The 111th United States Congress, in session from 2009 to 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.
Demographics In the Senate, there were 17 women: Barbara Boxer (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 Jewish Americans, 2 Cuban Americans (Bob Menendez, D-NJ and Ted Cruz, R-TX), 1 Native Hawaiian (Daniel Akaka, D-HI) and 1 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 median age of all Americans was 38 years.
Religious demographics
The top five religious affiliations in the 111th Congress were Roman Catholic (30.1%), Baptist (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 Mormons. Senator Olympia Snowe, as well as Representatives John Sarbanes, Zack Space, Gus Bilirakis, Dina Titus, Niki Tsongas and Melissa Bean are Eastern 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. Mazie Hirono of Hawaii and Hank Johnson of Georgia became the first 2 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 survey from the Secular Coalition for America, Rep. Pete Stark became the only open atheist in the history of Congress. 1 member of the 111th Congress was a Quaker, Representative Rush Holt (D-NJ).
Nine members of the 111th Congress were categorized Not Given / Unspecified / Unavailable / Don't Know.
Hawaii was the only state that held a majority non-Christian House delegation; both representatives Mazie Hirono and Colleen Hanabusa are Buddhists.
Sexual orientation There were six openly lesbian, gay, or bisexual members in the history of Congress. Gerry Studds (elected in 1972) became the first openly gay man to serve in congress when he publicly announced his sexuality in 1982.First openly gay person elected to Congress dies NBC News, October 14, 2006. 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 2 other previous members of Congress who were openly gay. Current Senator Tammy Baldwin is the first and so far the only open lesbian to win election to Congress.Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin | About Tammy In 1998, she became the first ever openly gay person to win election to Congress as a non-incumbent. She went on to become the first openly gay person to win election to the U.S. Senate in 2012. 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.
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, 2 Delegates, and 40 Senators) served in state or territorial legislatures 214 members (182 Representatives and 33 Senators) list their occupation as public service/politics 225 (168 Representatives and 57 Senators) list law 201 (175 Representatives and 27 Senators) list business 94 (78 Representatives and 16 Senators) list education At least 112 members of the 111th Congress were former congressional staffers, including nine congressional pages. Thirteen have served as White House staffers or White House Fellows, and several have served as executive branch employees 38 members have been mayors (Sens. Mark Begich, Bob Corker, Mike Enzi, Dianne Feinstein, Jim Inhofe, Mike Johanns, Richard Lugar, Bob Menendez, Bernie Sanders, George Voinovich, Reps. Brian Bilbray, Bobby Bright, Judy Chu, Mike Capuano, Emanuel Cleaver, Lincoln Davis, Marcia Fudge, Elton Gallegly, Kay Granger, Dennis Kucinich, Kenny Marchant, Jim Marshall, Howard McKeon, Gary Miller, Harry Mitchell, Jim Moran, Sue Myrick, Grace Napolitano, Richard Neal, Bill Pascrell, Phil Roe, Steve Rothman, Albio Sires, Bennie Thompson, Mike Turner, Rob Wittman, Don Young), 13 state governors (Sens. Lamar Alexander, Mark Warner, Evan Bayh, Judd Gregg, Jay Rockefeller, Jeanne Shaheen, Kit Bond, George Voinovich, Mike Johanns, Ben Nelson, Tom Carper, Jim Risch, and Rep. Michael Castle), eleven lieutenant governors (including 2 delegates: Sens. John Kerry, Harry Reid, Jim Risch, George Voinovich, Reps. Michael Castle, Mary Fallin, John Garamendi, Mazie Hirono, Denny Rehberg, Dels. Madeleine Bordallo and Eni Faleomavaega), 1 state first lady (Olympia Snowe was first lady of Maine while she was a Congresswoman), and 1 territorial first lady (Del. Madeleine Bordallo); 24 members were health care professionals Of the 24, 16 were medical doctors (14 Representatives and 2 Senators: family medicine specialists Rep. Vic Snyder, John C. Fleming, Paul Broun, and Del. Donna Christian-Christensen; psychiatrist Rep. Jim McDermott; ob/gyns Sen. Tom Coburn and Reps. Michael C. Burgess, Ron Paul, Phil Roe, and Phil Gingrey; allergist Rep. Steve Kagen; hepatologist/gastroenterologist Rep. Bill Cassidy; heart surgeon Rep. Charles Boustany; radiation oncologist Rep. Parker Griffith; orthopedic surgeons Sen. John Barrasso and Rep. Tom Price). Of the 16, 12 represent districts or states in the South (three are from Louisiana); 12 are Republicans and four are Democrats.Trapp, Doug. "The newest