Current members of the United States Congress
Encyclopedia
The 111th United States Congress
, in session from 2009–2010, consisted of 541 elected officials from 50 states
, five territories, and the District of Columbia
. It is the federal
legislature
of the United States of America
, continuing an unbroken chain dating back to the 1st Congress
in 1789.
The Senate
has 100 members; the House of Representatives
has 435 members and six non-voting delegates.
(D-CA), Maria Cantwell
(D-WA), Susan Collins
(R-ME), Kay Hagan (D-NC), Dianne Feinstein
(D-CA), Kirsten Gillibrand
(D-NY), Kay Bailey Hutchison
(R-TX), Amy Klobuchar
(D-MN), Mary Landrieu
(D-LA), Blanche Lincoln
(D-AR), Claire McCaskill
(D-MO), Barbara Mikulski
(D-MD), Lisa Murkowski
(R-AK), Patty Murray
(D-WA), Jeanne Shaheen
(D-NH), Olympia Snowe
(R-ME), and Debbie Stabenow
(D-MI).
There were 13 Jews, one Hispanic
(Bob Menendez, D-NJ) one Japanese American
(Daniel Inouye
, D-HI), one Native Hawaiian (Daniel Akaka
, D-HI) and one African American
, Roland Burris
(D-IL). The average age of senators in 2007 was 62 years. The oldest senator was Frank Lautenberg
(D-NJ), born January 23, 1924. The youngest senator was Carte Goodwin
(D-WV), born February 27, 1974.
The 111th Congress included the most religiously diverse House in history, including two Muslims (Keith Ellison
, D-MN and André Carson
, D-IN), two Buddhists (Mazie Hirono
, D-HI and Hank Johnson
, D-GA), 31 Jews, one Quaker (Rush D. Holt, Jr.
, D-NJ) and one atheist (Pete Stark
, D-CA). There were 42 African Americans (including two non-voting delegates) and 75 female representatives. There were also 27 Hispanics, six Asian Americans (Joseph Cao
, R-LA; Judy Chu
, D-CA; Mazie Hirono
, D-HI; Michael Honda, D-CA; Doris Matsui
, D-CA; and David Wu
, D-OR), and one Native American (Tom Cole
, R-OK). There were three openly gay members (Tammy Baldwin
, D-WI; Barney Frank
, D-MA; and Jared Polis
, D-CO..
(12.4%), Methodist (10.7%), Jewish
(8.4%), and Presbyterian (8.1%). Protestant denominations have held a large majority throughout congressional history, reflecting American's traditional demographics. In the 111th Congress, 54.7% of seats were held by members of Protestant denominations.
45 Jews served in the 111th Congress. Eleven representatives and six senators were members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Senator Olympia Snowe
, as well as Representatives John Sarbanes
, Zack Space
, Gus Bilirakis
, Dina Titus
, Niki Tsongas
and Melissa Bean
are Orthodox Christians.
In 2007, Keith Ellison
of Minnesota
became the first practicing Muslim
to become a member of the United States Congress. He was joined by André Carson
of Indiana
following a special election
on March 11, 2008. Both are converts to Islam. Mazie Hirono
of Hawaii
and Hank Johnson
of Georgia
became the first two Buddhists to be elected to the United States Congress on November 7, 2006. Johnson is a member of the Soka Gakkai movement and Hirono is a member of the Jodo Shinshu
sect, although she is non-practicing. Both are Japanese Buddhist oriented.
Senator Kent Conrad
(D-N.D.) and Representatives Walt Minnick
(D-Idaho) and Pete Stark
(D-CA) were the only Unitarian Universalists
that served in the 111th Congress. In a response to a March 2007 survey from the Secular Coalition for America
, Rep. Pete Stark
became the only open atheist in the history of Congress. One member of the 111th Congress is a Quaker
, Representative Rush Holt
(D-NJ).
Nine members of the 111th Congress were categorized Not Given / Unspecified / Unavailable / Don't Know.
Hawaii is the only state that currently holds a majority non-Christian House delegation; both representatives Mazie Hirono
and Colleen Hanabusa
are Buddhists.
members in the history of Congress. Gerry Studds
(elected in 1972) became the first openly gay man when he publicly announced his sexuality in 1982. Barney Frank
(serving since 1981) first spoke publicly about his sexual orientation in 1987. Steve Gunderson, elected in 1980 and outed in 1994, and Jim Kolbe
, elected in 1984 and outed in 1996, are two other previous members of Congress who were openly gay. Current congresswoman Tammy Baldwin
is the first and so far only open lesbian woman to win election to Congress. In 1998, she became the first ever openly gay person to win election to Congress as a non-incumbent. Former California representative Michael Huffington
is bisexual, but did not come out until after his term had ended. Jared Polis
(who was elected in 2008 and assumed office on January 6, 2009) is the first openly gay man to have been elected to the House as a freshman. Republican representative Mark Foley
's homosexuality was well-known in his district, though he did not serve openly in Congress and did not come out publicly until after his term ended. It has been widely reported that current congressman David Dreier
is gay, though he has steadfastly refused to respond to these reports. Then-Senator Larry Craig
was arrested for lewd conduct in a men's washroom at the Minneapolis airport in 2007, but insisted that he was not gay. There has never been an openly transgender member of the house. There has never been an openly lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender member of the Senate.
notes that the vast majority of Members (95 percent) had an academic degree
:
Three Representatives (John Shimkus
, Geoff Davis
, Brett Guthrie
) and one Senator (Jack Reed) are graduates of the United States Military Academy
, while two Senators (John McCain
, Jim Webb
) and one Representative (Joe Sestak) are graduates of the United States Naval Academy
. Three Senators (including Russ Feingold
and Richard Lugar) and two Representatives (Jim Cooper
and Jim Himes
) were Rhodes Scholars, three Representatives (Tom Cole
and Gabrielle Giffords
) were Fulbright Scholars , and one Representative (John M. Spratt, Jr.
) was a Marshall Scholar.
; some are combat veteran
s. There were 167 veterans in the 107th Congress
, 153 in the 108th Congress
, 126 in the 110th Congress
, and 121 in the current 111th Congress
. Some were still serving as reservists
during their tenure.
Among the most notable combat veterans include Sen. Daniel Inouye
(D-HI), who served in World War II
as a captain in the 442nd Infantry Regiment and is the only current member of Congress to have been awarded the Medal of Honor
. Inouye, fellow Hawaii Senator Daniel Akaka
and New Jersey Senator Frank Lautenberg
are the last remaining World War II veterans in Congress.
Sen. Jim Webb
(D-VA), a Marine Corps
veteran, served in Vietnam
as platoon commander with Delta Company, 1st Battalion 5th Marines
; he earned a Navy Cross
, Silver Star
, two Bronze Stars
, and two Purple Heart
s. Sen. John McCain
(R-AZ) served in Vietnam as a naval aviator. Shot down during his 23rd bombing mission over Vietnam in 1967, McCain was captured and torture
d as a prisoner of war
and was finally released in March 1973. He earned the Silver Star
, Bronze Star
, Distinguished Flying Cross
, Navy Commendation Medal and the Prisoner of War Medal
, though it was created years afters his release.
s currently make up about 13% of the US population, but have historically been underrepresented in Congress. In the 111th Congress, 42 members (9.5%) of the House were African American. As of 2010, there was one African-American serving in the Senate. Roland Burris
was sworn in as senator on January 15, 2009 after being appointed by Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich
. Following the end of Burris's tenure in the Senate and his replacement by Republican
Mark Kirk
on November 29, 2010, there were once again no African Americans serving in the Senate. Barack Obama previously held Burris's seat but resigned from his position on November 16, 2008, after winning the Presidential election of 2008 and becoming the first African American to be elected President of the United States. Until the emancipation of enslaved African Americans after the Civil War
and the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1866
, blacks were generally barred from voting outside of the Northeast. As a result of these new laws, Joseph Rainey
and Jefferson F. Long
won election to Congress in majority-black districts and Hiram Rhodes Revels
was appointed as senator from Mississippi (then a majority-black state) in 1870. However, the end of Reconstruction in 1876 marked a weakening of black rights and by 1901, when George Henry White
left the House after losing a reelection bid, there were no African Americans left in Congress.
In 1929, Oscar Stanton de Priest
became the first African American congressman since White. He and his successor, Arthur W. Mitchell
, spent their tenure as the only African Americans in Congress while representing a majority-black House district in Chicago. Not until the election of Adam Clayton Powell, Jr.
of New York City's Harlem did Congress feature two African Americans serving at the same time in the modern era. The Voting Rights Act of 1965, which strengthened black voting rights, increased the position of black office-seekers. Shirley Chisholm
became the first African American female member of Congress when she won a 1968 election in New York, while Andrew Young
of Georgia became the first modern African American congressman from the South after he won election in 1972. In 1970, a year that saw the election of four black freshman congressman, black membership in the House reached double-digits.
Only six African Americans have served in the U.S. Senate. Hiram Revels and Blanche Bruce
both served during Reconstruction in then majority-black Mississippi. The only popularly elected black senators are Edward Brooke
(served 1967-79), Carol Moseley Braun
(served 1993-99 as the first black female senator), and Barack Obama
(served 2005-08). Roland Burris
was appointed to a Senate position in 2009. Brooke served in Massachusetts, while Braun, Obama, and Burris have each held the same Illinois seat.
has 21 members. José Manuel Gallegos
, a Mexican American, was the first Hispanic in Congress. He was the first delegate to the US Congress
from the Territory of New Mexico. The first to represent a state was Romualdo Pacheco
, a Mexican American
, who represented California
in 1877. In 1929, Octaviano Ambrosio Larrazolo
of New Mexico
became the first Hispanic to be elected to the United States Senate. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen
, a Cuban American first elected in 1989, was the first Hispanic woman in Congress. While Hispanic women have served in House, none have been elected to the Senate.
Unlike black Americans, Hispanics never were legally barred from the polls, and in New Mexico and California, they were a large and influential minority. Since the election of Dennis Chavez
and Joachim O. Fernández
to the House in 1931, Hispanics have continuously been represented in Congress. Most Hispanic members of Congress, including all elected prior to 1970, were of Mexican
descent with the exception of Herman Badillo
, who won election in 1970, becoming the first Puerto Rican
from a mainland state in Congress, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen was elected in 1989 as the first Cuban American
congresswoman.
Prior to 2005, only three Hispanics have won a term in the U.S. Senate. These members were Octaviano Larrazola (served 1928-29), Dennis Chavez (formerly of the House, and served 1935-62), and Joseph Montoya
(also formerly a House member, serve 1964-77), all of Mexican descent. However, two Hispanics won Senate seats in 2004, Ken Salazar
and Mel Martinez
(the first Cuban American senator). At the end of the 111th Congress, there was one Hispanic in the US Senate: Bob Menendez, a Cuban-American.
s and Pacific Islander
s have a high level of political incorporation in terms of their actual voting population. However, as a result of this group's historically low voting rates, overall political incorporation of the general population is relatively low. The population of this group has increased in size by 600% in the last 30 years due to immigration. Despite high levels of naturalization and voter outreach efforts, this primarily foreign-born community with less than 1% of voters has 2% of congressional population. As 4.4% of the total population in the United States falls into this category, this 2% still represents less than half of the total Asian American and Pacific Islander population.
There were eight members of Asian or Islander descent in the House and three in the Senate. Senator Daniel Inouye
and Representatives Mike Honda
, Doris Matsui
, and Mazie Hirono
are all Japanese Americans. Senator Daniel Akaka
is a Native Hawaiian, Delegate Eni Faleomavaega is a Samoan
, and Joseph Cao
is a Vietnamese American. Bobby Scott
of Virginia, who is also half African American, has Filipino American
ancestry. Steve Austria
of Ohio also claims Filipino American ethnicity. John Ensign
of Nevada
has claimed that he is 1/8 Filipino American, enlarging the number of those who claim to be Filipino American in Congress to the highest point since the Philippine Islands had been represented as a territory. Judy Chu
became the first Chinese American woman in Congress when she won a special election in 2009. David Wu
of Oregon is Taiwanese American.
Robert William Wilcox
, a Native Hawaiian who served as Hawaiian territorial delegate from 1900 to 1903, was the first Pacific Islander chosen to serve in Congress. Benito Legarda y Tuason and Pablo Ocampo
joined the House in 1907 as Resident Commissioners
, becoming the first Asian Americans to serve in the Congress, and beginning the representation of the Philippines which ended in 1947. Dalip Singh Saund
(served 1957-63) was the first South Asia
n American in Congress and is one of only two Indian Americans to be elected to the legislature. Hiram Fong
, who served three decades in the Senate from 1959 to 1977, is the first and one of only two Chinese American
members to have entered Congress. Daniel Inouye
(serving since 1959) was the first Japanese American in the House and later the first in Senate. Patsy Mink
(served 1965-77 and again from 1990–2002) was the first Asian American woman in Congress. Bobby Scott, elected in 1993, is the first US born member of Congress to have Filipino ancestry. David Wu, elected in 1998, is the only person of Taiwanese ancestry to serve in Congress, while in 2009, Joseph Cao became the first Vietnamese American in the legislature.
Only five members of the U.S. Senate have ever been of Asian American or Pacific Islander backgrounds. Four of these politicians have been from Hawaii.
, who comprise 1.5% of the population, are the most underrepresented group. Tom Cole
, a Chickasaw
, is the only registered American Indian currently in Congress. Tracking Native American members of Congress is complex, since many people of mixed blood are not registered as part of the American Indian population. Charles Curtis
, who was three-eighths Native American and had ancestry from a variety of different tribes, was elected in 1892 as the first U.S. representative from this group. Curtis accomplished several other firsts during his political tenure. He became the first American Indian to serve in the US Senate (in office 1907-13 and 1915–29), to lead a major party (served as Republican Senate Majority Leader from 1925–29), and to obtain the office of Vice President
.
Several of the nation's major tribes have been represented in Congress in limited number. Charles David Carter (served 1907-27) was the first Choctaw
in Congress; William Wirt Hastings (served 1915-35) was the first Cherokee
in the legislature; Ben Reifel
(seved 1961-71) was the first Sioux
to win election to the body. Other than Curtis, only a few members of the U.S. Senate have been American Indians. Robert Latham Owen
(served 1907-25) and Ben Nighthorse Campbell
(served 1993-2005 after several previous terms in the House and the first Cheyenne
in Congress) are the others to have earned that distinction.
took office in 1977, serving until 1985, Lebanese Americans have consistently served in Congress. There are currently three Lebanese members of the House: Nick Rahall
, Charles Boustany
, and Darrell Issa
.
