Membership of the 111th Congress: A Profile

^Pr^ep^ar^{ed f}^o^r^M^e^m^b^ers^an^d^Com^mⁱ^t^t^ees^of^C^ong^r^e^ss

This report presents a profile of the membership of the 111^th Congress. Statistical information is
included on selected characteristics of Members, including data on party affiliation, average age
and length of service, occupation, religious affiliation, gender, ethnicity, foreign births, and
military service.
Currently, in the House of Representatives, there are 262 Democrats (including five Delegates
and the Resident Commissioner) and 178 Republicans. The Senate has 55 Democrats; two
Independents, who caucus with the Democrats; and 41 Republicans. There are two Senate
vacancies and one House vacancy.
The average age of Members of both Houses of Congress at the convening of the 111^th Congress
is 58.2 years; of Members of the House, 57.0 years; and of Senators, 63.1 years. The
overwhelming majority of Members have a college education. The dominant professions of
Members are public service/politics, business, and law. Protestants collectively constitute the
majority religious affiliation of Members. Roman Catholics account for the largest single
religious denomination, and numerous other affiliations are represented.
The average length of service for Representatives at the beginning of the 111^th Congress is 11.0
years (5.5 terms); for Senators 12.9 years ( 2.2 terms).
A record number of 95 women serve in the 111^th Congress: 78 in the House, 17 in the Senate.
There are 41 African American Members of the House and none in the Senate. This number
includes two Delegates. There are 31 Hispanic or Latino Members serving: 28 in the House,
including the Resident Commissioner, and three in the Senate. Eleven Members (seven
Representatives, two Delegates, and two Senators) are Asian or Native Hawaiian/other Pacific
Islander. The only American Indian (Native American) serves in the House.

Party Breakdown.............................................................................................................................1
Age ............................................................................................................................ ...................... 1
Occupations ..................................................................................................................................... 2
Education ......................................................................................................................................... 3
Congressional Service.....................................................................................................................4
Religion ........................................................................................................................................... 5
Gender and Ethnicity.......................................................................................................................5
Female Members.......................................................................................................................5
African American Members......................................................................................................5
Hispanic Members....................................................................................................................5
Asian Pacific Americans...........................................................................................................6
American Indians......................................................................................................................6
Foreign Birth...................................................................................................................................6
Military Service...............................................................................................................................6
Author Contact Information............................................................................................................6
Acknowledgments ........................................................................................................................... 7

ongress is composed of 541 individuals from the 50 states, the District of Columbia,
Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana ¹²
Islands. This count assumes that no seat is temporarily vacant. The following is a profile ^th³C

of the 111 Congress.

In the 111^th Congress, the current party alignments are 262 Democrats in the House of
Representatives (including five Delegates and the Resident Commissioner) and 178 Republicans.
The Senate has 55 Democrats; two Independents, who caucus with the Democrats; and 41
Republicans.

The average age of Members of the 111^th Congress is among the highest of any Congress in ⁴^th
recent U.S. history. The average age of Senators at the beginning of the 111 Congress is 63.1 ^th
years, approximately 1.5 years greater than that of the 110 Congress (61.7 years) and three years ^th
older than that of Senators in the 109 Congress (60.1 years).
The average age of Members of the House, including Delegates and the Resident Commissioner, ^th
is 57.0 years, over a year older than that of Representatives in the 110 Congress (55.9 years), ^th
and almost two years older than that of Representatives in the 109 Congress (55.1 years). The
average age of all Members in both Houses is 58.2 years.
The average age of the new Members of the House, including a Delegate and the Resident
Commissioner, is 49.7 years. The average age of new Senators is 57.1 years.
The U.S. Constitution requires Representatives to be at least 25 years old when they take office.
The youngest Representative, as well as youngest Member of Congress, is Aaron Schock (R-IL),

