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short readFeb 7, 2023

The 118th Congress achieved a variety of demographic milestones when its members took office, though it still remains out of step with the U.S. population.

reportApr 7, 2023

Americans express highly negative views of President Joe Biden, congressional leadership in both parties and Congress more broadly. Views of the economy remain overwhelmingly negative, and there has been a sharp rise in the share who say the country cannot solve many of its important problems.

short readFeb 28, 2023

At least 81 voting members of Congress (15%) are foreign born or have at least one parent who was born in another country.

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reportJul 24, 2014

GOP Has Midterm Engagement Advantage

The Republican Party holds a clear advantage in voter engagement in this fall’s midterm elections, according to a new national survey by the Pew Research Center. Yet GOP voters are not as enthused and engaged as they were at this point in the midterm campaign four years ago, prior to the Republican Party winning control […]
short readsMar 5, 2014

Public’s anti-incumbent mood hasn’t always predicted big electoral swings

Despite surveys showing anti-incumbent sentiments at or near all-time highs, most members of Congress appear to have little to worry about.
short readsFeb 25, 2014

House set to lose six centuries of experience as Dingell, other long-serving members retire

The spate of congressional retirement announcements may seem like a lot but is within historical norms. But the retirement of several long-serving members likely will further reduce overall experience levels in both the House and Senate,
short readsDec 23, 2013

Congress ends least-productive year in recent history

Congress enacted 57 laws — just 49 of them substantive — in the first session of its two-year term, the smallest first-year legislative output in nearly two decades.
short readsNov 5, 2013

Only 1 in 7 House districts were competitive in 2012

In last year’s elections, winners won by at least 10 points in all but 62 of the 435 House districts.
reportOct 18, 2013

Trust in Government Nears Record Low, But Most Federal Agencies Are Viewed Favorably

Survey Report Public trust in the government, already quite low, has edged even lower in a survey conducted just before the Oct. 16 agreement to end the government shutdown and raise the debt ceiling. Just 19% say that they trust the government in Washington to do what is right just about always or most of […]
short readsOct 17, 2013

A majority of Americans want their lawmakers to put district wishes over national interests

A majority of the public says members of Congress should base their vote on the wishes of their district over the interest of the country.
reportSep 30, 2013

Anger at Government Most Pronounced among Conservative Republicans

Survey Report With a possible government shutdown just hours away, public anger at the federal government is as high as at any point since the Pew Research Center began asking the question in 1997. Anger is most palpable among conservative Republicans – 41% say they are angry at the federal government, the highest among any […]
reportSep 30, 2013

About the Survey

The analysis in this report is based on telephone interviews conducted September 25-29, 2013, among a national sample of 1,005 adults 18 years of age or older living in the continental United States (502 respondents were interviewed on a landline telephone, and 503 were interviewed on a cell phone, including 240 who had no landline […]
short readsSep 10, 2013

Can presidential speeches change minds? The evidence suggest not

The presidency may well be a “bully pulpit,” in Theodore Roosevelt’s original sense, a position that commands attention. But as President Barack Obama prepares to address the nation Tuesday in support of taking military action against Syria, there’s little evidence (at least in recent times) that presidential speeches are very effective at moving the needle […]

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Congress

The changing face of Congress in 8 charts

In Divided Washington, Americans Have Highly Negative Views of Both Parties’ Leaders

Immigrants and children of immigrants make up at least 15% of the 118th Congress

Congress

GOP Has Midterm Engagement Advantage

Public’s anti-incumbent mood hasn’t always predicted big electoral swings

House set to lose six centuries of experience as Dingell, other long-serving members retire

Congress ends least-productive year in recent history

Only 1 in 7 House districts were competitive in 2012

Trust in Government Nears Record Low, But Most Federal Agencies Are Viewed Favorably

A majority of Americans want their lawmakers to put district wishes over national interests

Anger at Government Most Pronounced among Conservative Republicans

About the Survey

Can presidential speeches change minds? The evidence suggest not

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