Five members of the U.S. Senate have been of Middle Eastern descent, all five with Arab American
ancestry and four of Lebanese descent. James Abourezk
, who served from 1973 to 1979, became the first Lebanese American Senator. George Mitchell
(served 1980-95), who is half Lebanese, became the first Middle Eastern American party leader, as he served as Senate Majority Leader from 1989 to 1995. James Abdnor
(served 1981 to 1987) and Spencer Abraham
(1995–2001) also were Lebanese American senators, while John Sununu
is the only person of Palestinian ancestry to serve in Congress.
of Arizona
and Michael Bennet
of Colorado
, who were born in the Panama Canal Zone
and India
, respectively.
There were eight current Representatives who were born overseas—Lincoln Diaz-Balart
, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen
, and Albio Sires
from Cuba; Mazie Hirono
from Japan; Ciro Rodriguez from Mexico; Pete Hoekstra
from the Netherlands; and David Wu
from Taiwan. Foreign-born Congresspersons comprised 2% of the voting membership of the House. This figure does not include four members who were born overseas to U.S. citizen parents: Geoff Davis
(Canada), Chris Van Hollen
(Pakistan), James A. Himes (Peru), and Diana DeGette
(Japan).
before the end of the second term of George W. Bush
.
111th United States Congress
The One Hundred Eleventh United States Congress was the meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government from January 3, 2009 until January 3, 2011. It began during the last two weeks of the George W. Bush administration, with the remainder spanning the first two years of...
, in session from 2009–2010, consisted of 541 elected officials from 50 states
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
, five territories, and the District of Columbia
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
. It is the federal
Federal government of the United States
The federal government of the United States is the national government of the constitutional republic of fifty states that is the United States of America. The federal government comprises three distinct branches of government: a legislative, an executive and a judiciary. These branches and...
legislature
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
of the United States of America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, continuing an unbroken chain dating back to the 1st Congress
1st United States Congress
-House of Representatives:During this congress, five House seats were added for North Carolina and one House seat was added for Rhode Island when they ratified the Constitution.-Senate:* President: John Adams * President pro tempore: John Langdon...
in 1789.
The Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
has 100 members; the House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
has 435 members and six non-voting delegates.
Demographics
In the Senate, there were 17 women: Barbara BoxerBarbara Boxer
Barbara Levy Boxer is the junior United States Senator from California . A member of the Democratic Party, she previously served in the U.S. House of Representatives ....
(D-CA), Maria Cantwell
Maria Cantwell
Maria E. Cantwell is the junior United States Senator from the state of Washington and a member of the Democratic Party....
(D-WA), Susan Collins
Susan Collins
Susan Margaret Collins is the junior United States Senator from Maine and a member of the Republican Party. First elected to the Senate in 1996, she is the ranking member of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs...
(R-ME), Kay Hagan (D-NC), Dianne Feinstein
Dianne Feinstein
Dianne Goldman Berman Feinstein is the senior U.S. Senator from California. A member of the Democratic Party, she has served in the Senate since 1992. She also served as 38th Mayor of San Francisco from 1978 to 1988....
(D-CA), Kirsten Gillibrand
Kirsten Gillibrand
Kirsten Elizabeth Rutnik Gillibrand is an attorney and the junior United States Senator from the state of New York and a member of the Democratic Party...
(D-NY), Kay Bailey Hutchison
Kay Bailey Hutchison
Kathryn Ann Bailey Hutchison, known as Kay Bailey Hutchison , is the senior United States Senator from Texas.She is a member of the Republican Party. In 2001, she was named one of the thirty most powerful women in America by Ladies Home Journal. The first woman to represent Texas in the U.S....
(R-TX), Amy Klobuchar
Amy Klobuchar
Amy Jean Klobuchar is the senior United States Senator from Minnesota. She is a member of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, an affiliate of the Democratic Party...
(D-MN), Mary Landrieu
Mary Landrieu
Mary Loretta Landrieu is the senior United States Senator from the State of Louisiana and a member of the Democratic Party.Born in Arlington, Virginia, Landrieu was raised in New Orleans, Louisiana...
(D-LA), Blanche Lincoln
Blanche Lincoln
Blanche Meyers Lambert Lincoln is a former U.S. Senator from Arkansas and a member of the Democratic Party. First elected to the Senate in 1998, she was the first woman elected to the Senate from Arkansas since Hattie Caraway in 1932 and, at age 38, was the youngest woman ever elected to the...
(D-AR), Claire McCaskill
Claire McCaskill
Claire Conner McCaskill is the senior United States Senator from Missouri and a member of the Democratic Party. She defeated Republican incumbent Jim Talent in the 2006 U.S. Senate election, by a margin of 49.6% to 47.3%. She is the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate from Missouri in her own...
(D-MO), Barbara Mikulski
Barbara Mikulski
Barbara Ann Mikulski is the senior United States Senator from Maryland and a member of the Democratic Party. Mikulski, a former U.S. Representative, is the longest-serving female senator in U.S...
(D-MD), Lisa Murkowski
Lisa Murkowski
Lisa Ann Murkowski is the senior U.S. Senator from the State of Alaska and a member of the Republican Party. She was appointed to the Senate in 2002 by her father, Governor Frank Murkowski. After losing a Republican primary in 2010, she became the second person ever to win a U.S...
(R-AK), Patty Murray
Patty Murray
Patricia Lynn "Patty" Murray is the senior United States Senator from Washington and a member of the Democratic Party. Murray was first elected to the Senate in 1992, becoming Washington's first female senator...
(D-WA), Jeanne Shaheen
Jeanne Shaheen
Jeanne Shaheen is an American politician, a member of the Democratic Party, and the Senior United States Senator from New Hampshire. The first woman in U.S. history to be elected as both a Governor and U.S. Senator, she was the first woman to be elected Governor of New Hampshire, serving from...
(D-NH), Olympia Snowe
Olympia Snowe
Olympia Jean Snowe , née Bouchles, is the senior United States Senator from Maine and a member of the Republican Party. Snowe has become widely known for her ability to influence the outcome of close votes, including whether to end filibusters. She and her fellow Senator from Maine, Susan Collins,...
(R-ME), and Debbie Stabenow
Debbie Stabenow
Deborah Ann Greer "Debbie" Stabenow is the junior United States Senator from Michigan and a member of the Democratic Party. Before her election to the U.S. Senate, she was a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Michigan's 8th congressional district from 1997 to 2001...
(D-MI).
There were 13 Jews, one Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
(Bob Menendez, D-NJ) one Japanese American
Japanese American
are American people of Japanese heritage. Japanese Americans have historically been among the three largest Asian American communities, but in recent decades have become the sixth largest group at roughly 1,204,205, including those of mixed-race or mixed-ethnicity...
(Daniel Inouye
Daniel Inouye
Daniel Ken "Dan" Inouye is the senior United States Senator from Hawaii, a member of the Democratic Party, and the President pro tempore of the United States Senate making him the highest-ranking Asian American politician in American history. Inouye is the chairman of the United States Senate...
, D-HI), one Native Hawaiian (Daniel Akaka
Daniel Akaka
Daniel Kahikina Akaka is the junior U.S. Senator from Hawaii and a member of the Democratic Party. He is the first U.S. Senator of Native Hawaiian ancestry and is currently the only member of the Senate who has Chinese ancestry....
, D-HI) and one African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
, Roland Burris
Roland Burris
Roland Wallace Burris is a former United States Senator from the state of Illinois and a member of the Democratic Party....
(D-IL). The average age of senators in 2007 was 62 years. The oldest senator was Frank Lautenberg
Frank Lautenberg
Frank Raleigh Lautenberg is the senior United States Senator from New Jersey and a member of the Democratic Party. Previously, he was the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Automatic Data Processing, Inc.-Early life, career, and family:...
(D-NJ), born January 23, 1924. The youngest senator was Carte Goodwin
Carte Goodwin
Carte Patrick Goodwin is an American politician and attorney who served as a United States Senator from West Virginia. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Goodwin was appointed by West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin on July 16, 2010, to fill the vacancy created by the death of Robert Byrd. ...
(D-WV), born February 27, 1974.
The 111th Congress included the most religiously diverse House in history, including two Muslims (Keith Ellison
Keith Ellison (politician)
Keith Maurice Ellison is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party. The district centers on Minneapolis. He was re-elected in 2010. Ellison is a co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.He is the first Muslim to be elected to the...
, D-MN and André Carson
André Carson
André D. Carson is the U.S. Representative for , serving since the special election in 2008. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
, D-IN), two Buddhists (Mazie Hirono
Mazie Hirono
is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. She is a member of the Democratic Party.She was the second Asian immigrant elected lieutenant governor of a state of the United States. She ran against Linda Lingle for governor of Hawaii in 2002, one of the few gubernatorial races in United...
, D-HI and Hank Johnson
Hank Johnson
Henry C. "Hank" Johnson Jr. is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district is based in DeKalb County, a largely suburban county east of Atlanta. It also includes portions of Gwinnett and Rockdale counties.-Life, education and...
, D-GA), 31 Jews, one Quaker (Rush D. Holt, Jr.
Rush D. Holt, Jr.
Rush Dew Holt, Jr. is the U.S. Representative for . He is a member of the Democratic Party. He is currently the only Quaker in Congress.-Early life and education :Rush D. Holt was born to Rush D...
, D-NJ) and one atheist (Pete Stark
Pete Stark
Fortney Hillman "Pete" Stark, Jr. is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1973. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Currently he is the 5th most senior Representative, as well as 6th most senior member of Congress overall...
, D-CA). There were 42 African Americans (including two non-voting delegates) and 75 female representatives. There were also 27 Hispanics, six Asian Americans (Joseph Cao
Joseph Cao
Anh "Joseph" Quang Cao is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 2009 until 2011. He is a member of the Republican Party. In April 2011, he announced he will be a candidate for Attorney General of Louisiana in 2011, however in September 2011 he pulled out of the race.He was the first...
, R-LA; Judy Chu
Judy Chu
Judy May Chu, Ph.D. is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2009. She is a member of the Democratic Party....
, D-CA; Mazie Hirono
Mazie Hirono
is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. She is a member of the Democratic Party.She was the second Asian immigrant elected lieutenant governor of a state of the United States. She ran against Linda Lingle for governor of Hawaii in 2002, one of the few gubernatorial races in United...
, D-HI; Michael Honda, D-CA; Doris Matsui
Doris Matsui
Doris Okada Matsui is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2005. She is a member of the Democratic Party. The district consists of the city of Sacramento and the surrounding area...
, D-CA; and David Wu
David Wu
David Wu is an American politician who served as the U.S. representative for from 1999 to 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party.The district includes most of Portland west of the Willamette River, as well as all of Yamhill, Columbia, Clatsop, and Washington Counties...
, D-OR), and one Native American (Tom Cole
Tom Cole
Thomas Jeffery Cole is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party. He is a Deputy Minority Whip. The chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee from 2006 to 2008, he was, during his tenure, the fourth-ranking Republican leader in the...
, R-OK). There were three openly gay members (Tammy Baldwin
Tammy Baldwin
Tammy Suzanne Green Baldwin is the U.S. Representative for Wisconsin's 2nd congressional district, serving since 1999. She is a member of the Democratic Party. In September 2011, Baldwin announced she would be a candidate in the 2012 U.S...
, D-WI; Barney Frank
Barney Frank
Barney Frank is the U.S. Representative for . A member of the Democratic Party, he is the former chairman of the House Financial Services Committee and is considered the most prominent gay politician in the United States.Born and raised in New Jersey, Frank graduated from Harvard College and...
, D-MA; and Jared Polis
Jared Polis
Jared Schutz Polis is an American entrepreneur, philanthropist, and U.S. Representative for , serving since 2009. He is a member of the Democratic Party...
, D-CO..
Religious demographics
The top five religious affliliations in the 111th Congress were Roman Catholic (30.1%), BaptistBaptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
(12.4%), Methodist (10.7%), Jewish
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
(8.4%), and Presbyterian (8.1%). Protestant denominations have held a large majority throughout congressional history, reflecting American's traditional demographics. In the 111th Congress, 54.7% of seats were held by members of Protestant denominations.
45 Jews served in the 111th Congress. Eleven representatives and six senators were members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Senator Olympia Snowe
Olympia Snowe
Olympia Jean Snowe , née Bouchles, is the senior United States Senator from Maine and a member of the Republican Party. Snowe has become widely known for her ability to influence the outcome of close votes, including whether to end filibusters. She and her fellow Senator from Maine, Susan Collins,...
, as well as Representatives John Sarbanes
John Sarbanes
John Peter Spyros Sarbanes is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes the state capital of Annapolis, central portions of the city of Baltimore, and parts of Anne Arundel, Howard and Baltimore counties.-Early life, education...
, Zack Space
Zack Space
Zachary T. "Zack" Space is an American politician and the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 2007 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life, education and career:...
, Gus Bilirakis
Gus Bilirakis
Gus Michael Bilirakis is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Republican Party. He previously served in the Florida House of Representatives.- Early life, education and career :...
, Dina Titus
Dina Titus
Alice Costandina "Dina" Titus is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 2009 until 2011. She is a member of the Democratic Party. She previously served in the Nevada Senate and was that body's minority leader from 1993 to 2009....
, Niki Tsongas
Niki Tsongas
Nicola Dickson "Niki" Sauvage Tsongas is the U.S. Representative for , serving since a special election in 2007. She is a member of the Democratic Party.She is the widow of U.S. Senator Paul Tsongas, who represented the 5th district in the 1970s...
and Melissa Bean
Melissa Bean
Melissa Luburich Bean is a former U.S. Representative for the who served from 2005 until 2011. She is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life, education and career:...
are Orthodox Christians.