27. The oldest Representative is Ralph Hall (R-TX), 85.

¹
^T^h^{is f}ⁱ^g^u^re^inc^l^ude^{s 1}⁰⁰^Se^na^tor^s^{, 43}^{5 Re}^pre^s^eⁿ^ta^tiv^e^s^{, f}ⁱ^v^e^de^le^ga^te^{s (f}^ro^m^the^Distric^t^of^Colum^b^ia^{, G}^u^a^m^,
^Ameri^can^S^a^m^o^a,^t^h^{e U.}^S^.^Vⁱ^rgiⁿ^Isl^aⁿ^d^s^,^and^t^h^{e No}^rt^h^e^rn^M^a^ri^{anas Isl}^aⁿ^d^s^),^an^{d on}^{e Resi}^d^eⁿ^t^C^o^mmi^ssi^oⁿ^e^{r f}^r^o^m^th
^P^u^ert^o^Rⁱ^co^.^T^h^{e 11}¹^C^o^ng^r^e^s^s^is^the^fⁱ^r^s^{t one}ⁱⁿ^w^h^ic^{h t}^h^e^N^o^r^t^he^rⁿ^Ma^rⁱ^aⁿ^a^I^s^laⁿ^d^s^ha^v^e^ha^{d a}^de^l^e^g^a^te^{. N}^o^te^tha^t
^sⁱ^nc^e¹⁷^89,¹¹^,8⁹⁰ⁱⁿ^divⁱ^d^u^a^l^s⁽ⁿ^{ot i}ⁿ^c^l^ud^ing^D^e^le^g^a^te^s^a^{nd R}^e^sⁱ^de^{nt C}^o^m^m^is^sⁱ^one^r^s⁾^ha^v^e^s^e^r^v^e^dⁱⁿ^C^o^ng^r^e^s^s^:^9,9⁸⁴
^only^{in the}^H^ous^e^,^1,²⁵^{8 o}ⁿ^ly^{in t}^h^e^Se^na^te^{, a}ⁿ^{d 6}⁴⁸ⁱⁿ^b^o^th^h^ous^e^s^.
²^Cu^rren^tly^{, th}^{ere tw}^o^Sen^a^{te v}^acaⁿ^c^{ies, o}ⁿ^e^f^r^o^m^th^{e Illin}^oⁱ^{s seat v}^acated^b^y^P^r^esid^en^t-^{elect Barack}^Ob^{ama, an}^d^oⁿ^e
^f^r^o^m^t^h^{e u}ⁿ^d^eci^d^e^d^Miⁿⁿ^eso^t^{a S}^eⁿ^a^t^e^race.^T^h^{ere i}^s^oⁿ^e^Ho^u^s^{e vacan}^c^y^f^o^{r t}^h^{e 5}^th^Distric^t^of^Illinoⁱ^{s. For}^inf^o^rm^a^tion^th
^oⁿ^an^y^sp^{ecial electio}ⁿ^s^o^r^ap^p^oⁱⁿ^tm^en^{ts to}^f^{ill v}^acan^cie^sⁱⁿ^th^e¹¹¹^Cong^re^{ss, re}^f^e^{r to htt}^p^://w^ww^.c^rs.g^ov^/re^f^e^r^eⁿ^c^e^/
