Most U.S. senators appointed since 1990 have run to keep their seat – and most have won
The U.S. Senate has had 43 appointed members since 1990, and 27 of them (63%) have run to keep their seat.
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Congress
Congress has long struggled to pass spending bills on time
Congress has passed all its required appropriations measures on time only four times in nearly five decades.
Faith on the Hill
Christians will make up 87% of voting members in the Senate and House of Representatives, combined, in the 2025-27 congressional session.
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In Trump Era, What Partisans Want From Their Congressional Leaders
Survey Report As President Trump prepares for his address next week to a joint session of Congress, Republicans say they are more inclined to trust the president, rather than GOP congressional leaders, if the two sides disagree. For their part, Democrats are far more concerned that congressional Democrats will not do enough, rather than go […]
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Faith on the Hill
The share of U.S. adults who describe themselves as Christians has been declining for decades, but the U.S. Congress is about as Christian today as it was in the early 1960s.
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Will Trump’s backing revive moribund term-limits movement?
Although the movement to limit congressional terms has been largely dormant for the past two decades, 15 states do limit how many terms their own legislators can serve.
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Majority of Public Wants Senate to Act on Obama’s Court Nominee
Survey Report In the high-stakes battle over replacing Justice Antonin Scalia on the Supreme Court, a majority of Americans (56%) say the Senate should hold hearings and vote on President Obama’s choice to fill the vacancy. About four-in-ten (38%) say the Senate should not hold hearings until the next president selects a court nominee. Most […]
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In 21 states, local newspapers lack a dedicated D.C. reporter covering Congress
Between 2009 and 2014, the number of Washington-based reporters for local newspapers accredited by the Senate to cover Congress declined by 11%.
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Congress’ productivity improves somewhat in 2015
Congress passed 113 laws, 87 of them substantive, in 2015, making it the most productive first session since 2009.
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Freedom Caucus districts look much like other GOP-held districts
The attitudes of Republicans living in House Freedom Caucus members’ districts look very similar to those in other Republican-represented districts.
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GOP speaker hopefuls have served far less time in House than predecessors
Long years of service have been the norm for past speakers, most of whom had accumulated twice as much time in the House as today’s candidates before wielding the gavel.
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Fewer immigrants in Congress today than in years past
Members of Congress today are less likely to be immigrants, especially compared with other periods of history when surges of new arrivals occurred, a new analysis by the Pew Research Center finds.
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Current Congress is looking a little more productive – so far
Legislative productivity may be on an upswing, as lawmakers enacted more bills before their August break than either of the two preceding Congresses.
