Mary Gay is a graduate of Colgate University and the University of Pennsylvania Law School. She served as a Judicial Clerk for the Superior Court of Pennsylvania.

About | Scanlon for Congress

Mary Gay and her husband, Mark Stewart, have three children: Casey, Daniel, and Matthew. All three children graduated from the local public school system.

Mary Gay and Mark reside in Swarthmore with their cockatiel named TJ and a number of chickens.

Mary Gay Scanlon is a graduate of Colgate University and the University of Pennsylvania Law School. She lives in Swarthmore with her husband, Mark Stewart, and their three children.

As a senior staff attorney at the Education Law Center of Pennsylvania, Mary Gay led class action lawsuits to enforce the rights of students with disabilities, in addition to representing individual students and their parents from across the state, drafting legislative and regulatory proposals, and producing training materials and educational programs for parents, educators, social service providers, government agencies and other advocates.

Mary Gay served as national Pro Bono Counsel at Ballard Spahr LLP for 15 years, supervising over 600 lawyers in 15 offices as they provided more than 50,000 hours of pro bono legal services annually to low-income clients and nonprofit organizations.

Mary Gay Scanlon previously worked as national Pro Bono Counsel at Ballard Spahr LLP and as a senior staff attorney at the Education Law Center of Pennsylvania.

SCANLON, Mary Gay, a Representative from Pennsylvania; born in Syracuse, Onondaga County, N.Y., August 30, 1959; graduated from Watertown High School, Watertown, N.Y., 1976; B.A., Colgate University, Hamilton, N.Y., 1980; J.D., University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pa., 1984; lawyer, private practice; judicial law clerk, superior court of Pennsylvania; member of the Wallingford-Swarthmore, Pa., school board, 2007-2015, president, 2009-2011; attorney, Education Law Center of Pennsylvania, 1992-2001; elected simultaneously as a Democrat to the One Hundred Fifteenth and the One Hundred Sixteenth Congresses, by special election, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of United States Representative Patrick Meehan, and reelected to the three succeeding Congresses (November 6, 2018-present).

SCANLON, Mary Gay | US House of Representatives: History, Art & Archives

From 2007 to 2015, Mary Gay was an elected member of the Wallingford-Swarthmore School Board, during which she served as Vice President and President and led a tax commission to address school funding.

Mary Gay currently serves as a U.S. representative from Pennsylvania. She was elected in a 2018 special election and reelected to the next three Congresses. She previously served as an elected member of the Wallingford-Swarthmore School Board from 2007 to 2015.

SCANLON, Mary Gay | US House of Representatives

2026 Pennsylvania General Election 

The bill, which passed the House 222-210, includes two amendments that Scanlon offered to help shape the legislation. One provides grants to institutions of higher education to create innovative, research-focused education centers for STEM students. “Our current STEM workforce needs to be larger and more diverse in order to meet the critical challenges we face in human health, cyber security, and climate change — among other areas. The America COMPETES Act will help meet those challenges. Right now, nearly 60% of students who enter college intending to major in a STEM field leave the field before they graduate. I am pleased that my amendment to promote retention of diverse STEM students was included in the bill,” added Rep. Scanlon.

House Includes Two Scanlon Amendments in America COMPETES Act

Introduced an amendment to promote retention of diverse science, technology, engineering, and mathematics students in higher education.

- Introduced an amendment to promote retention of diverse science, technology, engineering, and mathematics students in higher education.

Education

Rep. Scanlon continued: “It’s also important for these students to have opportunities to join the workforce and find robust funding for basic and applied research. That is why I introduced a second amendment to clarify the designation process for the Regional Technology and Innovation Hub Program, authorized in the underlying bill. My amendment will allow the Philadelphia region to be eligible to receive federal grants to spur research and workforce development programs.”

Introduced an amendment to make the Philadelphia region eligible for federal research and workforce-development grants through the Regional Technology and Innovation Hub Program.

- Introduced an amendment to make the Philadelphia region eligible for federal research and workforce-development grants through the Regional Technology and Innovation Hub Program.