In 2007, Keith Ellison
Keith Ellison (politician)
Keith Maurice Ellison is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party. The district centers on Minneapolis. He was re-elected in 2010. Ellison is a co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.He is the first Muslim to be elected to the...
of Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
became the first practicing Muslim
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
to become a member of the United States Congress. He was joined by André Carson
André Carson
André D. Carson is the U.S. Representative for , serving since the special election in 2008. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
of Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
following a special election
Indiana's 7th congressional district special election, 2008
Indiana's 7th congressional district special election of 2008 took place March 11, 2008 to fill the seat in the United States House of Representatives left vacant by the death of 7th district representative Julia Carson on December 15, 2007. The election determined who would fill the vacancy for...
on March 11, 2008. Both are converts to Islam. Mazie Hirono
Mazie Hirono
is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. She is a member of the Democratic Party.She was the second Asian immigrant elected lieutenant governor of a state of the United States. She ran against Linda Lingle for governor of Hawaii in 2002, one of the few gubernatorial races in United...
of Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
and Hank Johnson
Hank Johnson
Henry C. "Hank" Johnson Jr. is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district is based in DeKalb County, a largely suburban county east of Atlanta. It also includes portions of Gwinnett and Rockdale counties.-Life, education and...
of Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
became the first two Buddhists to be elected to the United States Congress on November 7, 2006. Johnson is a member of the Soka Gakkai movement and Hirono is a member of the Jodo Shinshu
Jodo Shinshu
, also known as Shin Buddhism, is a school of Pure Land Buddhism. It was founded by the former Tendai Japanese monk Shinran. Today, Shin Buddhism is considered the most widely practiced branch of Buddhism in Japan.-Shinran :...
sect, although she is non-practicing. Both are Japanese Buddhist oriented.
Senator Kent Conrad
Kent Conrad
Kent Conrad is the senior United States Senator from North Dakota. He is a member of the North Dakota Democratic-NPL Party, the North Dakota affiliate of the Democratic Party...
(D-N.D.) and Representatives Walt Minnick
Walt Minnick
Walter Clifford "Walt" Minnick is the former U.S. House of Representative for , serving from 2009 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
(D-Idaho) and Pete Stark
Pete Stark
Fortney Hillman "Pete" Stark, Jr. is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1973. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Currently he is the 5th most senior Representative, as well as 6th most senior member of Congress overall...
(D-CA) were the only Unitarian Universalists
Unitarian Universalism
Unitarian Universalism is a religion characterized by support for a "free and responsible search for truth and meaning". Unitarian Universalists do not share a creed; rather, they are unified by their shared search for spiritual growth and by the understanding that an individual's theology is a...
that served in the 111th Congress. In a response to a March 2007 survey from the Secular Coalition for America
Secular Coalition for America
The Secular Coalition for America is an advocacy group located in Washington D.C., representing atheists, humanists, freethinkers, agnostics, and other non-theistic people with a naturalistic worldview in American politics. Sean Faircloth, a five-term Maine state legislator, served as Executive...
, Rep. Pete Stark
Pete Stark
Fortney Hillman "Pete" Stark, Jr. is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1973. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Currently he is the 5th most senior Representative, as well as 6th most senior member of Congress overall...
became the only open atheist in the history of Congress. One member of the 111th Congress is a Quaker
Religious Society of Friends
The Religious Society of Friends, or Friends Church, is a Christian movement which stresses the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers. Members are known as Friends, or popularly as Quakers. It is made of independent organisations, which have split from one another due to doctrinal differences...
, Representative Rush Holt
Rush D. Holt, Jr.
Rush Dew Holt, Jr. is the U.S. Representative for . He is a member of the Democratic Party. He is currently the only Quaker in Congress.-Early life and education :Rush D. Holt was born to Rush D...
(D-NJ).
Nine members of the 111th Congress were categorized Not Given / Unspecified / Unavailable / Don't Know.
Hawaii is the only state that currently holds a majority non-Christian House delegation; both representatives Mazie Hirono
Mazie Hirono
is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. She is a member of the Democratic Party.She was the second Asian immigrant elected lieutenant governor of a state of the United States. She ran against Linda Lingle for governor of Hawaii in 2002, one of the few gubernatorial races in United...
and Colleen Hanabusa
Colleen Hanabusa
Colleen Wakako Hanabusa is the U.S. Representative for . She is a member of the Democratic Party. She was formerly a member of the Hawaii Senate, representing the 21st District since 1998...
are Buddhists.
Sexual orientation
There have been six openly LGBLGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
members in the history of Congress. Gerry Studds
Gerry Studds
Gerry Eastman Studds was an American Democratic Congressman from Massachusetts who served from 1973 until 1997. He was the first openly gay member of Congress in the U.S. In 1983 he was censured by the House of Representatives after he admitted to having had an affair with a 17-year-old page in...
(elected in 1972) became the first openly gay man when he publicly announced his sexuality in 1982. Barney Frank
Barney Frank
Barney Frank is the U.S. Representative for . A member of the Democratic Party, he is the former chairman of the House Financial Services Committee and is considered the most prominent gay politician in the United States.Born and raised in New Jersey, Frank graduated from Harvard College and...
(serving since 1981) first spoke publicly about his sexual orientation in 1987. Steve Gunderson, elected in 1980 and outed in 1994, and Jim Kolbe
Jim Kolbe
James Thomas "Jim" Kolbe is a former Republican member of the United States House of Representatives for Arizona's 8th congressional district, serving 11 terms from 1985 to 2007.-Early life:...
, elected in 1984 and outed in 1996, are two other previous members of Congress who were openly gay. Current congresswoman Tammy Baldwin
Tammy Baldwin
Tammy Suzanne Green Baldwin is the U.S. Representative for Wisconsin's 2nd congressional district, serving since 1999. She is a member of the Democratic Party. In September 2011, Baldwin announced she would be a candidate in the 2012 U.S...
is the first and so far only open lesbian woman to win election to Congress. In 1998, she became the first ever openly gay person to win election to Congress as a non-incumbent. Former California representative Michael Huffington
Michael Huffington
Michael Huffington is an American politician, bisexual activist, and film producer. He was a member of the Republican Party, and a member of the United States House of Representatives for one term, 1993–1995, from California...
is bisexual, but did not come out until after his term had ended. Jared Polis
Jared Polis
Jared Schutz Polis is an American entrepreneur, philanthropist, and U.S. Representative for , serving since 2009. He is a member of the Democratic Party...
(who was elected in 2008 and assumed office on January 6, 2009) is the first openly gay man to have been elected to the House as a freshman. Republican representative Mark Foley
Mark Foley
Mark Adam Foley is a former member of the United States House of Representatives. He served from 1995 until 2006, representing the 16th District of Florida as a member of the Republican Party....
's homosexuality was well-known in his district, though he did not serve openly in Congress and did not come out publicly until after his term ended. It has been widely reported that current congressman David Dreier
David Dreier
David Timothy Dreier is the U.S. Representative for , serving in Congress since 1981. He is a member of the Republican Party.-Early life, education, and business career:...
is gay, though he has steadfastly refused to respond to these reports. Then-Senator Larry Craig
Larry Craig
Larry Edwin Craig is a former Republican politician from the U.S. state of Idaho. He served 18 years in the U.S. Senate , preceded by 10 years in the U.S. House, representing Idaho's first district . His 28 years in the Congress rank as the second-longest in Idaho history, trailing only William...
was arrested for lewd conduct in a men's washroom at the Minneapolis airport in 2007, but insisted that he was not gay. There has never been an openly transgender member of the house. There has never been an openly lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender member of the Senate.
Occupational background
Members of the 111th Congress come from a variety of occupational backgrounds. As of the start of the 111th Congress, members of Congress include:- 269 members (227 Representatives, two Delegates, and 40 Senators) served in state or territorial legislatures
- 214 members (182 Representatives and 33 Senators) list their occupation as public serviceCivil serviceThe term civil service has two distinct meanings:* A branch of governmental service in which individuals are employed on the basis of professional merit as proven by competitive examinations....
/politicsPoliticsPolitics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the... - 225 (168 Representatives and 57 Senators) list lawLawLaw is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
- 201 (175 Representatives and 27 Senators) list businessBusinessA business is an organization engaged in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers. Businesses are predominant in capitalist economies, where most of them are privately owned and administered to earn profit to increase the wealth of their owners. Businesses may also be not-for-profit...
- 94 (78 Representatives and 16 Senators) list educationEducationEducation in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
- At least 112 members of the 111th Congress were former congressional staffers, including nine congressional pageCongressional pageA Congressional page in the United States can belong to either of the Houses of the Federal Legislature:* United States House of Representatives Page* United States Senate Page...
s. Thirteen have served as White HouseWhite HouseThe White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
staffers or White House FellowsWhite House FellowsThe White House Fellows program was established by President of the United States Lyndon B. Johnson in October 1964. President Johnson articulated that the mission of the program was "to give the Fellows first hand, high-level experience with the workings of the federal government and to increase...
, and several have served as executive branch employees - 38 members have been mayorMayorIn many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
s (Sens. Mark BegichMark BegichMark Peter Begich is the junior United States Senator from Alaska and a member of the Democratic Party. A former mayor of Anchorage, he served on the Anchorage Assembly for almost ten years prior to being elected mayor in 2003...
, Bob CorkerBob CorkerRobert Phillips "Bob" Corker, Jr. is the junior United States Senator from Tennessee. Before his election to the Senate in 2006, he served as mayor of Chattanooga, Tennessee from 2001 to 2005. Corker was a businessman prior to holding public office.-Early life and family:Born in Orangeburg, South...
, Mike EnziMike EnziMichael Bradley "Mike" Enzi is the senior U.S. Senator from Wyoming and a member of the Republican Party.Raised in Thermopolis, Wyoming, Enzi attended George Washington University and the University of Denver. He expanded his father's shoe store business in Gillette before being elected mayor of...
, Dianne FeinsteinDianne FeinsteinDianne Goldman Berman Feinstein is the senior U.S. Senator from California. A member of the Democratic Party, she has served in the Senate since 1992. She also served as 38th Mayor of San Francisco from 1978 to 1988....
, Jim InhofeJim InhofeJames Mountain "Jim" Inhofe is the senior Senator from Oklahoma and a member of the Republican Party. First elected to the Senate in 1994, he is the ranking member of the United States Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works and was its chairman from 2003 to 2007. Inhofe served eight...
, Mike JohannsMike JohannsMichael Owen "Mike" Johanns is an American Republican politician who has been the junior United States Senator from Nebraska since 2009. Previously he was the 38th Governor of Nebraska from 1999 to 2005 and was U.S. Secretary of Agriculture from 2005 to 2007, becoming the fourth Nebraskan to hold...
, Richard Lugar, Bob Menendez, Bernie SandersBernie SandersBernard "Bernie" Sanders is the junior United States Senator from Vermont. He previously represented Vermont's at-large district in the United States House of Representatives...
, George VoinovichGeorge VoinovichGeorge Victor Voinovich is a former United States Senator from the state of Ohio, and a member of the Republican Party. Previously, he served as the 65th Governor of Ohio from 1991 to 1998, and as the 54th mayor of Cleveland from 1980 to 1989.-Personal life:Born in Cleveland, Ohio, his father was...
, Reps. Brian BilbrayBrian BilbrayBrian Phillip Bilbray is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2006, and previously for the 49th district from 1995 to 2001. He is a member of the Republican Party. Bilbray is Chairman of the House Immigration Reform Caucus and a member of the influential...
, Bobby BrightBobby BrightBobby Neal Bright, Sr. is an American politician who served as U.S. Representative for from 2009 to 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes just over half of the state capital, Montgomery, as well as most of the Wiregrass Region in the southeastern part of the state....
, Judy ChuJudy ChuJudy May Chu, Ph.D. is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2009. She is a member of the Democratic Party....
, Mike CapuanoMike CapuanoMichael Everett "Mike" Capuano is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1999. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district, which was once represented by John F. Kennedy and Tip O'Neill, includes the northern three-fourths of Boston, as well as Somerville and Cambridge...
, Emanuel CleaverEmanuel CleaverEmanuel Cleaver II is a United Methodist pastor and the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2005. He is a member of the Democratic Party, and in January 2010 became chair of the Congressional Black Caucus....
, Lincoln DavisLincoln DavisLincoln Edward Davis is the former U.S. Representative for . He is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life, education and career:...
, Marcia Fudge, Elton GalleglyElton GalleglyElton William Gallegly is the U.S. Representative for , and previously the 23rd and 21st, serving in Congress since 1993. He is a member of the Republican Party.-Early life, education, and pre-congressional career:...
, Kay GrangerKay GrangerKay Granger , a Republican politician from the U.S. state of Texas, currently represents the 12th congressional district in the U.S...
, Dennis KucinichDennis KucinichDennis John Kucinich is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1997. He was furthermore a candidate for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States in the 2004 and 2008 presidential elections....
, Kenny MarchantKenny MarchantKenny Ewell Marchant is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2005. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district includes several wealthy areas around Dallas and Fort Worth.-Early life, education and career:...
, Jim Marshall, Howard McKeonHoward McKeonHoward Philip "Buck" McKeon is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1993. He is a member of the Republican Party.-Early life, education and career:...
, Gary MillerGary MillerGary Gene Miller is the U.S. Representative for , and previously the 41st, serving since 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party.-Early life, education and career:...
, Harry MitchellHarry MitchellHarry E. Mitchell is a former U.S. Representative who represented from 2007 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life, education and career :...
, Jim MoranJim MoranJames Patrick "Jim" Moran, Jr. is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1991. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district is located in Northern Virginia and includes the cities of Falls Church and Alexandria, all of Arlington County, and a portion of Fairfax County.Jim Moran was...
, Sue Myrick, Grace NapolitanoGrace NapolitanoGraciela Flores Napolitano is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2003. She is a member of the Democratic Party. She previously served in the California State Assembly and the Norwalk, City Council....
, Richard NealRichard NealRichard Edmund Neal is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1989. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He is a former city councilor and mayor of Springfield, Massachusetts....
, Bill Pascrell, Phil RoePhil RoeDavid Phillip "Phil" Roe is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2009. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district is based in the Tri-Cities area in the northeastern portion of the state....
, Steve RothmanSteve RothmanSteven R. "Steve" Rothman is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1997. He is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life, education and career:Rothman attended Washington University Law School...
, Albio SiresAlbio SiresAlbio Sires is the U.S. Representative for , serving since a special election in 2006. The district includes most of Jersey City, as well as most of the Latino neighborhoods of Newark. He is a member of the Democratic Party...