doctors in the House: Physicians become legislators." American Medical News. February 23, 2009. Three nurses (Reps. Carolyn McCarthy, Lois Capps, and Eddie Bernice Johnson) 2 dentists (Reps. John Linder and Mike Simpson) 2 veterinarians (Rep. Kurt Schrader and Sen. John Ensign) 1 psychologist (Rep. Brian Baird), an optometrist (Rep. John Boozman), a clinical dietician (Rep. Kathy Dahlkemper), and a pharmacist (Rep. Robert Marion Berry); Nine members were involved with agriculture: Three organic farmers (including Sen. Jon Tester and Rep. Mike Thompson), Three ranchers, 2 vintners (Reps. George Radanovich and Mike Thompson), 1 fruit orchard worker; Seven members were involved in music, film, or sports, including 2 professional musicians and a semi-professional musician, a screenwriter, a documentary filmmaker, as well as a Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher (Sen. Jim Bunning) and a National Football League quarterback (Rep. Heath Shuler). Five members are engineers (including Reps. Joe Barton, Cliff Stearns, Pete Stark). Six members are scientists: three physicists (Reps. Rush Holt, Bill Foster, and Vern Ehlers),Dean, Cornelia. "Physicists in Congress Calculate Their Influence." New York Times June 10, 2008. a chemist (Rep. Ed Pastor), a microbiologist (Rep. Louise Slaughter), and a physiologist (Rep. Roscoe Bartlett). Six members are former automobile dealers. Six members worked in media: 1 radio talk show host, 1 radio/television broadcaster, 1 radio broadcaster, 1 newscaster, 1 television reporter, and 1 television commentator Five members are former Peace Corps volunteers (Sen. Chris Dodd and Reps. Mike Honda, Sam Farr, Tom Petri, and Steve Driehaus) Five members are former accountants (Rep. Mike Conaway) Four members are ministers Four members were sheriffs (Rep. Dave Reichert), 1 a deputy sheriff, four police officers (including a Capitol policeman), 2 state troopers (Rep. Kendrick Meek of the Florida Highway Patrol and Rep. Bart Stupak of the Michigan State Police), 2 probation officers, 1 FBI special agent, 1 Border Patrol chief, and 1 volunteer firefighter 2 members have served as members of the Cabinet (Sens. Lamar Alexander and Mike Johanns), three served as state supreme court justices (Rep. Lloyd Doggett, Sen. John Cornyn), and 1 each was Secretary of the Navy (Sen. Jim Webb), a United States Navy vice admiral, a Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, a Department of Defense counterterrorism consultant, an ambassador, and a federal judge (Alcee Hastings) 1 member served as a parliamentary aide in the British House of Commons and 1 served as a Foreign Service Officer. 1 member has been an astronaut, 1 a naval aviator, 1 a commander of a carrier battle group (Rep. Joe Sestak, a retired vice admiral and the highest-ranking former serviceman in Congress), 2 were instructors at West Point (Rep. Patrick Murphy) and (Rep. Thomas Rooney), and 1 a pilot of Marine One, the presidential helicopter Many members have other professions: There were three carpenters, 2 bank tellers, a driving instructor, a cosmetics saleswoman, a mountain guide, a ski instructor; a casino dealer, a night watchman, a prison guard, a furniture salesman, an ironworker (Rep. Stephen Lynch), an autoworker, a clothing factory worker, a textile worker, an oilfield worker, a mortician, a coroner, a waitress (Rep. Shelley Berkley), a Teamster and dairy worker, a paper mill worker (Rep. Mike Michaud), a cement plant worker (Rep. Maurice Hinchey), a meat cutter (Sen. Robert Byrd), a shellfish specialist (Rep. Rob Wittman), a tugboat captain (Rep. Don Young), a taxicab driver, an auctioneer, a toll booth collector, and a hotel clerk.
Military service Some members of the 111th Congress had served in the United States armed forces; some are combat veterans. There were 167 veterans in the 107th Congress, 153 in the 108th Congress, 126 in the 110th Congress, and 121 in the 111th Congress.Amer, Mildred. Membership of the 108th Congress: A Profile. 2004.Amer, Mildred, and Jennifer Manning. "Membership of the 111th Congress: A Profile ." Congressional Research Service. Some were still serving as reservists during their tenure.
On December 17, 2012, Senators Frank Lautenberg and Daniel Akaka became the last remaining World War II veterans in the Senate after Senator Daniel Inouye died of respiratory complications. Representatives Ralph Hall and John Dingell were the final remaining WWII veterans in the House of Representatives, though Representative Hall lost his 2014 primary battle and Dean of the House Dingell retired at the end of that same congress. On January 3, 2013, Senator Lautenberg was the final remaining WWII veteran serving in the senate until his untimely death on June 3, 2013.