Boyda, Nancy E., 1955-

Nancy E. Boyda (born August 2, 1955) is an American chemist and politician. A member of the Democratic Party, she served as the U.S. Representative for Kansas's 2nd congressional district from 2007 to 2009.

Born in St. Louis, Missouri, she graduated in 1977 from William Jewell College in Liberty, Missouri, with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and education. She worked for more than two decades in pharmaceutical research, first as an inspector for the Environmental Protection Agency, and later as a manager in the research departments for several pharmaceutical companies. She also taught grade school. Boyda is married to Steve Boyda. A lifelong Republican, she became a Democrat in 2003. The following year, she challenged Republican incumbent Jim Ryun for his seat in Kansas' 2nd Congressional district, losing by 15 percent. Challenging Ryun two years later, Boyda mounted a grassroots effort that involved intense personal campaigning, local radio and newspaper ads, and a barrage of yard signs that read, “Had Enough?” In an election in which Republicans lost majority control in the House for the first time in 12 years, Boyda defeated Ryun, 51 to 47 percent.

During her time in Congress, Boyda introduced the Congressional Pension Accountability Act in the opening days of the 110th Congress (2007–2009). The legislation would have denied federal pensions to Members who were convicted of criminal actions committed while they served in Congress. It passed the House by a wide margin as part of the new Democratic majority’s accountability and reform program but died in the Senate. The initiative was later incorporated into the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act, which passed both chambers and became law in September 2007. Boyda advocated continued funding for U.S. troops in Iraq while demanding a clear strategy from the George W. Bush administration to end the war. She also sought full congressional funding for the Base Realignment and Closure Commission’s efforts to restructure the U.S. military. From her Armed Services seat, Boyda also steered millions of dollars for improvements to Fort Leavenworth and Fort Riley. Boyda narrowly lost her 2008 bid for re-election to Republican Lynn Jenkins.

After leaving the House, Boyda joined President Barack Obama’s administration as the deputy assistant Secretary of Defense for manpower and personnel issues in 2009. When Kansas Senator Pat Roberts announced his retirement ahead of the 2020 Senate election in Kansas, Boyda briefly ran for the Democratic nomination to replace him, withdrawing in October 2019.