, Bennie ThompsonBennie ThompsonBennie G. Thompson, is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1993, and the ranking member of the Committee on Homeland Security since 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
, Mike TurnerMike TurnerMichael R. Turner is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party.The district covers most of the city of Dayton and includes most of Montgomery County, much of Warren County, and is home to all of Highland and Clinton Counties.-Early life, education...
, Rob WittmanRob WittmanRobert J. Wittman is the U.S. Representative for , serving since a special election in 2007. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district stretches from the fringes of the Washington suburbs to the Hampton Roads area...
, Don YoungDon YoungDonald Edwin "Don" Young is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1973. He is a member of the Republican Party.Young is the 6th most senior U.S. Representative and the 2nd most senior Republican Representative, as well as the 2nd most senior Republican in Congress as a whole...
), 13 state governorsGovernor (United States)In the United States, the title governor refers to the chief executive of each state or insular territory, not directly subordinate to the federal authorities, but the political and ceremonial head of the state.-Role and powers:...
(Sens. Lamar AlexanderLamar AlexanderAndrew Lamar Alexander is the senior United States Senator from Tennessee and Conference Chair of the Republican Party. He was previously the 45th Governor of Tennessee from 1979 to 1987, United States Secretary of Education from 1991 to 1993 under President George H. W...
, Mark WarnerMark WarnerMark Robert Warner is an American politician and businessman, currently serving in the United States Senate as the junior senator from the Commonwealth of Virginia. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Warner was the 69th governor of Virginia from 2002 to 2006 and is the honorary chairman of...
, Evan BayhEvan BayhBirch Evans "Evan" Bayh III is a lawyer, advisor and former Democratic politician who served as the junior U.S. Senator from Indiana from 1999 to 2011. He earlier served as the 46th Governor of Indiana from 1989 to 1997. Bayh is a current Fox News contributor as of March 14, 2011.Bayh first held...
, Judd GreggJudd GreggJudd Alan Gregg is a former Governor of New Hampshire and former United States Senator from New Hampshire, who served as chairman of the Senate Budget Committee. He is a member of the Republican Party and was a businessman and attorney in Nashua before entering politics...
, Jay RockefellerJay RockefellerJohn Davison "Jay" Rockefeller IV is the senior United States Senator from West Virginia. He was first elected to the Senate in 1984, while in office as Governor of West Virginia, a position he held from 1977 to 1985...
, Jeanne ShaheenJeanne ShaheenJeanne Shaheen is an American politician, a member of the Democratic Party, and the Senior United States Senator from New Hampshire. The first woman in U.S. history to be elected as both a Governor and U.S. Senator, she was the first woman to be elected Governor of New Hampshire, serving from...
, Kit BondKit BondChristopher Samuel "Kit" Bond is a former United States Senator from Missouri and a member of the Republican Party. First elected to the U.S. Senate in 1986, he defeated Democrat Harriett Woods by a margin of 53%-47%. He was re-elected in 1992, 1998, and 2004...
, George VoinovichGeorge VoinovichGeorge Victor Voinovich is a former United States Senator from the state of Ohio, and a member of the Republican Party. Previously, he served as the 65th Governor of Ohio from 1991 to 1998, and as the 54th mayor of Cleveland from 1980 to 1989.-Personal life:Born in Cleveland, Ohio, his father was...
, Mike JohannsMike JohannsMichael Owen "Mike" Johanns is an American Republican politician who has been the junior United States Senator from Nebraska since 2009. Previously he was the 38th Governor of Nebraska from 1999 to 2005 and was U.S. Secretary of Agriculture from 2005 to 2007, becoming the fourth Nebraskan to hold...
, Ben NelsonBen NelsonEarl Benjamin "Ben" Nelson is the senior U.S. Senator from Nebraska. He is a member of the Democratic Party and was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2000....
, Tom Carper, Jim RischJim RischJames Elroy "Jim" Risch is a Republican politician, rancher, and attorney from Ada County, currently serving as the junior United States Senator from Idaho. He previously served as Lieutenant Governor and Governor of Idaho.-Early life:Risch was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin...
, and Rep. Michael Castle), eleven lieutenant governorsLieutenant governor (United States)In the United States, 43 of the 50 states have a separate, full-time office of lieutenant governor. In most cases, the lieutenant governor is the highest officer of state after the governor, standing in for that officer when he or she is absent from the state or temporarily incapacitated...
(including two delegatesDelegate (United States Congress)A delegate to Congress is a non-voting member of the United States House of Representatives who is elected from a U.S. territory and from Washington, D.C. to a two-year term. While unable to vote in the full House, a non-voting delegate may vote in a House committee of which the delegate is a member...
: Sens. John KerryJohn KerryJohn Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
, Harry ReidHarry ReidHarry Mason Reid is the senior United States Senator from Nevada, serving since 1987. A member of the Democratic Party, he has been the Senate Majority Leader since January 2007, having previously served as Minority Leader and Minority and Majority Whip.Previously, Reid was a member of the U.S...
, Jim RischJim RischJames Elroy "Jim" Risch is a Republican politician, rancher, and attorney from Ada County, currently serving as the junior United States Senator from Idaho. He previously served as Lieutenant Governor and Governor of Idaho.-Early life:Risch was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin...
, George VoinovichGeorge VoinovichGeorge Victor Voinovich is a former United States Senator from the state of Ohio, and a member of the Republican Party. Previously, he served as the 65th Governor of Ohio from 1991 to 1998, and as the 54th mayor of Cleveland from 1980 to 1989.-Personal life:Born in Cleveland, Ohio, his father was...
, Reps. Michael Castle, Mary FallinMary FallinMary Fallin is the 27th and current Governor of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. She was a U.S. Representative for from 2007 until 2011....
, John GaramendiJohn GaramendiJohn Raymond Garamendi is the U.S. Representative for , serving since November 2009. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Garamendi was the California State Insurance Commissioner from 1991 to 1995, the U.S. Deputy Secretary of the Interior from 1995 to 1998, and the California State Insurance...
, Mazie HironoMazie Hironois the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. She is a member of the Democratic Party.She was the second Asian immigrant elected lieutenant governor of a state of the United States. She ran against Linda Lingle for governor of Hawaii in 2002, one of the few gubernatorial races in United...
, Denny RehbergDenny RehbergDennis R. "Denny" Rehberg is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2001. He is a member of the Republican Party.-Early life, education and career:...
, Dels. Madeleine BordalloMadeleine BordalloMadeleine Mary Zeien Bordallo is the Delegate from Guam to the United States House of Representatives.She was the first woman ever to serve as Guam's Delegate, Guam's first female Lieutenant Governor , Guam's first female candidate for Governor , and the first Democratic woman elected to the...
and Eni Faleomavaega), one state first lady (Olympia SnoweOlympia SnoweOlympia Jean Snowe , née Bouchles, is the senior United States Senator from Maine and a member of the Republican Party. Snowe has become widely known for her ability to influence the outcome of close votes, including whether to end filibusters. She and her fellow Senator from Maine, Susan Collins,...
was first lady of Maine while she was a Congresswoman), and one territorial first lady (Del. Madeleine BordalloMadeleine BordalloMadeleine Mary Zeien Bordallo is the Delegate from Guam to the United States House of Representatives.She was the first woman ever to serve as Guam's Delegate, Guam's first female Lieutenant Governor , Guam's first female candidate for Governor , and the first Democratic woman elected to the...
); - 24 members were health care professionals
- Of the 24, 16 were medical doctorsPhysicianA physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
(14 Representatives and two Senators: family medicineFamily medicineFamily medicine is a medical specialty devoted to comprehensive health care for people of all ages. It is a division of primary care that provides continuing and comprehensive health care for the individual and family across all ages, sexes, diseases, and parts of the body...
specialists Rep. Vic SnyderVic SnyderVictor F. "Vic" Snyder is a former U.S. Representative for , serving from 1997 to 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life, education and career:...
, John C. FlemingJohn C. FlemingJohn Calvin Fleming, Jr. is a Minden, Louisiana physician, the author of the book Preventing Addiction, and the Republican U.S. representative from Louisiana's 4th congressional district...
, Paul BrounPaul BrounPaul Collins Broun, Jr. is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Republican Party and the Tea Party Caucus.-Early life, education and career:...
, and Del. Donna Christian-ChristensenDonna Christian-ChristensenDonna Marie Christian-Christensen, formerly Donna Christian-Green , is the non-voting Delegate from the United States Virgin Islands to the United States House of Representatives .-Early life:...
; psychiatristPsychiatristA psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. All psychiatrists are trained in diagnostic evaluation and in psychotherapy...
Rep. Jim McDermottJim McDermottJames Adelbert "Jim" McDermott is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1989. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The 7th District includes most of Seattle and Vashon Island, and portions of Shoreline, Lake Forest Park, Tukwila, SeaTac, and Burien.He serves on the House Ways and Means...
; ob/gynsObstetrics and gynaecologyObstetrics and gynaecology are the two surgical–medical specialties dealing with the female reproductive organs in their pregnant and non-pregnant state, respectively, and as such are often combined to form a single medical specialty and postgraduate training programme...
Sen. Tom CoburnTom CoburnThomas Allen "Tom" Coburn, M.D. , is an American politician, medical doctor, and Southern Baptist deacon. A member of the Republican Party, he currently serves as the junior U.S. Senator from Oklahoma. In the Senate, he is known as "Dr. No" for his tendency to place holds on and vote against bills...
and Reps. Michael C. BurgessMichael C. BurgessMichael Clifton Burgess, is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2003, and a member of the Tea Party Caucus.-Early life, education, and early career:...
, Ron PaulRon PaulRonald Ernest "Ron" Paul is an American physician, author and United States Congressman who is seeking to be the Republican Party candidate in the 2012 presidential election. Paul represents Texas's 14th congressional district, which covers an area south and southwest of Houston that includes...
, Phil RoePhil RoeDavid Phillip "Phil" Roe is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2009. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district is based in the Tri-Cities area in the northeastern portion of the state....
, and Phil GingreyPhil GingreyJohn Phillip "Phil" Gingrey, is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district is located in the northwestern suburbs of Atlanta.-Early life, education and career:...
; allergist Rep. Steve KagenSteve KagenSteven Leslie Kagen, M.D. is a physician and was the U.S. Representative for , serving from 2007 to 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party...
; hepatologistHepatologyHepatology is the branch of medicine that incorporates the study of liver, gallbladder, biliary tree, and pancreas as well as management of their disorders. Etymologically the word Hepatology is formed of ancient Greek hepar or hepato- meaning ' liver' and suffix -logia meaning 'word' or 'speech'...
/gastroenterologistGastroenterologyGastroenterology is the branch of medicine whereby the digestive system and its disorders are studied. The name is a combination of three Ancient Greek words gaster , enteron , and logos...
Rep. Bill CassidyBill CassidyWilliam "Bill" Cassidy is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2009. He is a member of the Republican Party.-Early life, education and career:...
; heart surgeonCardiac surgeonA cardiac surgeon is a surgeon who performs cardiac surgery—operative procedures on the heart and great vessels.-Training:A cardiac surgery residency typically comprises anywhere from six to nine years of training to become a fully qualified surgeon...
Rep. Charles BoustanyCharles BoustanyCharles William Boustany, Jr. is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2005. He is a member of the Republican Party.-Early life, education, and medical career:...
; radiation oncologistRadiation therapyRadiation therapy , radiation oncology, or radiotherapy , sometimes abbreviated to XRT or DXT, is the medical use of ionizing radiation, generally as part of cancer treatment to control malignant cells.Radiation therapy is commonly applied to the cancerous tumor because of its ability to control...
Rep. Parker GriffithParker GriffithParker Griffith, M.D. is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 2009 until 2011. He is a member of the Republican Party, having switched from the Democratic Party on December 22, 2009, but lost the Republican primary and his term ended in January 2011.-Early life, education and...
; orthopedic surgeonsOrthopedic surgeryOrthopedic surgery or orthopedics is the branch of surgery concerned with conditions involving the musculoskeletal system...
Sen. John BarrassoJohn BarrassoJohn Anthony Barrasso is the junior U.S. Senator from Wyoming and a member of the Republican Party. He was appointed to the Senate following Craig L. Thomas's death and won a special election in 2008 to fill the remaining four years of Thomas's term....
and Rep. Tom Price). Of the 16, 12 represent districts or states in the SouthSouthern United StatesThe Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
(three are from LouisianaLouisianaLouisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
); 12 are Republicans and four are Democrats. - Three nurses (Reps. Carolyn McCarthyCarolyn McCarthyCarolyn McCarthy is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1997. She is a member of the Democratic Party. The district is located in central Long Island in west-central Nassau County and includes Mineola, the Five Towns, East Rockaway, Rockville Centre, Oceanside, Garden City, Hempstead,...
, Lois Capps, and Eddie Bernice JohnsonEddie Bernice JohnsonEddie Bernice Johnson is a politician from the state of Texas, currently representing the state's in the United States House of Representatives. She is the first registered nurse elected to the US Congress....
) - Two dentistDentistA dentist, also known as a 'dental surgeon', is a doctor that specializes in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases and conditions of the oral cavity. The dentist's supporting team aides in providing oral health services...
s (Reps. John LinderJohn LinderJohn Elmer Linder is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 1993 until 2011. He is a member of the Republican Party.Linder announced that he would retire from Congress at the end of the 111th Congress....
and Mike SimpsonMike SimpsonMichael Keith "Mike" Simpson, D.M.D. , is the member of the U.S. House of Representatives representing , serving since 1999. He is a member of the Republican Party. He previously served in the Idaho House of Representatives....
) - Two veterinarianVeterinarianA veterinary physician, colloquially called a vet, shortened from veterinarian or veterinary surgeon , is a professional who treats disease, disorder and injury in animals....
s (Rep. Kurt SchraderKurt SchraderKurt Schrader is the U.S. Representative for . He is a member of the Democratic Party. He previously served in both houses of the Oregon Legislative Assembly.-Early life, education, and early career:...
and Sen. John EnsignJohn EnsignJohn Eric Ensign is a former United States Senator from Nevada, serving from January 2001 until he resigned amid an investigation of an ethics violation in May 2011...
) - One psychologistPsychologistPsychologist is a professional or academic title used by individuals who are either:* Clinical professionals who work with patients in a variety of therapeutic contexts .* Scientists conducting psychological research or teaching psychology in a college...