Economy

“Every person should have the power to make their own reproductive health care decisions, without interference from politicians. We must protect and expand protections for these freedoms and fight for better access to care for all patients. That’s why I’m leading legislation to repeal the Comstock Act, a Victorian era ban on the mailing of medication abortion and other materials used in abortion procedures, as well as supporting bills to codify the right to receive and provide abortions, contraception, and IVF. As Republican lawmakers continue their efforts to strip reproductive freedoms and push for a national abortion ban, I will continue working to codify abortion rights and ensure that all Americans have access to comprehensive reproductive health care, no matter where they live.”

Congresswoman Scanlon’s Statement on Third Anniversary of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization Decision

“Every person should have the power to make their own reproductive health care decisions, without interference from politicians. We must protect and expand protections for these freedoms and fight for better access to care for all patients. That’s why I’m leading legislation to repeal the Comstock Act, a Victorian era ban on the mailing of medication abortion and other materials used in abortion procedures, as well as supporting bills to codify the right to receive and provide abortions, contraception, and IVF.”

Plans to work to codify abortion rights and protect access to comprehensive reproductive health care nationwide.

Leads legislation to repeal the Comstock Act and supports federal protections for abortion, contraception, and in vitro fertilization.

- Plans to work to codify abortion rights and protect access to comprehensive reproductive health care nationwide.
- Leads legislation to repeal the Comstock Act and supports federal protections for abortion, contraception, and in vitro fertilization.

Healthcare

Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05) today released the following statement after voting NO on H.R.22, the so-called “SAVE” Act. “Let me be perfectly clear: This is a non-issue. Non-citizens do not vote in US elections. Under federal law, noncitizens are already prohibited from voting in federal elections and could face prison or deportation just for registering. Study after study shows that this is a non-issue. Instead, this bill will suppress the votes of eligible citizens and collectively cost American taxpayers and individuals billions because of the absurd new barriers it creates. And the consequences of this bill would be very real for Pennsylvanians. The SAVE Act assumes that voters have a version of REAL ID that proves citizenship. Only five states issue that type of REAL ID, and Pennsylvania is not one. So, PA driver licenses alone could no longer be used to register to vote.”

U.S. Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon

“H.R. 1 will make it easier for eligible Americans to vote. Allowing and enabling Americans to vote should not be a divisive partisan issue – our nation can only stand to benefit when all eligible voters have a voice. The very fact that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have greater electoral success when fewer people turn out to vote is not just a stain on our democracy, but a direct threat to it. Automatic voter registration will make it easier for young adults and working families to ensure they are not left out of the process due to issues with registration.”

Full Text: Congresswoman Scanlon Leads Floor Debate on H.R.1

“A specific priority of mine that I am excited to see included in the bill will make it easier for persons with disabilities to participate in the electoral process. For too long, individuals with disabilities have faced barriers that prevent them from participating in our democracy at the ballot box. I have introduced legislation that is included in H.R. 1 that will direct and assist states to improve access to voter registration and voting for persons with disabilities.”

“Election security has been a bipartisan concern across the country for years, and H.R. 1 will make considerable investments to ensure our elections are secure, independent, and free from any foreign interference. Empowering the Election Assistance Commission will allow states to get the funding they need to upgrade or improve their election infrastructure, and improvements in Election Administration will help protect voting systems from cyber threats.”

“Going further, H.R. 1 acts to shine a light and address the dark money which the Citizens United decision unleashed into our politics. Each year we do not act on reversing Citizens United, more and more untraceable money is spent on campaigns. This bill will overhaul the Federal Election Commission – the FEC - so that we have a real cop on the beat to enforce our campaign finance laws. It will upgrade political advertising disclosures and require donors giving more than $10,000 to politically-active organizations to be publicly identified.”

Voted against the SAVE Act, saying its citizenship-document requirements would suppress eligible voters and prevent Pennsylvania driver's licenses from being used for voter registration.

Supports automatic voter registration to help young adults and working families remain registered to vote.

Introduced legislation to help states improve voter registration and voting access for people with disabilities.

Supports federal funding for election infrastructure and Election Assistance Commission programs to protect voting systems from foreign interference and cyber threats.

Supports campaign-finance enforcement and political-advertising disclosure requirements, including public identification of certain large donors.