^g^e^ne^r^a^l/^le^gⁱ^s^l^a^tiv^e^/¹¹^1c^ha^ng^e^.^s^h^t^m^l.^T^h^is^s^ite^is^u^pda^te^{d w}^h^eⁿ^t^h^e^r^e^is^a^de^a^t^{h or}^r^e^sⁱ^gⁿ^a^tion^of^a^Me^m^b^e^r^of^C^ong^r^e^s^s
^a^s^w^e^{ll a}^s^aⁿ^a^ppoi^ntm^e^{nt or e}^l^e^c^t^ion^{to f}^{ill a}^v^acan^c^y^.
³^Iⁿ^f^o^r^m^a^{tion on}^the^fⁱ^v^e^D^e^le^ga^tes^a^{nd t}^h^e^R^e^sⁱ^de^{nt C}^o^m^m^is^sⁱ^one^r^is^inc^l^u^d^e^d^w^h^e^r^e^r^e^le^v^a^{nt. R}^e^f^e^r^e^nc^e^s^to
^R^e^pr^e^s^eⁿ^ta^tiv^e^s^inc^l^udeⁱⁿ^f^o^r^m^a^{tion f}^o^r^t^h^e⁴³⁵^Me^m^b^e^r^s^of^the^H^ous^e^,^but^no^{t D}^e^le^g^a^te^s^or^the^R^e^sⁱ^de^nt
^C^o^m^m^is^sⁱ^one^r^.^For^ba^c^k^g^r^{ound i}ⁿ^f^o^r^m^a^{tion o}ⁿ^e^a^r^lie^r^C^o^ng^r^e^s^s^e^s^,^r^e^f^e^r^{to C}^R^S^R^e^por^{t R}^S²²⁵^55,^M^e^mbe^{rship of}^the^th^th
¹¹⁰^Co^ngre^{ss: A Pr}^ofile^,^by^Mildr^e^{d A}^m^e^r^{, a}^{nd C}^R^S^R^e^p^o^r^t^R^S²²⁰⁰^7,^M^e^m^b^e^r^s^hⁱ^p^of^the¹⁰⁹^C^ongr^e^s^s^:^A^Pr^ofile^,
^by^Mildr^e^{d A}^m^e^r^{. Se}^e^a^l^s^o^C^R^S^R^e^por^{t R}^L³⁰³⁷^8,^A^f^rⁱ^c^aⁿ^Am^e^r^ic^{an M}^e^m^b^e^r^s^{of t}^h^e^Uⁿⁱ^t^e^d^State^s^C^ongr^e^s^s^:¹⁸⁷⁰^-
²⁰⁰⁸^,^by^Mildr^e^{d A}^m^e^r^{; C}^R^S^R^e^por^{t R}^L³⁰²^61,^W^o^m^e^{n i}ⁿ^the^Uⁿⁱ^t^e^d^St^ate^s^C^o^ngr^e^s^s^:¹⁹¹⁷^-²⁰⁰⁸^,^by^Mildre^{d Am}^e^r^;
^a^{nd C}^R^S^R^e^por^t⁹⁷^-³^98,^Asia^{n P}^a^c^ific^Ame^r^ic^{ans i}ⁿ^t^h^e^Unite^d^St^ate^s^Con^g^re^ss^{, by}^L^o^rra^ine^H^.^T^ong^.
⁴^Co^m^p^l^e^t^e^CRS^reco^rd^{s on}^t^h^{e ages o}^f^M^e^m^b^{ers o}^f^t^h^{e Ho}^u^s^{e b}^e^giⁿⁱⁿ¹⁹⁰⁷^,^t^h^{e 60}^th^C^ong^r^e^s^s^.

