Meet Cathy

A descendant of Oregon Trail pioneers, Cathy is the fifth generation of the McMorris family to call the Pacific Northwest home. Early members of the McMorris family settled in Walla Walla in 1853. Growing up, Cathy worked on the family orchard near Kettle Falls alongside her parents and brother.

Cathy was the first in her family to graduate from college—and later earned an Executive MBA from the University of Washington.

She served in the State House for five terms, eventually being elected as Republican Leader. When the legislature was not in session, Cathy worked in her family’s small business, Peachcrest Fruit Basket, near Kettle Falls, Washington.

Cathy was elected to represent Washington’s Fifth District in 2004. At the time, she was only the 200th woman ever elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.

She is married to Spokane-native Brian Rodgers, a retired 26 year active-duty Navy Commander. They have one son and two daughters. Cathy was the first member of Congress in history to give birth three times.

Cathy’s Leadership in Congress

Cathy is Eastern Washington’s chief advocate in Congress — a position she uses to deliver results on agriculture, health care, forest management, hydropower, Fairchild Airforce Base, and veterans.

She has been a strong advocate for affordable and accessible health care. Cathy worked in a bipartisan way on a proposal to lower the cost of prescription drugs. She won expanded support for the Spokane Teaching Health Center and community clinics to bring more doctors to rural and underserved communities.

Since 2017, Cathy has helped secure more than $102 million in grants for critical transportation projects throughout Eastern Washington.

Her leadership has been recognized by numerous national policy organizations including the Washington Farm Bureau, Sandy Hook Promise, National Rural Health Association, Pacific Northwest Waterways Association, American Association of People with Disabilities, and Faith and Politics Institute.

Winning the Future

Eastern Washington’s future is bright. Cathy’s mission is to make sure our region wins the future - making it the best place in America to live, innovate, start a business, and raise your family.

Cathy is the Chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, tackling issues like rural broadband, consumer privacy, unleashing American energy, and Big Tech. In January 2023, she became the first woman in the history of the House of Representatives to hold this leadership position.

Cathy is also working to counter policies like Medicare for All and the Green New Deal that are supported by some who are on a dangerous mission to fundamentally change us with a complete government takeover of our economy.