(Apr 01, 2026) Rep. Joanna E. McClinton
HARRISBURG, March 31 – As Women’s History Month 2026 comes to a close, Speaker of the House Joanna McClinton, D-Phila./Delaware, reflected on how women’s leadership in the Pennsylvania State House is changing lives across the commonwealth and how today’s trailblazers are widening the path for the next generation of women leaders. Speaking to a group at her alma mater, La Salle University in Philadelphia, McClinton, who is the first woman to serve as speaker of the Pennsylvania House, shared that the number of women serving in the legislative body since she was elected in 2015 has soared by 50%, rising to an all-time high of 65 this month. An additional two women are set to be sworn in next month. “In Pennsylvania, our women lawmakers are lawyers, health care professionals, teachers, military officers, small business owners, journalists, caregivers, mothers, sisters, daughters, and aunts. We each draw on our experience to champion policies that are good for everyone,” McClinton said. Women have been crafting policy solutions to some of the state’s most pressing matters, including protecting access to health care, making life more affordable for working families, reforming the justice system, and expanding civil rights. McClinton added that having more women in the House has created further opportunities for women to serve in leadership roles. Currently, two women, in addition to McClinton, serve in Majority Leadership Read more