Senators must be at least 30 years old when they take office. The youngest Senator is Senator
Mark Pryor (D-AR), who is 45. The oldest Senator, as well as the oldest current Member of
Congress, is Robert C. Byrd (D-WV), 91.

According to CQ Today, in the 111^th Congress, law is the dominant declared profession of
Senators, followed by public service/politics; for Representatives, public service/politics is first, ⁵^th
followed by business and law. A closer look at the prior occupations of Members of the 111 ⁶
Congress also shows
• 16 medical doctors (including a psychiatrist), two dentists, three nurses, two
veterinarians, a psychologist, an optometrist, a clinical dietician, and a
pharmacist;
• four ministers;
• 38 mayors, 13 state governors, ten lieutenant governors (including two
Delegates), two state first ladies (one of whom was also the first lady of the
United States), and one territorial first lady;
• three Cabinet secretaries, one Secretary of the Navy, a vice admiral in the Navy, a
Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, a Defense Department counter terrorism
consultant, an ambassador, three state supreme court justices, and a federal judge;
• 269 (229 in the House, including two Delegates, and 40 in the Senate) state or ⁷
territorial legislators;
• at least 112 congressional staffers (including 9 congressional pages),⁸ 13 White
House staffers or fellows, and several executive branch employees;
• a parliamentary aide in the British House of Commons and a foreign service
officer;
• five Peace Corps volunteers;
• four sheriffs, a deputy sheriff, four police officers (including a Capitol
policeman), two state troopers, two probation officers, a volunteer fireman, an
FBI agent, and a former border patrol chief;
⁵^th
^“¹¹¹^Co^ng^re^{ss: Sta}^tistic^a^lly^Spe^a^k^ing^,^”^C^Q^Today^{, v}^o^l^.⁴⁴^,^no^{. 1}^{38 (}^N^ov^em^be^r^{6, 2}⁰⁰⁸⁾^,^p.⁷²^{. I}ⁿ^the^ov^e^r^w^h^e^l^mⁱ^ng
^m^a^jor^ity^of^pr^e^v^ious^C^ong^r^e^s^s^e^s^,^bus^ine^s^s^ha^s^f^o^llow^e^{d la}^w^as^the^dom^inaⁿ^{t oc}^c^u^pa^tioⁿ^of^Me^m^b^e^r^{s. H}^o^w^e^v^e^r^,^{in the}^th
¹¹¹^Co^ng^re^{ss, 21}^{4 Me}^m^b^e^r^{s (18}²^Re^pre^s^eⁿ^ta^tiv^e^s^{, 33}^Se^na^tors)^li^{st the}ⁱ^r^oc^c^upa^tio^{n a}^s^p^u^b^lic^se^rv^ic^e^/^politic^s,²⁰⁴
^Me^m^b^e^r^s⁽^{152 R}^e^pr^e^s^eⁿ^ta^tiv^e^s^{, 5}¹^Se^na^t^o^r^s⁾^lis^{t la}^w^,^a^nd²⁰^{1 Me}^m^b^e^r^s⁽^{175 R}^e^pr^e^s^eⁿ^ta^tiv^e^s^{, 27}^S^e^na^tor^s⁾^lis^t
^bus^ine^s^s^.^Nⁱ^ne^ty^-^f^our⁽⁷⁸^R^e^pr^e^s^eⁿ^ta^tiv^e^s^a^{nd 1}⁶^Se^na^t^o^r^s⁾^lis^{t e}^d^uc^a^{tion a}^s^a^pr^of^e^s^sⁱ^on.^Me^m^b^e^r^{s of}^te^{n lis}^{t m}^o^r^e^thaⁿ
^one^pr^of^e^s^sⁱ^{on w}^h^eⁿ^s^u^r^v^e^y^e^d^by^C^ong^r^e^s^sⁱ^ona^{l Q}^u^a^r^te^r^l^y^,^Iⁿ^c^.
⁶^“T^h^e^Ne^w^S^eⁿ^a^t^o^{rs an}^d^T^h^{e Ne}^w^Rep^r^esen^t^a^tⁱ^v^es,^”^C^Q^Today^{, v}^o^l.^44,ⁿ^o^.^{13 (}^N^ov^e^m^be^r^{6, 20}⁰⁸⁾^,^p^p^.^23-^25,²⁷^-
^37,⁵⁰^-⁵^{7, s}^u^pple^m^eⁿ^te^{d by}^C^R^S^{. T}^h^e^pr^of^e^s^sⁱ^ons^lis^te^d^he^r^e^a^r^eⁿ^o^{t ne}^c^e^s^s^a^r^ily^the^one^s^pr^a^c^tic^e^d^by^Mem^b^e^r^s
^im^m^e^dia^t^e^l^y^pr^ior^to^eⁿ^te^rⁱ^ng^C^o^ng^r^e^s^s^.
⁷^Natⁱ^oⁿ^a^l^C^oⁿ^f^eren^{ce o}^f^S^t^at^{e L}^e^gi^sl^at^o^r^s,^“F^o^r^m^e^{r S}^t^at^{e L}^e^gi^sl^at^o^r^{s i}ⁿ^t^h^{e 11}¹^th^C^ong^r^e^s^s^,^”⁽^a^s^of^D^e^c^e^m^b^e^r^{8, 20}⁰⁸⁾^,
^http:^//w^w^w^.nc^s^l.or^g^/^pr^int^/^s^t^a^t^e^f^e^d^/f^s^l^111.p^d^f^.
⁸^Mic^h^a^e^l^L^.^K^o^e^m^pe^{l a}^{nd J}^u^dy^Sc^hne^ide^r^,^C^o^ng^ressioⁿ^a^l^Deskb^ook^{, 5}^th^e^d^{. (}^W^a^s^hing^ton:^T^h^e^C^a^p^ita^l.N^e^{t, 2}⁰⁰⁷⁾^,^pp.
²⁰⁶^-²^09,^s^u^p^p^le^m^e^nte^d^by^C^R^S^.