(Rep. Brian BairdBrian BairdBrian Norton Baird is a former U.S. Representative for , serving from 1999 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district comprises the counties of Thurston, Lewis, Pacific, Wahkiakum, Cowlitz, Clark, and Skamania....
), an optometristOptometryOptometry is a health care profession concerned with eyes and related structures, as well as vision, visual systems, and vision information processing in humans. Optometrists, or Doctors of Optometry, are state licensed medical professionals trained to prescribe and fit lenses to improve vision,...
(Rep. John BoozmanJohn BoozmanJohn Nichols Boozman is the junior U.S. Senator for Arkansas . A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as the U.S. Representative for .Born in Shreveport, Louisiana, he was the brother of state Senator Fay Boozman...
), a clinical dietician (Rep. Kathy DahlkemperKathy DahlkemperKathleen Ann "Kathy" Dahlkemper is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 2009 until 2011. She is a member of the Democratic Party.The district is based in Erie and includes most of the northwestern portion of the state....
), and a pharmacistPharmacistPharmacists are allied health professionals who practice in pharmacy, the field of health sciences focusing on safe and effective medication use...
(Rep. Robert Marion Berry);
- Of the 24, 16 were medical doctors
- Nine members were involved with agricultureAgricultureAgriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
: Three organic farmersOrganic farmingOrganic farming is the form of agriculture that relies on techniques such as crop rotation, green manure, compost and biological pest control to maintain soil productivity and control pests on a farm...
(including Sen. Jon TesterJon TesterJon Tester is the junior U.S. Senator for Montana, serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He previously served as President of the Montana Senate.-Early life, education, and farming career:...
and Rep. Mike ThompsonMike ThompsonMichael C. Thompson , is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1999. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes Napa, Lake, Mendocino, Humboldt and Del Norte Counties as well as parts of Yolo and Sonoma Counties....
), three ranchers, two vintnerVintnerA vintner is a wine merchant. You pronounce it like this In some modern use, in particular in American English, the term is alsoused as a synonym for winemaker....
s (Reps. George RadanovichGeorge RadanovichGeorge Purdy Radanovich is a former U.S. Representative for , serving from 1995 to 2011. The district includes most of northern Fresno, as well as several rural areas northeast of the city. On December 29, 2009, Radanovich announced he would not seek reelection in 2010...
and Mike ThompsonMike ThompsonMichael C. Thompson , is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1999. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes Napa, Lake, Mendocino, Humboldt and Del Norte Counties as well as parts of Yolo and Sonoma Counties....
), and a fruit orchardOrchardAn orchard is an intentional planting of trees or shrubs that is maintained for food production. Orchards comprise fruit or nut-producing trees which are grown for commercial production. Orchards are also sometimes a feature of large gardens, where they serve an aesthetic as well as a productive...
worker; - Seven members were involved in musicMusicMusic is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
, filmFilmA film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
, or sportSportA Sport is all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants. Sport may be competitive, where a winner or winners can be identified by objective means, and may require a degree...
s, including two professional musicianMusicianA musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
s and a semi-professional musician, a screenwriterScreenwriterScreenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
, a documentary filmDocumentary filmDocumentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
maker, as well as a Baseball Hall of FameNational Baseball Hall of Fame and MuseumThe National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 25 Main Street in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of baseball in the United States and beyond, the display of...
pitcherPitcherIn baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
(Sen. Jim BunningJim BunningJames Paul David "Jim" Bunning is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher and politician.During a 17-year baseball career, he pitched from 1955 to 1971, most notably with the Detroit Tigers and the Philadelphia Phillies. When he retired, he had the second-highest total of career...
) and a National Football LeagueNational Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
quarterbackQuarterbackQuarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
(Rep. Heath ShulerHeath ShulerJoseph Heath Shuler is a businessman, a former NFL quarterback, and the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
). - Five members are engineerEngineerAn engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
s (including Reps. Joe BartonJoe BartonJoseph Linus "Joe" Barton is a Republican politician, representing in the U.S. House of Representatives since 1985, and a member of the Tea Party Caucus...
, Cliff StearnsCliff StearnsClifford Bundy "Cliff" Stearns, Sr. is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1989. He is a member of the Republican Party.-Early life, education and career:According to his official biography, Stearns was born in Washington, D.C...
, Pete StarkPete StarkFortney Hillman "Pete" Stark, Jr. is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1973. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Currently he is the 5th most senior Representative, as well as 6th most senior member of Congress overall...
). - Six members are scientistScientistA scientist in a broad sense is one engaging in a systematic activity to acquire knowledge. In a more restricted sense, a scientist is an individual who uses the scientific method. The person may be an expert in one or more areas of science. This article focuses on the more restricted use of the word...
s: three physicistPhysicistA physicist is a scientist who studies or practices physics. Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena in many branches of physics spanning all length scales: from sub-atomic particles of which all ordinary matter is made to the behavior of the material Universe as a whole...
s (Reps. Rush Holt, Bill FosterBill Foster (Illinois politician)George William "Bill" Foster is a physicist and businessman, and the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 2008 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life and education:...
, and Vern EhlersVern EhlersVernon James "Vern" Ehlers is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 1993 until 2011. He is a member of the Republican Party....
), a chemistChemistA chemist is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties such as density and acidity. Chemists carefully describe the properties they study in terms of quantities, with detail on the level of molecules and their component atoms...
(Rep. Ed PastorEd PastorEdward Lopez "Ed" Pastor is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1991. He is a member of the Democratic Party.The district includes most of southern, western, and downtown Phoenix, along with a portion of Glendale....
), a microbiologistMicrobiologistA microbiologist is a scientist who works in the field of microbiology. Microbiologists study organisms called microbes. Microbes can take the form of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protists...
(Rep. Louise Slaughter), and a physiologist (Rep. Roscoe BartlettRoscoe BartlettRoscoe Gardner Bartlett, Ph.D. is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1993. He is a member of the Republican Party, and a member of the Tea Party Caucus...
). - Six members worked in mediaMedia (communication)In communications, media are the storage and transmission channels or tools used to store and deliver information or data...
: One radio talk show host, one radio/television broadcaster, one radio broadcaster, one newscaster, one television reporter, and one television commentator - Five members are former Peace CorpsPeace CorpsThe Peace Corps is an American volunteer program run by the United States Government, as well as a government agency of the same name. The mission of the Peace Corps includes three goals: providing technical assistance, helping people outside the United States to understand US culture, and helping...
volunteers (Sen. Chris Dodd and Reps. Mike HondaMike HondaMichael Makoto "Mike" Honda is an American Democratic Party politician. He currently serves as the U.S. Representative for , encompassing western San Jose and Silicon Valley...
, Sam FarrSam FarrSamuel S. "Sam" Farr is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1993. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He was elected to Congress in a 1993 special election when longtime Democratic Rep...
, Tom PetriTom PetriThomas Evert Petri is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1979. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district includes most of the east-central part of the state.-Early life, education, and early career:...
, and Steve DriehausSteve DriehausSteven L. "Steve" Driehaus is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 2009 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party...
) - Five members are former accountantAccountantAn accountant is a practitioner of accountancy or accounting , which is the measurement, disclosure or provision of assurance about financial information that helps managers, investors, tax authorities and others make decisions about allocating resources.The Big Four auditors are the largest...
s (Rep. Mike ConawayMike ConawayKenneth Michael "Mike" Conaway, is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2005. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district is located in West Texas and includes Midland, Odessa, San Angelo, Brownwood and Fredericksburg....
) - Four members are ministers
- Four members were sheriffsSheriffs in the United StatesIn the United States, a sheriff is a county official and is typically the top law enforcement officer of a county. Historically, the sheriff was also commander of the militia in that county. Distinctive to law enforcement in the United States, sheriffs are usually elected. The political election of...
(Rep. Dave ReichertDave ReichertDavid George Reichert is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2005. He is a member of the Republican Party. He previously served as Sheriff of King County, Washington.-Early life, education and career:...
), one a deputy sheriff, four police officerPolice officerA police officer is a warranted employee of a police force...
s (including a Capitol policemanUnited States Capitol PoliceThe United States Capitol Police is a federal police force charged with protecting the United States Congress within the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its territories.-History:...
), two state troopers (Rep. Kendrick MeekKendrick MeekKendrick Brett Meek is an American politician who was the U.S. Representative for from 2003 to 2011. He was the Democratic nominee in the 2010 Senate election for the seat of Mel Martinez, but he lost in a three way race to Republican Marco Rubio along with Independent Charlie Crist.-Early life,...
of the Florida Highway PatrolFlorida Highway PatrolThe Division of the Florida Highway Patrol is a division of the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles and the law enforcement agency charged with ensuring the safety of the highways and roads of the state.-History:...
and Rep. Bart StupakBart StupakBartholomew Thomas "Bart" Stupak is a lobbyist and American politician of the Democratic Party. He served as the U.S. Representative from from 1993 to 2011....
of the Michigan State PoliceMichigan State PoliceThe Michigan State Police is the state police agency for the state of Michigan. The MSP is a full service law enforcement agency with its sworn members having full police powers statewide....
), two probation officerProbation officerParole officers and probation officers play a role in criminal justice systems by supervising offenders released from incarceration or sentenced to non-custodial sanctions such as community service...
s, one FBIFederal Bureau of InvestigationThe Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
special agentSpecial agentSpecial agent is usually the title for a detective or investigator for a state, county, municipal, federal or tribal government. An agent is a worker for any federal agency, and a secret agent is one who works for an intelligence agency....
, one Border PatrolUnited States Border PatrolThe United States Border Patrol is a federal law enforcement agency within U.S. Customs and Border Protection , a component of the Department of Homeland Security . It is an agency in the Department of Homeland Security that enforces laws and regulations for the admission of foreign-born persons to...
chief, and one volunteer firefighterVolunteer fire departmentSee also the Firefighter article and its respective sections regarding VFDs in other countries.A volunteer fire department is a fire department composed of volunteers who perform fire suppression and other related emergency services for a local jurisdiction.The first organized force of... - Two members have served as members of the CabinetUnited States CabinetThe Cabinet of the United States is composed of the most senior appointed officers of the executive branch of the federal government of the United States, which are generally the heads of the federal executive departments...
(Sens. Lamar AlexanderLamar AlexanderAndrew Lamar Alexander is the senior United States Senator from Tennessee and Conference Chair of the Republican Party. He was previously the 45th Governor of Tennessee from 1979 to 1987, United States Secretary of Education from 1991 to 1993 under President George H. W...
and Mike JohannsMike JohannsMichael Owen "Mike" Johanns is an American Republican politician who has been the junior United States Senator from Nebraska since 2009. Previously he was the 38th Governor of Nebraska from 1999 to 2005 and was U.S. Secretary of Agriculture from 2005 to 2007, becoming the fourth Nebraskan to hold...
), three served as state supreme courtState supreme courtIn the United States, the state supreme court is the highest state court in the state court system ....
justices (Rep. Lloyd DoggettLloyd DoggettLloyd Alton Doggett II is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2005. He previously represented from 1995 to 2005. He is a member of the Democratic Party...
, Sen. John CornynJohn CornynJohn Cornyn, III is the junior United States Senator for Texas, serving since 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party. He was elected Chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee for the 111th U.S. Congress....
), and one each was Secretary of the NavyUnited States Secretary of the NavyThe Secretary of the Navy of the United States of America is the head of the Department of the Navy, a component organization of the Department of Defense...
(Sen. Jim WebbJim WebbJames Henry "Jim" Webb, Jr. is the senior United States Senator from Virginia. He is also an author and a former Secretary of the Navy. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
), a United States NavyUnited States NavyThe United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
vice admiralVice AdmiralVice admiral is a senior naval rank of a three-star flag officer, which is equivalent to lieutenant general in the other uniformed services. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral...
, a Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, a Department of DefenseUnited States Department of DefenseThe United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
counterterrorism consultant, an ambassadorAmbassadorAn ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
, and a federal judgeUnited States federal judgeIn the United States, the title of federal judge usually means a judge appointed by the President of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate in accordance with Article II of the United States Constitution....
(Alcee HastingsAlcee HastingsAlcee Lamar Hastings is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1993. He is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life, education and career:...
) - One member served as a parliamentary aide in the British House of CommonsBritish House of CommonsThe House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
and one served as a Foreign Service OfficerForeign Service OfficerA Foreign Service Officer is a commissioned member of the United States Foreign Service. As diplomats, Foreign Service Officers formulate and implement the foreign policy of the United States. FSOs spend most of their careers overseas as members of U.S. embassies, consulates, and other diplomatic...
. - One member has been an astronautAstronautAn astronaut or cosmonaut is a person trained by a human spaceflight program to command, pilot, or serve as a crew member of a spacecraft....
, one a naval aviatorUnited States Naval AviatorA United States Naval Aviator is a qualified pilot in the United States Navy, Marine Corps or Coast Guard.-Naming Conventions:Most Naval Aviators are Unrestricted Line Officers; however, a small number of Limited Duty Officers and Chief Warrant Officers are also trained as Naval Aviators.Until 1981...
, one a commanderCommanderCommander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
of a carrier battle groupCarrier battle groupA carrier battle group consists of an aircraft carrier and its escorts, together composing the group. The first naval task forces built around carriers appeared just prior to and during World War II. The Imperial Japanese Navy was the first to assemble a large number of carriers into a single...
(Rep. Joe Sestak, a retired vice admiral and the highest-ranking former serviceman in Congress), two were instructors at West PointUnited States Military AcademyThe United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
(Rep. Patrick MurphyPatrick Murphy (politician)Patrick Joseph Murphy is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 2007 to 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
)and (Rep. Thomas RooneyTom Rooney (politician)Thomas J. "Tom" Rooney is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2009. He is a member of the Republican Party.-Early life:...
), and one a pilotAviatorAn aviator is a person who flies an aircraft. The first recorded use of the term was in 1887, as a variation of 'aviation', from the Latin avis , coined in 1863 by G. de la Landelle in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne...
of Marine OneMarine OneMarine One is the call sign of any United States Marine Corps aircraft carrying the President of the United States. It usually denotes a helicopter operated by the HMX-1 "Nighthawks" squadron, either the large VH-3D Sea King or the newer, smaller VH-60N "WhiteHawk", both due to be replaced by the...