- Voted against the SAVE Act, saying its citizenship-document requirements would suppress eligible voters and prevent Pennsylvania driver's licenses from being used for voter registration.
- Supports automatic voter registration to help young adults and working families remain registered to vote.
- Introduced legislation to help states improve voter registration and voting access for people with disabilities.
- Supports federal funding for election infrastructure and Election Assistance Commission programs to protect voting systems from foreign interference and cyber threats.
- Supports campaign-finance enforcement and political-advertising disclosure requirements, including public identification of certain large donors.

Voting & Elections

“I have worked my entire adult life, as a lawyer and in Congress, in service to my community, and in particular to protect women, children, and the most vulnerable members of our community. That is why I fully support the pre-existing provisions in our immigration system which provide for the detention and removal of undocumented individuals who commit serious crimes. I will always support legitimate measures to protect members of our community and hold accountable those who commit domestic violence or sexual offenses. But I will not support legislation that harms our community just because it has a misleading title or pretend purpose.”

Congresswoman Scanlon Slams H.R. 29 as “Legislative Clickbait”

“Existing laws already provide for detention and deportation of undocumented immigrants who are convicted of serious crimes. H.R. 29 does nothing to fund efforts to enforce those provisions, and it does not make serious attempts to make our communities safer. Instead, H.R. 29 creates new opportunities to undermine community safety and the rule of law. The bill requires detention of people who have been accused of crimes, without regard to their actual guilt, and does not provide funding for the massive increase in detentions this would cause. This denial of due process opens the door to coercion and misuse of our immigration laws.”

Supports detention and removal under existing immigration law for undocumented people who commit serious crimes.

Opposes H.R. 29 because it would require immigration detention for people accused of crimes without regard to guilt.

- Supports detention and removal under existing immigration law for undocumented people who commit serious crimes.
- Opposes H.R. 29 because it would require immigration detention for people accused of crimes without regard to guilt.

Foreign Policy and Immigration

As of October 16, 2026, Mary Gay Scanlon did not have a website or any information online.

Energy & the Environment

“I am constantly hearing from constituents of all ages and walks of life who are demanding action to reduce gun violence,” said Rep. Scanlon. “With today’s passage of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, we answer their calls and reject the twisted theory that the American people must be sacrificial lambs to a ‘guns everywhere’ ideology. This bill is a minimal first step to protect our children, keep our schools safe, and reduce the threat of violence across the nation. And we know it cannot be our last. We need to enact and enforce laws that protect the rights of all Americans to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness — free from gun violence.”

Rep. Scanlon continued, “I’m proud the package includes my bill to make mental health professionals available to respond to mental health crises in our neighborhoods. All too often, we see the tragic consequences of interactions between people in crisis and police officers who lack the necessary resources to respond to those issues. The American people and law enforcement agree — most people experiencing a mental health crisis should be treated by trained mental health professionals, not thrown in jail. This bill will make our communities safer by providing resources to address the needs of our most vulnerable citizens rather than overextending our law enforcement agencies.”

Scanlon Votes to Make PA-05 Communities Safer with Robust Public Safety Package

“We will make our communities safer by addressing the root causes of violence and providing law enforcement with the tools they need – not by shouting about who is the toughest on crime,” said Rep. Scanlon. “Today’s package addresses the root causes of gun violence by investing in evidence-based community violence intervention programs and resources to address mental health issues. The package also builds stronger, healthier relationships between law enforcement and those they serve, promotes hiring and training to support community-focused policing, and provides targeted resources to solve gun crimes.”

Supports further laws to reduce gun violence beyond the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act.

Sponsored a bill to provide trained mental-health professionals for neighborhood crisis response rather than jail.

Supports investments in community violence intervention, mental-health resources, community-focused policing, and gun-crime investigations.

- Supports further laws to reduce gun violence beyond the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act.
- Sponsored a bill to provide trained mental-health professionals for neighborhood crisis response rather than jail.
- Supports investments in community violence intervention, mental-health resources, community-focused policing, and gun-crime investigations.

Public Safety

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Mary Gay Scanlon

Scanlon Votes NO on GOP Voter Suppression Bill | U.S. Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05)

As of October 16, 2026, Mary Gay Scanlon’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Scanlon Takes Historic Action to Prevent Gun Violence | U.S. Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon

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- Your US Representative represents the interests of your district in the US House of Representatives, the lower house of Congress. Pennsylvania currently has 19 US Representatives.
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