• three physicists, one chemist, six engineers including a biomedical engineer, and
one microbiologist;
• a radio talk show host, a radio/television broadcaster, a radio broadcaster, a radio
newscaster, a television reporter, and a television commentator;
• five accountants;
• an astronaut, a naval aviator, the commander of an aircraft carrier battle group, an
instructor at West Point, and a pilot of Marine One (the President’s helicopter);
• two professional musicians, a semi-professional musician, a screenwriter, a
documentary film maker, a major league baseball player, and an NFL football
player;
• three organic farmers, three ranchers, two vintners, and a fruit orchard worker;
• a driving instructor, a cosmetic sales woman, a mountain guide, and a ski
instructor;
• a casino dealer, a night watchman, and a prison guard; and
• three carpenters, two bank tellers, a furniture salesman, an ironworker, an auto
worker, a clothing factory worker, a textile worker, an oil field worker, a
mortician, a coroner, a waitress, a teamster member/dairy worker, a paper mill
worker, a cement plant worker, a meat cutter, a shellfish specialist, a river boat
captain, a taxicab driver, an auctioneer, a toll booth collector, and a hotel clerk.

As has been true in recent Congresses, the vast majority of Members (95%) of the 111^th Congress ⁹
hold university degrees. CRS research indicates that 27 Members of the House and one Senator
have no educational degree beyond a high school diploma. Five Members of the House, but no
Senators, have Associates’ degrees as their highest degree, and one House Member has an L.P.N.
(nursing) degree. Eighty-three Members of the House and 16 Senators earned a Masters degree as
their highest educational degree, and 168 Members of the House and 57 Senators have a law
degree. Of the Members holding a law degree, five (three House Members and two Senators) also
hold an LLM (Master of Laws) degree. Twenty-three Representatives (but no Senators) have
doctoral (Ph.D.) degrees, and 17 Members of the House and three Senators have a medical ¹⁰
degree.
By comparison, 30 years ago in the 96^th Congress (1979-1981), at least 48 Members of the House
and 7 Senators had no degree beyond a high school diploma. Sixty-seven Representatives and 15
Senators had a masters degree, 17 Representatives and 4 Senators had a doctoral (Ph. D) degree,
⁹
^T^h^e^inf^o^rm^a^{tion i}ⁿ^t^h^{is se}^c^tion^o^f^the^re^{port i}ⁿ^c^l^u^d^e^s^the^De^le^g^a^te^{s a}^{nd t}^h^e^Re^side^{nt C}^o^m^m^issione^r.
¹⁰^T^h^ir^te^eⁿ^R^e^pr^e^s^eⁿ^ta^tiv^e^s^{, one}^Se^na^tor^,^a^nd^one^D^e^le^g^a^te^ha^v^e^aⁿ^M.D^.^de^g^r^e^e^;^tw^{o R}^e^pr^e^s^eⁿ^ta^tiv^e^s^ha^v^e^a^D^.^D^.^S.
⁽^doc^tor^of^de^nta^l^s^u^r^g^e^r^y⁾^de^g^r^e^e^;^a^nd^one^Se^na^tor^aⁿ^d^one^R^e^pr^e^s^eⁿ^ta^tiv^e^ha^v^e^a^D^.^V.M.⁽^d^oc^tor^of^v^e^te^rⁱ^na^r^y
^medⁱ^ciⁿ^e^{) d}^e^gree.^On^{e Rep}^r^esen^t^a^tⁱ^v^{e h}^a^{s an}^O.^D.^(do^c^t^o^r^o^f^o^p^t^omet^r^y^{) d}^e^gre^e^,^b^u^tⁱ^s^no^tⁱⁿ^cl^ud^{ed i}ⁿ^t^h^{e co}^un^t^o^f
^t^h^o^s^{e w}ⁱ^t^h^m^e^dⁱ^cal^d^e^grees.