, the presidential helicopter - Many members have other professions: There were three carpentersCarpentryA carpenter is a skilled craftsperson who works with timber to construct, install and maintain buildings, furniture, and other objects. The work, known as carpentry, may involve manual labor and work outdoors....
, two bank tellerBank tellerA teller is an employee of a bank who deals directly with most customers. In some places, this employee is known as a cashier. Most teller jobs require cash handling experience and a high school diploma. Most banks provide on the job training....
s, a driving instructor, a cosmeticsCosmeticsCosmetics are substances used to enhance the appearance or odor of the human body. Cosmetics include skin-care creams, lotions, powders, perfumes, lipsticks, fingernail and toe nail polish, eye and facial makeup, towelettes, permanent waves, colored contact lenses, hair colors, hair sprays and...
saleswoman, a mountain guideMountain guideMountain guides are specially trained and experienced mountaineers and professionals who are generally certified by an association. They are considered experts in mountaineering.-Skills:Their skills usually include climbing, skiing and hiking...
, a skiSkiA ski is a long, flat device worn on the foot, usually attached through a boot, designed to help the wearer slide smoothly over snow. Originally intended as an aid to travel in snowy regions, they are now mainly used for recreational and sporting purposes...
instructor; a casino dealerCroupierA croupier or dealer is someone appointed at a gambling table to assist in the conduct of the game, especially in the distribution of bets and payouts. Croupiers are typically employed by casinos.-Origin of the word:...
, a night watchman, a prison guard, a furnitureFurnitureFurniture is the mass noun for the movable objects intended to support various human activities such as seating and sleeping in beds, to hold objects at a convenient height for work using horizontal surfaces above the ground, or to store things...
salesman, an ironworkerIronworkerIronworker is a class of machines that can shear, notch, and punch holes in steel plate. Ironworkers generate force using mechanical advantage or hydraulic systems. Modern systems use hydraulic rams powered by a heavy alternating current electric motor. High strength carbon steel blades and dies...
(Rep. Stephen LynchStephen Lynch (politician)Stephen F. Lynch is the U.S. representative for . He is a member of the Democratic Party who has served since 2001. Lynch was previously an ironworker and lawyer, and served in both chambers of the Massachusetts General Court....
), an autoworkerAutomotive industryThe automotive industry designs, develops, manufactures, markets, and sells motor vehicles, and is one of the world's most important economic sectors by revenue....
, a clothingClothingClothing refers to any covering for the human body that is worn. The wearing of clothing is exclusively a human characteristic and is a feature of nearly all human societies...
factory worker, a textileTextileA textile or cloth is a flexible woven material consisting of a network of natural or artificial fibres often referred to as thread or yarn. Yarn is produced by spinning raw fibres of wool, flax, cotton, or other material to produce long strands...
worker, an oilfield worker, a mortician, a coronerCoronerA coroner is a government official who* Investigates human deaths* Determines cause of death* Issues death certificates* Maintains death records* Responds to deaths in mass disasters* Identifies unknown dead* Other functions depending on local laws...
, a waitress (Rep. Shelley BerkleyShelley BerkleyRochelle "Shelley" Berkley is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1999, and a candidate for U.S. Senate. She is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life, education, and legal career:...
), a TeamsterTeamsterA teamster, in modern American English, is a truck driver. The trade union named after them is the International Brotherhood of Teamsters , one of the largest unions in the United States....
and dairyDairyA dairy is a business enterprise established for the harvesting of animal milk—mostly from cows or goats, but also from buffalo, sheep, horses or camels —for human consumption. A dairy is typically located on a dedicated dairy farm or section of a multi-purpose farm that is concerned...
worker, a paper millPaper millA paper mill is a factory devoted to making paper from vegetable fibres such as wood pulp, old rags and other ingredients using a Fourdrinier machine or other type of paper machine.- History :...
worker (Rep. Mike MichaudMike MichaudMichael Herman Michaud is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2003. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district comprises nearly 80% of the state by area and includes the cities of Lewiston, Auburn, Bangor, and Presque Isle...
), a cementCementIn the most general sense of the word, a cement is a binder, a substance that sets and hardens independently, and can bind other materials together. The word "cement" traces to the Romans, who used the term opus caementicium to describe masonry resembling modern concrete that was made from crushed...
plant worker (Rep. Maurice HincheyMaurice HincheyMaurice Dunlea Hinchey , is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1993. He is a member of the Democratic Party...
), a meatMeatMeat is animal flesh that is used as food. Most often, this means the skeletal muscle and associated fat and other tissues, but it may also describe other edible tissues such as organs and offal...
cutter (Sen. Robert ByrdRobert ByrdRobert Carlyle Byrd was a United States Senator from West Virginia. A member of the Democratic Party, Byrd served as a U.S. Representative from 1953 until 1959 and as a U.S. Senator from 1959 to 2010...
), a shellfishShellfishShellfish is a culinary and fisheries term for exoskeleton-bearing aquatic invertebrates used as food, including various species of molluscs, crustaceans, and echinoderms. Although most kinds of shellfish are harvested from saltwater environments, some kinds are found only in freshwater...
specialist (Rep. Rob WittmanRob WittmanRobert J. Wittman is the U.S. Representative for , serving since a special election in 2007. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district stretches from the fringes of the Washington suburbs to the Hampton Roads area...
), a tugboatTugboatA tugboat is a boat that maneuvers vessels by pushing or towing them. Tugs move vessels that either should not move themselves, such as ships in a crowded harbor or a narrow canal,or those that cannot move by themselves, such as barges, disabled ships, or oil platforms. Tugboats are powerful for...
captainCaptain (nautical)A sea captain is a licensed mariner in ultimate command of the vessel. The captain is responsible for its safe and efficient operation, including cargo operations, navigation, crew management and ensuring that the vessel complies with local and international laws, as well as company and flag...
(Rep. Don YoungDon YoungDonald Edwin "Don" Young is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1973. He is a member of the Republican Party.Young is the 6th most senior U.S. Representative and the 2nd most senior Republican Representative, as well as the 2nd most senior Republican in Congress as a whole...
), a taxicabTaxicabA taxicab, also taxi or cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choice...
driver, an auctioneer, a toll boothToll houseA tollhouse or toll house is a building with accommodation for a toll collector, beside a tollgate on a toll road or canal. Many tollhouses were built by turnpike trusts in England, Wales and Scotland during the 18th and early 19th centuries...
collector, and a hotelHotelA hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
clerk.
Education
The Congressional Research ServiceCongressional Research Service
The Congressional Research Service , known as "Congress's think tank", is the public policy research arm of the United States Congress. As a legislative branch agency within the Library of Congress, CRS works exclusively and directly for Members of Congress, their Committees and staff on a...
notes that the vast majority of Members (95 percent) had an academic degree
Academic degree
An academic degree is a position and title within a college or university that is usually awarded in recognition of the recipient having either satisfactorily completed a prescribed course of study or having conducted a scholarly endeavour deemed worthy of his or her admission to the degree...
:
- 168 Representatives and 57 Senators had a law degreeLaw degreeA Law degree is an academic degree conferred for studies in law. Such degrees are generally preparation for legal careers; but while their curricula may be reviewed by legal authority, they do not themselves confer a license...
. Of these, five (three Representative and two Senators) also hold a Master of LawsMaster of LawsThe Master of Laws is an advanced academic degree, pursued by those holding a professional law degree, and is commonly abbreviated LL.M. from its Latin name, Legum Magister. The University of Oxford names its taught masters of laws B.C.L...
(LL.M.) degree. - 83 Representatives and 16 Senators earned a master's degreeMaster's degreeA master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
-- often a Master of Business AdministrationMaster of Business AdministrationThe Master of Business Administration is a :master's degree in business administration, which attracts people from a wide range of academic disciplines. The MBA designation originated in the United States, emerging from the late 19th century as the country industrialized and companies sought out...
(M.B.A.) - as their highest educational degree - 27 Representatives and one Senator (Mark BegichMark BegichMark Peter Begich is the junior United States Senator from Alaska and a member of the Democratic Party. A former mayor of Anchorage, he served on the Anchorage Assembly for almost ten years prior to being elected mayor in 2003...
) have no educational degree beyond a high schoolHigh schoolHigh school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
diploma. - 23 Representatives (but no Senators) have a Ph.DDoctor of PhilosophyDoctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
- 17 Representatives and three Senators have a medical degreeDoctor of MedicineDoctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
(this number includes one Senator with a veterinary medicine degree and one Representative with a dental degree). - Five Representatives (but no Senators) have an associate's degreeAssociate's degreeAn associate degree is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by community colleges, junior colleges, technical colleges, and bachelor's degree-granting colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study usually lasting two years...
as their highest degree. One House Member has a licensed practical nurseLicensed Practical NurseLicensed practical nurse is the term used in much of the United States and most Canadian provinces to refer to a nurse who cares for "people who are sick, injured, convalescent, or disabled under the direction of registered nurses and physicians. The term licensed vocational nurses is used in...
(L.P.N.) degree
Three Representatives (John Shimkus
John Shimkus
John Mondy Shimkus is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1997. He is a member of the Republican Party....
, Geoff Davis
Geoff Davis
Geoffrey C. "Geoff" Davis is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2005. He is a member of the Republican Party....
, Brett Guthrie
Brett Guthrie
Steven Brett Guthrie is the U.S. Representative for , a Bowling Green-based district, since 2009. He is a member of the Republican Party. He previously served in the Kentucky Senate.-Early life, education, and career:...
) and one Senator (Jack Reed) are graduates of the United States Military Academy
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
, while two Senators (John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
, Jim Webb
Jim Webb
James Henry "Jim" Webb, Jr. is the senior United States Senator from Virginia. He is also an author and a former Secretary of the Navy. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
) and one Representative (Joe Sestak) are graduates of the United States Naval Academy
United States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
. Three Senators (including Russ Feingold
Russ Feingold
Russell Dana "Russ" Feingold is an American politician from the U.S. state of Wisconsin. He served as a Democratic party member of the U.S. Senate from 1993 to 2011. From 1983 to 1993, Feingold was a Wisconsin State Senator representing the 27th District.He is a recipient of the John F...
and Richard Lugar) and two Representatives (Jim Cooper
Jim Cooper
James Hayes Shofner "Jim" Cooper is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2003. He is a member of the Democratic Party and the Blue Dog Coalition. He previously represented from 1983 to 1995....
and Jim Himes
Jim Himes
James A. "Jim" Himes is an American businessman and U.S. Representative for , serving since 2009. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
) were Rhodes Scholars, three Representatives (Tom Cole
Tom Cole
Thomas Jeffery Cole is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party. He is a Deputy Minority Whip. The chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee from 2006 to 2008, he was, during his tenure, the fourth-ranking Republican leader in the...
and Gabrielle Giffords
Gabrielle Giffords
Gabrielle Dee "Gabby" Giffords is an American politician. A Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives, she has represented since 2007. She is the third woman in Arizona's history to be elected to the U.S. Congress...
) were Fulbright Scholars , and one Representative (John M. Spratt, Jr.
John M. Spratt, Jr.
John McKee Spratt, Jr. is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 1983 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Spratt was the dean of the South Carolina congressional delegation, chairman of the U.S. House Committee on the Budget, and the second ranking Democrat on the U.S...
) was a Marshall Scholar.
Military service
A number of members of the 111th Congress had served in the United States armed forcesUnited States armed forces
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...
; some are combat veteran
Veteran
A veteran is a person who has had long service or experience in a particular occupation or field; " A veteran of ..."...
s. There were 167 veterans in the 107th Congress
107th United States Congress
The One Hundred Seventh United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from January 3, 2001 to January 3, 2003, during the final...
, 153 in the 108th Congress
108th United States Congress
The One Hundred Eighth United States Congress was the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives from January 3, 2003 to January 3, 2005, during the third and fourth years of George W. Bush's...
, 126 in the 110th Congress
110th United States Congress
The One Hundred Tenth United States Congress was the meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, between January 3, 2007, and January 3, 2009, during the last two years of the second term of President George W. Bush. It was composed of the Senate and the House of...
, and 121 in the current 111th Congress
111th United States Congress
The One Hundred Eleventh United States Congress was the meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government from January 3, 2009 until January 3, 2011. It began during the last two weeks of the George W. Bush administration, with the remainder spanning the first two years of...
. Some were still serving as reservists
Reserve components of the United States armed forces
The reserve components of the United States armed forces are military organizations whose members, generally perform a minimum of 39 days of military duty per year and who augment the active duty military when necessary. The reserve components are also referred to collectively as the Guard and...
during their tenure.
Among the most notable combat veterans include Sen. Daniel Inouye
Daniel Inouye
Daniel Ken "Dan" Inouye is the senior United States Senator from Hawaii, a member of the Democratic Party, and the President pro tempore of the United States Senate making him the highest-ranking Asian American politician in American history. Inouye is the chairman of the United States Senate...
(D-HI), who served in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
as a captain in the 442nd Infantry Regiment and is the only current member of Congress to have been awarded the Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
. Inouye, fellow Hawaii Senator Daniel Akaka
Daniel Akaka
Daniel Kahikina Akaka is the junior U.S. Senator from Hawaii and a member of the Democratic Party. He is the first U.S. Senator of Native Hawaiian ancestry and is currently the only member of the Senate who has Chinese ancestry....
and New Jersey Senator Frank Lautenberg
Frank Lautenberg
Frank Raleigh Lautenberg is the senior United States Senator from New Jersey and a member of the Democratic Party. Previously, he was the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Automatic Data Processing, Inc.-Early life, career, and family:...
are the last remaining World War II veterans in Congress.
Sen. Jim Webb
Jim Webb
James Henry "Jim" Webb, Jr. is the senior United States Senator from Virginia. He is also an author and a former Secretary of the Navy. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
(D-VA), a Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
veteran, served in Vietnam
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
as platoon commander with Delta Company, 1st Battalion 5th Marines
1st Battalion 5th Marines
1st Battalion, 5th Marines is an infantry battalion in the United States Marine Corps based out of Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California consisting of approximately 800 Marines and sailors. Nicknamed Geronimo, it falls under the command of the 5th Marine Regiment and the 1st Marine Division...
; he earned a Navy Cross
Navy Cross
The Navy Cross is the highest decoration that may be bestowed by the Department of the Navy and the second highest decoration given for valor. It is normally only awarded to members of the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps and United States Coast Guard, but can be awarded to all...
