What Does The Religious Makeup Of The 113th Congress Look Like? Quizlet

Diversity in the 113th Congress

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The recently sworn-in 113th Congress has the most diverse membership in the history of our land's government. As 82 new House members and xiv new senators presume their Congressional responsibilities, we will notice new firsts in the gender, racial, and ethnic composition of Congress. For the commencement time, the bulk of Business firm Democrats are made up of women, blacks, Hispanics and other ethnic minorities – most 60 percent of the Democratic conclave.

There are 98 women in the new Congress (78 in the House and 20 in the Senate). This represents an increase in the number of women elected to both chambers – a gain of v seats over the last Congress. California, New Hampshire, and Washington each elected two women senators, and New Hampshire voted in its offset all-female delegation. Elizabeth Warren (Democrat) is the first women elected to the Senate from Massachusetts. Senator Barbara Mikulski of Maryland is the first woman to chair the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee.

While 94 percentage of the U.Southward. Senate is white, 19% of the House of Representatives is made upward of minority groups. There are 28 Hispanics serving in the Business firm— 25 Democrats and three Republicans. The Senate is made upwards of 1% African American, I % Asian, 2% Hispanic, 2% not Stated, and 94% White. The House is made up of 9% African American, 25% Asian, i% Japanese American, 1% Asian American, 5% not stated, and 77% White. The but Native American in Congress is Tom Cole, the Republican Representative from Oklahoma. Tulsi Gabbard, Democrat from Hawaii, the single Pacific Islander, is also the first Hindu and one of the outset female combat veterans in this Congress.

The religious make up of Congress is also condign more diverse. The pct of Protestants declined from 57.3% in the 112th Congress to 56.iv% in the 113^thursday. Fifty years ago almost 75% of the members identified themselves as beingness Protestant. The number of Catholics in Congress increased. The Senate has its commencement Buddhist fellow member and the House has its offset Hindu member.

More than firsts, Tammy Baldwin (Democrat from Wisconsin) is the first openly gay U.Southward. Senator, and Kyrsten Sinema (Republican from Arizona) is the offset openly bi-sexual member of the House.

Not all of the data on the composition of the new Congress reflect increasing variety. The only new Hispanic member of the Senate is Ted Cruz, a conservative Texas Republican. The Senate'south only new blackness member, Tim Scott (Due south Carolina), was appointed to fill the seat of retiring Senator Jim DeMint. Senator Scott is the showtime blackness Republican senator since 1979 and the commencement blackness Congress person to stand for a Southern country since 1881.

This increasing variety reflects irresolute demographics of our county'southward population and changing public attitudes virtually who voters select. Shifting demographics could mark a "sea modify" in Congress, merely political writer John Nichols cautions, "Nosotros have to be very, very cautious virtually presuming that simply having a more various Congress means that we're going to get better results,"[1] Increasing racial, ethnic, gender and religious variety is important, but that variety is full-bodied in the Democratic membership of Congress, and the Senate composition continues to have minimal diverse representation. Will the individuals that represent an increasingly diverse America be able to contribute to improved decision making and less gridlock in Congress? For these senators and representatives to become existent leaders in the new Congress, they volition need to acquire influential commission positions, course powerful voting blocks, and use leverage strategies to pass bills to meliorate didactics and services to the children and families they represent. Will they promote legislation that establishes greater equity in education, immigration policies, health care, and other supports to make it possible for children to be safe, healthy, and well educated? How might having more variety amid Congressional membership better collaboration and the collective work necessary to reach meliorate lawmaking. It will exist fascinating to study the dynamics in Congress and larn how to apply increasing diversity in ways that lead to more productive outcomes on the Hill and legislation that advances an disinterestedness agenda.

Congressional demographics. (2013, January). Congress.org .Retrieved from http://world wide web.congress.org/congressorg/directory/demographics.tt?catid=indigenous&chamber=firm

More women, ethnic minorities among those storming Hill.The Washington Times. Retrieved from http://world wide web.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/jan/7/113th-congress-mirrors-increasingly-various-us/?folio=1

Newly sworn-in 113th Congress is the about diverse in history, only non the most progressive. (2013, January).Democracy Now! Retrieved from http://www.democracynow.org/2013/ane/4/newly_sworn_in_113th_congress_is

Roberts, A. (2013, Jan 5). By the numbers: 113th Congress. CNN Library. Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/2013/01/03/politics/btn-113th-congress/index.html?hpt=po_c1

Sands, D. (2013, January vii) 113th Congress mirrors increasingly various U.S.