and 197 Members of the House and 60 Senators had a law degree.¹¹ Five Members of the House ¹²
and one Senator had a medical degree.
Forty years ago in the 91^st Congress (1969-1971), at least 45 Representatives and 9 Senators had
no degree beyond a high school diploma. Thirty-seven Representatives and 14 Senators had a
masters degree, 7 Representatives and 2 Senators had a doctoral (Ph. D) degree, 219 Members of ¹³
the House and 58 Senators had a law degree, and four Representatives had a medical degree.
In addition, three Representatives and one Senator in the 111^th Congress are graduates of the U.S.
Military Academy and two Senators and two Representatives are graduates of the U.S. Naval
Academy. Three Senators and two Representatives were Rhodes Scholars, three Representatives
were Fulbright Scholars, and one Representative was a Marshall Scholar.

The average length of service of Members of the House at the beginning of the 111^th Congress is ^th

11.0 years (5.5 terms), a year longer than that of the 110 Congress (10.0 years), and a year and ^th¹⁴

half longer than the average service (9.3 years) in the 109 Congress. Representatives are
elected for two-year terms. Representative John Dingell (D-MI), the dean of the House, has the ^th¹⁵
longest consecutive service of any Member of the 111 Congress (53.0 years). He began serving
on December 13, 1955.
The average length of service of Members of the Senate at the beginning of the 111^th Congress is ^th

12.9 years (2.2 terms), six months longer than that of the 110 Congress (12.3 years), and slightly ^th¹⁶

more than a year longer than the average service (11.8 years) in the 109 Congress. Senators are ¹⁷
elected for six-year terms. Senator Robert C. Byrd (D-WV), the President pro tempore of the
Senate, has served longer (50.0 years) than any other Senator in history. His service began on
January 3, 1959.
¹¹^th^st
^{CRS Rep}^o^r^{t 8}⁹^-9²^,^Ed^uc^ati^oⁿ^a^{l D}^e^gr^e^e^s^Attaine^d^By^M^e^m^b^e^r^s^{of C}^ongr^e^s^s^,⁹⁴^thr^o^ug^{h 10}¹^Cong^resses^{, by}
^Mildre^d^Am^e^r^{. T}^h^{is re}^{port is a}^v^a^ila^ble^on^ly^f^r^om^the^a^u^thor.
¹²^T^hⁱ^sⁿ^u^m^b^e^{r i}ⁿ^cl^ud^{es on}^{e S}^eⁿ^a^t^o^{r w}ⁱ^t^h^{a vet}^e^riⁿ^a^r^y^m^e^dⁱ^ciⁿ^e^d^e^gr^{ee an}^d^on^{e Rep}^r^esen^t^a^tⁱ^v^{e w}ⁱ^t^h^{a d}^eⁿ^t^al^d^e^gree.
¹³^Se^{n. T}^hom^a^s^{F. Ea}^g^l^e^t^on,^“^E^duc^a^tiona^{l B}^a^c^k^g^r^oun^{d of}^Me^m^b^e^r^s^of^C^ong^r^e^s^s^,^”^r^e^m^a^r^k^s^{in the}^Seⁿ^a^te^,^C^oⁿ^g^r^e^s^sⁱ^onal
^R^eco^rd^,^vo^l^.¹¹⁷^,^p^a^rt³⁶^(Decemb^e^{r 1}⁷^,¹⁹⁷¹^),^p^p^.⁴⁷⁶⁹⁶^-⁴⁷⁶⁹⁷^.^S^eⁿ^a^t^o^{r E}^a^gl^et^on^rel^eased^{a st}^u^d^y^d^oⁿ^e^b^y^ed^u^cat^o^r^s
^G^e^or^ge^{S. R}^e^ute^r^J^r^{. a}ⁿ^{d H}^e^le^{n S}^.^R^e^ute^r^.
¹⁴^T^h^{is se}^rv^ic^e^doe^{s not i}ⁿ^c^l^u^d^e^De^le^g^a^te^{s or the}^Re^side^{nt Com}^mⁱ^ssioⁿ^e^r^{. F}^o^{r a}^d^d^itio^na^{l i}ⁿ^f^o^rm^a^{tion, re}^fe^{r to CRS}
^R^e^por^{t R}^L³²⁶⁴^8,^A^verag^{e Y}^e^a^rs^o^f^S^e^rvi^{ce f}^o^{r Memb}^{ers o}^f^t^h^{e S}^e^na^t^e^an^d^H^o^u^s^{e of}^R^e^p^r^esen^t^a^tⁱ^ves,^Fⁱ^rst^{- 11}⁰^th
^C^ongr^e^s^s^e^s^{, by}^Mildre^{d A}^m^e^r^.
¹⁵^For^a^dditi^ona^l^inf^o^r^m^a^{tion o}ⁿ^l^oⁿ^g^e^vⁱ^t^y^{in C}^ong^r^e^s^s^,^r^e^f^e^r^{to C}^R^S^R^e^por^{t R}^L³⁴⁵⁸^1,^Memb^{ers Wh}^o^Ha^{ve S}^e^rvedⁱⁿ
^the^U^.^S.^C^o^ngr^e^s^s^for³⁰^Ye^ar^s^or^M^o^r^e^{, by}^Mildr^e^{d A}^m^e^r^a^{nd C}^l^a^y^H^.^W^e^llbor^n.
¹⁶^C^R^S^R^e^por^{t R}^L³²⁶⁴⁸^,^Av^e^r^age^Ye^ar^s^of^Se^r^v^ic^e^for^M^e^m^b^e^r^s^{of t}^h^e^Seⁿ^a^te^aⁿ^d^H^ous^e^{of Re}^pr^e^s^eⁿ^tativ^e^s^{, Fir}^s^t^-
¹¹⁰^th^C^o^ngr^e^s^s^e^s^{, by}^Mildre^{d A}^m^e^r^.
¹⁷^Note^tha^t⁴⁸^Se^na^t^o^{rs in}^the¹¹¹^th^C^ong^r^e^s^s^ha^v^e^pr^e^v^ious^l^y^s^e^r^v^{ed in}^the^H^ous^e^.

