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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Congress
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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.
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Negative Views of New Congress Cross Party Lines
Survey Report The new Republican-led Congress is drawing harsh reviews from the public – including most Republicans. Just 23% of Americans say congressional Republicans are keeping the promises they made during last fall’s campaign, while 65% say they are not. Nearly four-in-ten (37%) say the new Congress has accomplished less than they expected, while 4% […]
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With trade on Congress’ agenda, just what does the U.S. import and export?
Though crude oil continues to be the nation’s single biggest import, energy exports have risen sharply. Exports of some metals and agricultural products also have grown rapidly.
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Campaign 2016: Modest Interest, High Stakes
Survey Report The 2016 presidential campaign has gotten off to a slow start with voters. A majority of registered voters (58%) say they have given at least some thought to candidates who may run for president in 2016, but that is 10 points lower than at a comparable point in the 2008 campaign – the […]
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Despite progress, U.S. still lags many nations in women leaders
Women now make up 20% of Congress, a record high. But women have more representation in most countries’ national legislatures.
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114th Congress is most diverse ever
Almost one-in-five members of the House and Senate are a racial or ethnic minority, making the 114th Congress the most diverse in history. However, Congress remains disproportionately white when compared with the U.S. population, which has grown increasingly diverse in recent decades.
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Will GOP-run Congress lead to more Obama vetoes? History suggests yes
Some political observers predict that Obama will be using his veto pen a lot more in his last two years in office than he did in the first six. Recent history indicates that presidents do veto more bills when both houses of Congress are controlled by the opposing party.
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Americans agree on trade: Good for the country, but not great for jobs
Trade is shaping up as a major issue on the 2015 legislative agenda, with Congressional leaders and Obama suggesting bilateral cooperation on U.S. trade agendas. Indeed, a Pew Research Center survey suggests such bipartisan efforts also could find public support.
