Members of Congress

1. Members of Congress • Beliefs and interests of members of Congress can affect policy • Gender • Race • Incumbency • Party

2. The 111th Congress • 541 Elected Officials from 50 states, five territories, and Washington, D.C. • House: 435 members, 6 non-voting delegates • 255 Democrats • 178 Republicans • 2 vacant seats • Senate: 100 members • 56 Democrats • 41 Republicans • 2 Independents • 1 vacant seat

3. The 111th Congress • Gender • 17 female Senators, 75 female Representatives • Ethnicity • Senate • 1 African-American • 3 Hispanics • 2 Asian Americans • House • 42 African-Americans • 27 Hispanics • 5 Asian Americans • 1 Native American • 3 gay members

4. The 111th Congress • Religion • Top Five Denominations • Roman Catholic 29.3% • Baptist 11.1% • Methodist 10.2% • Jewish 7.8% • Presbyterian 7.6% • Most religiously diverse House in history • 2 Muslims • 2 Buddhists • 31 Jews • 11 Mormons • 1 Quaker • 1 Atheist

5. The 111th Congress • Foreign-born • 1 foreign-born Senator (Cuba) • 2 Senators born overseas to U.S. parents (Panama Canal Zone and India) • 7 Representatives born overseas

6. The 111th Congress • Occupations • 215 members have worked in the law • 109 members have served as political aides • 153 members have served in the military • 96 members have worked as educators • 12 members are doctors • 18 members have MBAs • 15 members are former law enforcement agents • 9 members are scientists • 6 members are ordained ministers • 5 members are CPAs • 1 river boat captain • 1 mortician

7. Do Members Represent Their Voters? • Member behavior not always obvious • Three theories of member behavior • Representational View: members vote to please their constituents in order to secure reelection • Organizational View:when constituency interests are not at stake, members respond to cues from colleagues • Attitudinal View: member’s ideology determines his/her vote