Most Members of the 111^th Congress cite a specific religious affiliation.¹⁸ Protestants
(Episcopalians, Methodists, Baptists, Presbyterians, and others) collectively constitute the
majority religious affiliation of Members. Roman Catholics, however, account for the largest
single religious denomination. Other affiliations include Greek Orthodox, Jewish, Christian
Scientist, Quaker, and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormon). There are also
two Buddhists and two Muslims in the House.

A record number of 95 women serve in the 111^th Congress; 78 serve in the House and 17 in the
Senate. Of the 78 women in the House, 61 are Democrats, including 3 Delegates, and 17 are
Republicans. Of the 17 women serving in the Senate, 13 are Democrats and 4 are Republicans.
There are 41 African American Members in the 111^th Congress, all serving in the House. All are
Democrats, including two Delegates. Fourteen African American women, including two
Delegates, serve in the House.
There are a record number of 31 Hispanic or Latino Members of the 111^th Congress, one more ^th^th¹⁹
than the record number who served in the 109 and 110 Congresses. Twenty-eight serve in the
House and three in the Senate. Of the Members of the House, 22 are Democrats (including one
Delegate), three are Republicans, and seven are women. The Hispanic Senators include two
Democrats and one Republican. All are male.
Two sets of Hispanic Members are brothers, and one set are sisters. Mario and Lincoln Diaz-
Balart, Republicans from Florida, serve in the House. Ken Salazar (D-CO) serves in the Senate,
and his brother, John Salazar (D-CO), serves in the House. Linda Sánchez and Loretta Sanchez, ²⁰
Democrats from California, serve in the House.
¹⁸^th
^“^R^e^lig^{ions in}^the¹¹¹^,”^C^Q^To^day^{, v}^o^l^.⁴⁴^,^no^{. 3}⁸^(N^ov^e^m^be^{r 6,}²⁰⁰⁸⁾^{, p}^.⁷³^.
¹⁹^T^h^is^num^be^r^inc^l^u^d^e^s^thr^e^e^Me^m^b^e^r^s^of^the^H^ous^e^w^{ho a}^r^e^of^Por^t^ug^ue^s^e^de^s^c^eⁿ^{t a}^nd^be^lo^ng^{to t}^h^e^C^ong^r^e^s^sⁱ^ona^l
^Hⁱ^s^p^aⁿ^ic^C^a^uc^us^.
²⁰^No^{te th}^at^b^r^o^t^h^e^{rs Sen}^.^{Carl L}^e^vⁱⁿ^{(D-MI) an}^d^Rep^.^San^d^{er L}^e^vⁱⁿ^{(D-MI) also}^serv^{e in}^th^e¹¹¹^th^Con^g^{ress as}^w^e^l^l^as
^Se^{n. E}^d^w^a^r^d^K^e^nne^dy⁽^D^-^M^A⁾^and^his^s^o^{n R}^e^p.^P^a^tr^ic^k^K^e^nne^dy⁽^D^-^R^I⁾^.

