Katherine Clark of Massachusetts will be the first woman to serve as House Majority Leader, according to Hakeem Jeffries.

Congressman from Massachusetts Catherine Clark is poised to make history as the first woman to become majority leader in Congress, the House Democratic leader said Wednesday.

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, who is expected to be elected the next Speaker of the House after Democrats won big in the 2026 midterm electionsintroduced Clark at a press conference as “the next majority leader of the House of Representatives” and “someone who will be the first woman to hold this office in our 250-year journey.”

Clark, the current House minority whip who lives in Revere, was elected to Congress in 2013 to replace current Sen. Ed Markey. The 63-year-old said she was proud to “make history” by being part of the new majority.

“In the words of the great Dolly Parton, it’s been a long, hard fight, but I see a brand new day dawning,” Clark said.

Clark was candid about child care issuespresenting the Babies Act in 2022 to help new mothers gain greater access to birthing centers and midwives. She also criticized President Trump “A big and beautiful bill” last year, calling him “incredibly cruel” for cutting Medicaid and food stamps.

Clark must still be elected by her House colleagues to become majority leader in the new Congress. She said Wednesday that Americans trust her party to do more than just “damage control” on the Trump administration.

“They charged a Democratic Congress to lead us to something better, to make their lives easier,” she said.

Clark formally declared his intention to run for majority leader in a letter to other Democratic representatives on Thursday.

“My priority will be to ensure that every part of our caucus is heard and empowered to play a role in the policymaking process,” Clark wrote. “At every decision point, I intend to work closely with you to understand the needs of your district and maximize your ability to meet the expectations of your constituents.”

Steve Kerrigan, chairman of the Massachusetts Democratic Party, has known Clark since she first ran for the Melrose School Committee in 2001.

“It’s huge. The last time we had someone at this height leading the House was Tip O’Neill and that was decades ago,” Kerrigan said. “I can’t wait for the world to see the incredibly special person she is and the great leader she is.”

WBZ-TV political analyst Jon Keller said Clark, as majority leader, could mean millions of dollars in funding for Massachusetts.

“This is an area where, over the last two years of the Trump administration, we’ve been really hit by reductions in federal research grants and other funding sources,” Keller said.

Congresswoman Clark’s office did not respond to WBZ’s request for an interview.