, Silver Star
Silver Star
The Silver Star is the third-highest combat military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States armed forces for valor in the face of the enemy....
, two Bronze Stars
Bronze Star Medal
The Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration that may be awarded for bravery, acts of merit, or meritorious service. As a medal it is awarded for merit, and with the "V" for valor device it is awarded for heroism. It is the fourth-highest combat award of the...
, and two Purple Heart
Purple Heart
The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York...
s. Sen. John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
(R-AZ) served in Vietnam as a naval aviator. Shot down during his 23rd bombing mission over Vietnam in 1967, McCain was captured and torture
Torture
Torture is the act of inflicting severe pain as a means of punishment, revenge, forcing information or a confession, or simply as an act of cruelty. Throughout history, torture has often been used as a method of political re-education, interrogation, punishment, and coercion...
d as a prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
and was finally released in March 1973. He earned the Silver Star
Silver Star
The Silver Star is the third-highest combat military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States armed forces for valor in the face of the enemy....
, Bronze Star
Bronze Star Medal
The Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration that may be awarded for bravery, acts of merit, or meritorious service. As a medal it is awarded for merit, and with the "V" for valor device it is awarded for heroism. It is the fourth-highest combat award of the...
, Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a medal awarded to any officer or enlisted member of the United States armed forces who distinguishes himself or herself in support of operations by "heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating in an aerial flight, subsequent to November 11, 1918." The...
, Navy Commendation Medal and the Prisoner of War Medal
Prisoner of War Medal
The Prisoner of War Medal is a military award of the United States armed forces which was authorized by Congress and signed into law by President Ronald Reagan on 8 November 1985...
, though it was created years afters his release.
African Americans
African AmericanAfrican American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
s currently make up about 13% of the US population, but have historically been underrepresented in Congress. In the 111th Congress, 42 members (9.5%) of the House were African American. As of 2010, there was one African-American serving in the Senate. Roland Burris
Roland Burris
Roland Wallace Burris is a former United States Senator from the state of Illinois and a member of the Democratic Party....
was sworn in as senator on January 15, 2009 after being appointed by Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich
Rod Blagojevich
Rod R. Blagojevich is an American politician who served as the 40th Governor of Illinois from 2003 to 2009. A Democrat, Blagojevich was a State Representative before being elected to the United States House of Representatives representing parts of Chicago...
. Following the end of Burris's tenure in the Senate and his replacement by Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Mark Kirk
Mark Kirk
Mark Steven Kirk is the junior United States Senator from Illinois and a member of the Republican Party. Previously, Kirk was a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Illinois's 10th congressional district....
on November 29, 2010, there were once again no African Americans serving in the Senate. Barack Obama previously held Burris's seat but resigned from his position on November 16, 2008, after winning the Presidential election of 2008 and becoming the first African American to be elected President of the United States. Until the emancipation of enslaved African Americans after the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
and the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1866
Civil Rights Act of 1866
The Civil Rights Act of 1866, , enacted April 9, 1866, is a federal law in the United States that was mainly intended to protect the civil rights of African-Americans, in the wake of the American Civil War...
, blacks were generally barred from voting outside of the Northeast. As a result of these new laws, Joseph Rainey
Joseph Rainey
Joseph Hayne Rainey was the first African American to serve in the United States House of Representatives, the second black person to serve in the United States Congress Joseph Hayne Rainey (June 21, 1832 – August 1, 1887) was the first African American to serve in the United States House of...
and Jefferson F. Long
Jefferson F. Long
Jefferson Franklin Long was an American politician from Georgia. He was the first African American from Georgia to be elected to the United States House of Representatives....
won election to Congress in majority-black districts and Hiram Rhodes Revels
Hiram Rhodes Revels
Hiram Rhodes Revels was the first African American to serve in the United States Senate. Because he preceded any African American in the House, he was the first African American in the U.S. Congress as well. He represented Mississippi in 1870 and 1871 during Reconstruction...
was appointed as senator from Mississippi (then a majority-black state) in 1870. However, the end of Reconstruction in 1876 marked a weakening of black rights and by 1901, when George Henry White
George Henry White
George Henry White was a Republican U.S. Congressman from North Carolina between 1897 and 1901. He is considered the last African American Congressman of the Reconstruction era, although his election came twenty years after the era's "official" end...
left the House after losing a reelection bid, there were no African Americans left in Congress.
In 1929, Oscar Stanton de Priest
Oscar Stanton De Priest
Oscar Stanton De Priest was an American lawmaker and civil rights advocate who served as a U.S. Representative from Illinois from 1929 to 1935. He was the first African American to be elected to Congress in the 20th century....
became the first African American congressman since White. He and his successor, Arthur W. Mitchell
Arthur W. Mitchell
Arthur Wergs Mitchell was a U.S. Representative from Illinois. Mitchell was the first African American to be elected to the United States Congress as a Democrat....
, spent their tenure as the only African Americans in Congress while representing a majority-black House district in Chicago. Not until the election of Adam Clayton Powell, Jr.
Adam Clayton Powell, Jr.
Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., was an American politician and pastor who represented Harlem, New York City, in the United States House of Representatives . He was the first person of African-American descent elected to Congress from New York and became a powerful national politician...
of New York City's Harlem did Congress feature two African Americans serving at the same time in the modern era. The Voting Rights Act of 1965, which strengthened black voting rights, increased the position of black office-seekers. Shirley Chisholm
Shirley Chisholm
Shirley Anita St. Hill Chisholm was an American politician, educator, and author. She was a Congresswoman, representing New York's 12th Congressional District for seven terms from 1969 to 1983. In 1968, she became the first black woman elected to Congress...
became the first African American female member of Congress when she won a 1968 election in New York, while Andrew Young
Andrew Young
Andrew Jackson Young is an American politician, diplomat, activist and pastor from Georgia. He has served as Mayor of Atlanta, a Congressman from the 5th district, and United States Ambassador to the United Nations...
of Georgia became the first modern African American congressman from the South after he won election in 1972. In 1970, a year that saw the election of four black freshman congressman, black membership in the House reached double-digits.
Only six African Americans have served in the U.S. Senate. Hiram Revels and Blanche Bruce
Blanche Bruce
Blanche Kelso Bruce was a U.S. politician who represented Mississippi as a Republican in the U.S. Senate from 1875 to 1881 and was the first elected African-American senator to serve a full term. Hiram R. Revels, also of Mississippi, was the first to ever serve in the U.S...
both served during Reconstruction in then majority-black Mississippi. The only popularly elected black senators are Edward Brooke
Edward Brooke
Edward William Brooke, III is an American politician and was elected to the United States Senate as a Republican from Massachusetts in 1966, defeating his Democratic opponent, Endicott Peabody, 60.7%–38.7%...
(served 1967-79), Carol Moseley Braun
Carol Moseley Braun
Carol Elizabeth Moseley Braun is an American feminist politician and lawyer who represented Illinois in the United States Senate from 1993 to 1999. She was the first and to date only African-American woman elected to the United States Senate, the first woman to defeat an incumbent senator in an...
(served 1993-99 as the first black female senator), and Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
(served 2005-08). Roland Burris
Roland Burris
Roland Wallace Burris is a former United States Senator from the state of Illinois and a member of the Democratic Party....
was appointed to a Senate position in 2009. Brooke served in Massachusetts, while Braun, Obama, and Burris have each held the same Illinois seat.
Hispanic Americans
Representation of Hispanics is somewhat complex, particularly because of the different ways to define membership in this group. Hispanics represent over 14% of the U.S. population, while the Senate was 3% Hispanic and the House was approximately 5% (25 members) Hispanic. Considering that Hispanics make up only 4% of American voters, Hispanic political incorporation has been relatively high compared with previous immigrant groups. The Congressional Hispanic CaucusCongressional Hispanic Caucus
The Congressional Hispanic Caucus comprises 21 Democratic members of the United States Congress most of whom are of Hispanic origin. The Caucus is dedicated to voicing and advancing, through the legislative process, issues affecting Hispanics and Latinos in the United States and Puerto Rico...
has 21 members. José Manuel Gallegos
José Manuel Gallegos
José Manuel Gallegos was a delegate to the US Congress from the Territory of New Mexico.Born in Abiquiú, in what is now Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, Gallegos attended parochial schools...
, a Mexican American, was the first Hispanic in Congress. He was the first delegate to the US Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
from the Territory of New Mexico. The first to represent a state was Romualdo Pacheco
Romualdo Pacheco
José Antonio Romualdo Pacheco Jr. was an American politician and diplomat. Involved in California state and federal politics, Pacheco was elected and appointed to various posts and offices throughout his more than thirty-year career, including the California State Senate, the 12th Governor of...
, a Mexican American
Mexican American
Mexican Americans are Americans of Mexican descent. As of July 2009, Mexican Americans make up 10.3% of the United States' population with over 31,689,000 Americans listed as of Mexican ancestry. Mexican Americans comprise 66% of all Hispanics and Latinos in the United States...
, who represented California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
in 1877. In 1929, Octaviano Ambrosio Larrazolo
Octaviano Ambrosio Larrazolo
Octavio Ambrosio Larrazolo served as the fourth Governor of New Mexico and a United States Senator. He was the first United States Senator of Mexican-American heritage....
of New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
became the first Hispanic to be elected to the United States Senate. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1989. She is a member of the Republican Party....
, a Cuban American first elected in 1989, was the first Hispanic woman in Congress. While Hispanic women have served in House, none have been elected to the Senate.
Unlike black Americans, Hispanics never were legally barred from the polls, and in New Mexico and California, they were a large and influential minority. Since the election of Dennis Chavez
Dennis Chavez
Dionisio "Dennis" Chavez was a Democratic politician from the U.S. State of New Mexico who served in the United States House of Representatives, and in the United States Senate from 1935 to 1962.-Early life:...
and Joachim O. Fernández
Joachim O. Fernandez
Joachim Octave Fernández was a member of the U. S. House of Representatives representing the state of Louisiana. He was a Democrat....
to the House in 1931, Hispanics have continuously been represented in Congress. Most Hispanic members of Congress, including all elected prior to 1970, were of Mexican
Mexican people
Mexican people refers to all persons from Mexico, a multiethnic country in North America, and/or who identify with the Mexican cultural and/or national identity....
descent with the exception of Herman Badillo
Herman Badillo
Herman Badillo is a Bronx, New York politician who has been a borough president, United States Representative, and candidate for Mayor of New York City. He was the first Puerto Rican to be elected to these posts and be a mayoral candidate in the continental United States.-Early years:Badillo was...
, who won election in 1970, becoming the first Puerto Rican
Puerto Ricans in the United States
Stateside Puerto Ricans are American citizens of Puerto Rican origin, including those who migrated from Puerto Rico to the United States and those who were born outside of Puerto Rico in the United States...
from a mainland state in Congress, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen was elected in 1989 as the first Cuban American
Cuban American
A Cuban American is a United States citizen who traces his or her "national origin" to Cuba. Cuban Americans are also considered native born Americans with Cuban parents or Cuban-born persons who were raised and educated in US...
congresswoman.
Prior to 2005, only three Hispanics have won a term in the U.S. Senate. These members were Octaviano Larrazola (served 1928-29), Dennis Chavez (formerly of the House, and served 1935-62), and Joseph Montoya
Joseph Montoya
Joseph Manuel Montoya was a Democratic U.S. Senator for the State of New Mexico from 1964 until 1977.-Education:...
(also formerly a House member, serve 1964-77), all of Mexican descent. However, two Hispanics won Senate seats in 2004, Ken Salazar
Ken Salazar
Kenneth Lee "Ken" Salazar is the current United States Secretary of the Interior, in the administration of President Barack Obama. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as a United States Senator from Colorado from 2005 to 2009. He and Mel Martinez were the first Hispanic U.S...
and Mel Martinez
Mel Martinez
Melquíades Rafael Martínez Ruiz, usually known as Mel Martinez , is a former United States Senator from Florida and served as Chairman of the Republican Party from November 2006 until October 19, 2007, the first Latino to serve as chairman of a major party...
(the first Cuban American senator). At the end of the 111th Congress, there was one Hispanic in the US Senate: Bob Menendez, a Cuban-American.
Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders
Asian AmericanAsian American
Asian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,...
s and Pacific Islander
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islander , is a geographic term to describe the indigenous inhabitants of any of the three major sub-regions of Oceania: Polynesia, Melanesia and Micronesia.According to the Encyclopædia Britannica, these three regions, together with their islands consist of:Polynesia:...
s have a high level of political incorporation in terms of their actual voting population. However, as a result of this group's historically low voting rates, overall political incorporation of the general population is relatively low. The population of this group has increased in size by 600% in the last 30 years due to immigration. Despite high levels of naturalization and voter outreach efforts, this primarily foreign-born community with less than 1% of voters has 2% of congressional population. As 4.4% of the total population in the United States falls into this category, this 2% still represents less than half of the total Asian American and Pacific Islander population.
There were eight members of Asian or Islander descent in the House and three in the Senate. Senator Daniel Inouye
Daniel Inouye
Daniel Ken "Dan" Inouye is the senior United States Senator from Hawaii, a member of the Democratic Party, and the President pro tempore of the United States Senate making him the highest-ranking Asian American politician in American history. Inouye is the chairman of the United States Senate...
and Representatives Mike Honda
Mike Honda
Michael Makoto "Mike" Honda is an American Democratic Party politician. He currently serves as the U.S. Representative for , encompassing western San Jose and Silicon Valley...
, Doris Matsui
Doris Matsui
Doris Okada Matsui is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2005. She is a member of the Democratic Party. The district consists of the city of Sacramento and the surrounding area...
, and Mazie Hirono
Mazie Hirono
is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. She is a member of the Democratic Party.She was the second Asian immigrant elected lieutenant governor of a state of the United States. She ran against Linda Lingle for governor of Hawaii in 2002, one of the few gubernatorial races in United...
are all Japanese Americans. Senator Daniel Akaka
Daniel Akaka
Daniel Kahikina Akaka is the junior U.S. Senator from Hawaii and a member of the Democratic Party. He is the first U.S. Senator of Native Hawaiian ancestry and is currently the only member of the Senate who has Chinese ancestry....
is a Native Hawaiian, Delegate Eni Faleomavaega is a Samoan
Samoans
The Samoan people are a Polynesian ethnic group of the Samoan Islands, sharing genetics, language, history and culture. Due to colonialism, the home islands are politically and geographically divided between the country of Samoa, official name Independent State of Samoa ; and American Samoa, an...
