights, and civil liberties—areas directly relevant to the Judiciary Committee's jurisdiction.

As Ranking Member, Scanlon has been a vocal advocate for protecting constitutional freedoms and has pushed back against what she views as attacks on American civil rights. She has championed legislation addressing education access, healthcare, voting rights, and gun violence prevention. Her legislative work reflects her longstanding commitment to education policy and her advocacy for marginalized communities, including foster youth and low-income families. She chairs the Legal Aid Caucus and the Youth Mentoring Caucus, underscoring her focus on supporting vulnerable populations through federal policy.