A record eleven Members of the 111^th Congress are of Asian or Native Hawaiian/other Pacific
Islander heritage. Nine (seven Democrats, two Republicans) serve in the House; two (both
Democrats) serve in the Senate. Of those serving in the House, two are Delegates and one is an
African American Member with Filipino heritage. Included in this count is the first Vietnamese
American to serve in Congress.
There is one American Indian (Native American) Member of the 111^th Congress, who is a
Republican Member of the House.

Twelve Representatives and one Senator were born outside the United States. Their places of
birth include Cuba, Mexico, Taiwan, Japan, Pakistan, Peru, Canada, Vietnam, and the ²¹
Netherlands.

In the 111^th Congress there are 121 Members who have served in the military, five less than in the ^th²²
110 Congress. The House has 96 veterans (including two Delegates); the Senate 25. These
Members served in World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Persian Gulf War,
Afghanistan, Iraq, and Kosovo, as well as during times of peace. Some have served in the
Reserves and the National Guard. Several Members are still serving as Reservists. As noted
above, one Senator is a former Secretary of the Navy.
The number of veterans in the 111^th Congress reflects the trend of a steady decline in the number
of Members who have served in the military. For example, there were 298 veterans (240 ^th
Representatives, 58 Senators) in the 96 Congress (1979-1981); and 398 veterans (329 ^st
Representatives, 69 Senators) in the 91 Congress (1969-1971).
^Mild^r^e^d^Am^er ^J^eⁿⁿⁱ^fe^r^E^.^M^aⁿⁿⁱⁿ^g
^Specialis^{t on}^t^h^{e C}^oⁿ^g^r^es^s^In^f^o^r^m^a^tion^R^e^s^earch^Specialⁱ^s^t
^m^a^m^e^r@^crs^.^l^o^c.g^o^v^,^7-⁸³⁰⁴^j^m^aⁿⁿⁱⁿ^g^@^c^r^s.^l^o^c^.^go^v^{, 7-}⁷⁵⁶⁵

²¹
^“^B^or^{n A}^b^r^o^a^d^,”^C^Q^To^day^{, v}^o^l^.^43,^no^{. 1}⁷⁵⁽^O^c^t^obe^r³⁰^{, 2}⁰⁰⁷⁾^,^p.^{9, s}^u^p^p^le^m^e^nte^d^by^C^R^S^.
²²^Cong^re^ssiona^{l Q}^u^a^r^te^rly^Inc^{., htt}^p^://w^ww^.^c^q.c^o^m^/^f^l^a^t^f^ile^s/^e^d^itoria^l^File^s/m^e^m^b^e^r^Fa^c^t^File^s/de^m^o^g^r^a^phic^s^_1^11.^htm^l^,
^a^{nd t}^h^e^Mili^ta^r^y^Of^fⁱ^ce^r^s^A^s^s^o^cⁱ^ation^of^A^m^e^rⁱ^c^a^,^unp^ublis^he^d^da^ta^s^u^p^p^lie^{d t}^o^C^R^S^.

^Matth^e^w^Gla^s^s^m^aⁿ^an^{d J}^u^li^u^s^J^e^f^f^e^rs^on^prov^{ided as}^sⁱ^s^t^an^ce.