, and Joseph Cao
Joseph Cao
Anh "Joseph" Quang Cao is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 2009 until 2011. He is a member of the Republican Party. In April 2011, he announced he will be a candidate for Attorney General of Louisiana in 2011, however in September 2011 he pulled out of the race.He was the first...
is a Vietnamese American. Bobby Scott
Robert C. Scott
Robert Cortez "Bobby" Scott is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1993. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
of Virginia, who is also half African American, has Filipino American
Filipino American
Filipino Americans are Americans of Filipino ancestry. Filipino Americans, often shortened to "Fil-Ams", or "Pinoy",Filipinos in what is now the United States were first documented in the 16th century, with small settlements beginning in the 18th century...
ancestry. Steve Austria
Steve Austria
Stephen Clement "Steve" Austria is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2009. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district stretches from Springfield to the southern suburbs of Columbus....
of Ohio also claims Filipino American ethnicity. John Ensign
John Ensign
John Eric Ensign is a former United States Senator from Nevada, serving from January 2001 until he resigned amid an investigation of an ethics violation in May 2011...
of Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
has claimed that he is 1/8 Filipino American, enlarging the number of those who claim to be Filipino American in Congress to the highest point since the Philippine Islands had been represented as a territory. Judy Chu
Judy Chu
Judy May Chu, Ph.D. is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2009. She is a member of the Democratic Party....
became the first Chinese American woman in Congress when she won a special election in 2009. David Wu
David Wu
David Wu is an American politician who served as the U.S. representative for from 1999 to 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party.The district includes most of Portland west of the Willamette River, as well as all of Yamhill, Columbia, Clatsop, and Washington Counties...
of Oregon is Taiwanese American.
Robert William Wilcox
Robert William Wilcox
Robert William Kalanihiapo Wilcox , nicknamed the Iron Duke of Hawaii, was a native Hawaiian revolutionary soldier and politician. He led uprisings against both the government of the Kingdom of Hawaii under King Kalākaua and the Republic of Hawaii under Sanford Dole, what are now known as the...
, a Native Hawaiian who served as Hawaiian territorial delegate from 1900 to 1903, was the first Pacific Islander chosen to serve in Congress. Benito Legarda y Tuason and Pablo Ocampo
Pablo Ocampo
Pablo Ocampo, a Resident Commissioner from the Philippine Islands; born in Manila, Philippine Islands, January 25, 1853; attended Colegio de San Juan de Letran, and graduated from Santo Tomas University in 1882; studied law; was admitted to the bar in 1882 and practiced in Manila; prosecuting...
joined the House in 1907 as Resident Commissioners
Delegate (United States Congress)
A delegate to Congress is a non-voting member of the United States House of Representatives who is elected from a U.S. territory and from Washington, D.C. to a two-year term. While unable to vote in the full House, a non-voting delegate may vote in a House committee of which the delegate is a member...
, becoming the first Asian Americans to serve in the Congress, and beginning the representation of the Philippines which ended in 1947. Dalip Singh Saund
Dalip Singh Saund
Dalip Singh Saund was a member of the United States House of Representatives. He served the 29th District of California from January 3, 1957–January 3, 1963. He was the first Asian American, Indian American and Sikh member of the United States Congress...
(served 1957-63) was the first South Asia
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
n American in Congress and is one of only two Indian Americans to be elected to the legislature. Hiram Fong
Hiram Fong
Hiram Leong Fong , born Yau Leong Fong , was an American businessman and politician from Hawaii. He is most notable for his service as Republican United States Senator from 1959 to 1977, and for being the first Asian American and Chinese American to be elected as such...
, who served three decades in the Senate from 1959 to 1977, is the first and one of only two Chinese American
Chinese American
Chinese Americans represent Americans of Chinese descent. Chinese Americans constitute one group of overseas Chinese and also a subgroup of East Asian Americans, which is further a subgroup of Asian Americans...
members to have entered Congress. Daniel Inouye
Daniel Inouye
Daniel Ken "Dan" Inouye is the senior United States Senator from Hawaii, a member of the Democratic Party, and the President pro tempore of the United States Senate making him the highest-ranking Asian American politician in American history. Inouye is the chairman of the United States Senate...
(serving since 1959) was the first Japanese American in the House and later the first in Senate. Patsy Mink
Patsy Mink
Patsy Matsu Takemoto Mink was an American politician from the U.S. state of Hawaii. Mink was a third generation Japanese American and member of the Democratic Party. She also was the Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs.Mink served in the U.S...
(served 1965-77 and again from 1990–2002) was the first Asian American woman in Congress. Bobby Scott, elected in 1993, is the first US born member of Congress to have Filipino ancestry. David Wu, elected in 1998, is the only person of Taiwanese ancestry to serve in Congress, while in 2009, Joseph Cao became the first Vietnamese American in the legislature.
Only five members of the U.S. Senate have ever been of Asian American or Pacific Islander backgrounds. Four of these politicians have been from Hawaii.
Native Americans
Compared with the European American, African American, Latino, and Asian/Pacific American communities, American IndiansNative Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
, who comprise 1.5% of the population, are the most underrepresented group. Tom Cole
Tom Cole
Thomas Jeffery Cole is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party. He is a Deputy Minority Whip. The chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee from 2006 to 2008, he was, during his tenure, the fourth-ranking Republican leader in the...
, a Chickasaw
Chickasaw
The Chickasaw are Native American people originally from the region that would become the Southeastern United States...
, is the only registered American Indian currently in Congress. Tracking Native American members of Congress is complex, since many people of mixed blood are not registered as part of the American Indian population. Charles Curtis
Charles Curtis
Charles Curtis was a United States Representative, a longtime United States Senator from Kansas later chosen as Senate Majority Leader by his Republican colleagues, and the 31st Vice President of the United States...
, who was three-eighths Native American and had ancestry from a variety of different tribes, was elected in 1892 as the first U.S. representative from this group. Curtis accomplished several other firsts during his political tenure. He became the first American Indian to serve in the US Senate (in office 1907-13 and 1915–29), to lead a major party (served as Republican Senate Majority Leader from 1925–29), and to obtain the office of Vice President
Vice president
A vice president is an officer in government or business who is below a president in rank. The name comes from the Latin vice meaning 'in place of'. In some countries, the vice president is called the deputy president...
.
Several of the nation's major tribes have been represented in Congress in limited number. Charles David Carter (served 1907-27) was the first Choctaw
Choctaw
The Choctaw are a Native American people originally from the Southeastern United States...
in Congress; William Wirt Hastings (served 1915-35) was the first Cherokee
Cherokee
The Cherokee are a Native American people historically settled in the Southeastern United States . Linguistically, they are part of the Iroquoian language family...
in the legislature; Ben Reifel
Ben Reifel
Benjamin "Ben" Reifel, also known as Lone Feather was a public administrator and politician of Lakota Sioux and German-American descent. He had a career with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, retiring as area administrator...
(seved 1961-71) was the first Sioux
Sioux
The Sioux are Native American and First Nations people in North America. The term can refer to any ethnic group within the Great Sioux Nation or any of the nation's many language dialects...
to win election to the body. Other than Curtis, only a few members of the U.S. Senate have been American Indians. Robert Latham Owen
Robert L. Owen
Robert Latham Owen, Jr. was one of the first two U.S. senators from Oklahoma. He served in the Senate between 1907 and 1925...
(served 1907-25) and Ben Nighthorse Campbell
Ben Nighthorse Campbell
Benjamin Nighthorse Campbell is an American politician. He was a U.S. Senator from Colorado from 1993 until 2005 and was during his tenure the only American Indian serving in the U.S. Congress. Campbell was a three term U.S. Representative from 1987 to 1993, when he was sworn into office as a...
(served 1993-2005 after several previous terms in the House and the first Cheyenne
Cheyenne
Cheyenne are a Native American people of the Great Plains, who are of the Algonquian language family. The Cheyenne Nation is composed of two united tribes, the Só'taeo'o and the Tsétsêhéstâhese .The Cheyenne are thought to have branched off other tribes of Algonquian stock inhabiting lands...
in Congress) are the others to have earned that distinction.
Middle Eastern Americans
Middle Eastern Americans also have typically low levels of voting incorporation, except among a particular voting group. As a group, Middle Eastern Americans are not measured by the U.S. Census, which, combined with differences in the definition of this group, makes measuring its percentage of the population difficult. Estimates place about 1.8% of the nation's population to be of this origin. Nearly all Middle Eastern members of Congress have been Lebanese Americans. George Kasem became the first Lebanese congressman when he won his first and only term in 1958. Since Abraham KazenAbraham Kazen
Abraham Kazen, Jr., usually known as Chick Kazen was a U.S. Representative from Texas from 1967 to 1985.- Education :...
took office in 1977, serving until 1985, Lebanese Americans have consistently served in Congress. There are currently three Lebanese members of the House: Nick Rahall
Nick Rahall
Nick Joe Rahall II is the U.S. Representative for West Virginia's 3rd congressional district, serving since 1977. Rahall is currently Ranking Member of the House Resources Committee. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes much of the southern portion of the state, including...
, Charles Boustany
Charles Boustany
Charles William Boustany, Jr. is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2005. He is a member of the Republican Party.-Early life, education, and medical career:...
, and Darrell Issa
Darrell Issa
Darrell Edward Issa is the U.S. Representative for , and previously the 48th, serving since 2001. He is a member of the Republican Party. He was formerly a CEO of Directed Electronics, the Vista, California-based manufacturer of automobile security and convenience products...
.
Five members of the U.S. Senate have been of Middle Eastern descent, all five with Arab American
Arab American
An Arab American is a United States citizen or resident of Arab ethnic, cultural and linguistic heritage or identity, who identifies themselves as Arab. Arab Americans trace ancestry to any of the various waves of immigrants of the countries comprising the Arab World...
ancestry and four of Lebanese descent. James Abourezk
James Abourezk
James George Abourezk is a former Democratic United States Representative and United States Senator, and was the first Arab-American to serve in the United States Senate. He represented South Dakota in the U.S...
, who served from 1973 to 1979, became the first Lebanese American Senator. George Mitchell
George J. Mitchell
George John Mitchell, Jr., is the former U.S. Special Envoy for Middle East Peace under the Obama administration. A Democrat, Mitchell was a United States Senator who served as the Senate Majority Leader from 1989 to 1995...
(served 1980-95), who is half Lebanese, became the first Middle Eastern American party leader, as he served as Senate Majority Leader from 1989 to 1995. James Abdnor
James Abdnor
James Abdnor is a Republican politician from the state of South Dakota.-Personal:He graduated from the University of Nebraska in 1945 where he became a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity. He served in the United States Army during World War II and from 1957 to 1969 was a member of the South Dakota...
(served 1981 to 1987) and Spencer Abraham
Spencer Abraham
Edmund Spencer Abraham is a former United States Senator from Michigan. He served as the tenth United States Secretary of Energy, serving under President George W. Bush. Abraham is one of the founders of the Federalist Society....
(1995–2001) also were Lebanese American senators, while John Sununu
John E. Sununu
John Edward Sununu is a former Republican United States Senator from New Hampshire, of Lebanese and Palestinian Christian ancestry. Sununu was the youngest member of the Senate for his entire six year term. He is the son of former New Hampshire Governor John H...
is the only person of Palestinian ancestry to serve in Congress.
Foreign-born Americans
Two Senators were born overseas to U.S. citizen parents, John McCainJohn McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
of Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
and Michael Bennet
Michael Bennet
Michael Farrand Bennet is an American businessman, lawyer, and politician. He is currently the junior United States Senator from Colorado, and a member of the Democratic Party...
of Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, who were born in the Panama Canal Zone
Panama Canal Zone
The Panama Canal Zone was a unorganized U.S. territory located within the Republic of Panama, consisting of the Panama Canal and an area generally extending 5 miles on each side of the centerline, but excluding Panama City and Colón, which otherwise would have been partly within the limits of...
and India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, respectively.
There were eight current Representatives who were born overseas—Lincoln Diaz-Balart
Lincoln Diaz-Balart
Lincoln Rafael Díaz-Balart was the U.S. Representative for from 1993 to 2011. He is a member of the Republican Party. He previously served in the Florida House of Representatives and the Florida Senate...
, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1989. She is a member of the Republican Party....
, and Albio Sires
Albio Sires
Albio Sires is the U.S. Representative for , serving since a special election in 2006. The district includes most of Jersey City, as well as most of the Latino neighborhoods of Newark. He is a member of the Democratic Party...
from Cuba; Mazie Hirono
Mazie Hirono
is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. She is a member of the Democratic Party.She was the second Asian immigrant elected lieutenant governor of a state of the United States. She ran against Linda Lingle for governor of Hawaii in 2002, one of the few gubernatorial races in United...
from Japan; Ciro Rodriguez from Mexico; Pete Hoekstra
Pete Hoekstra
Peter "Pete" Hoekstra is a former Republican U.S. Representative for who served in the House from 1993 until 2011. He was an unsuccessful candidate for Governor of Michigan in 2010 and is expected to run for the United States Senate against Debbie Stabenow in 2012.-Early life and education:Born...
from the Netherlands; and David Wu
David Wu
David Wu is an American politician who served as the U.S. representative for from 1999 to 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party.The district includes most of Portland west of the Willamette River, as well as all of Yamhill, Columbia, Clatsop, and Washington Counties...
from Taiwan. Foreign-born Congresspersons comprised 2% of the voting membership of the House. This figure does not include four members who were born overseas to U.S. citizen parents: Geoff Davis
Geoff Davis
Geoffrey C. "Geoff" Davis is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2005. He is a member of the Republican Party....
(Canada), Chris Van Hollen
Chris Van Hollen
Christopher "Chris" Van Hollen, Jr. is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2003. He is a member of the Democratic Party...
(Pakistan), James A. Himes (Peru), and Diana DeGette
Diana DeGette
Diana Louise DeGette is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1997, and a Chief Deputy Whip. She is a member of the Democratic Party.The district is based in Denver.-Early life, education and career:...
(Japan).
Elections
Elections for all House seats and 35 Senate seats were held on November 4, 2008 across the country. The Democratic Party increased its majority in both houses, and regained control of the White HouseWhite House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
before the end of the second term of George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
.