The document provides biographical and career information about several members of the 111th United States Congress. It discusses the leaders of both the Senate and the House of Representatives, including their years of service, previous positions held, and states they represent. Additionally, it briefly outlines two current events - debate around health care reform influence and renewal of the Patriot Act.

1. Congress Created by: Darius Moore 8 th Block

2. Age Demographics

3. Gender Demographics

4. Marital Status

5. Religion 159 43 52 44 60

6. RACE Caucasian 461 African American 42 Hispanic 25 Asian 8 Other 3

7. Democratic Republic Independent

8. Congressional Session We are currently in the 111 th Congress 1 st Session

9. 535 MEMEBERS IN CONGRESS

10. Senate Leaders

11. President of the Senate: Joe Biden Born in Scranton, Pennsylvania and lived there for ten years before moving to Delaware. Was elected in 1973 making him the sixth youngest senator serving 36 years in term. He is up for re- election in 2015 In the Senate he has served as Chairman or Ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee for (17 years) Wife and daughter died in car accidents months after he took oath in office.

12. Pres. Pro Tempore: Robert C Byrd Elected in 1958 Serving 54 years through 11 presidents making him the longest member in Senate. His previous political works were Representative, United States House of Representatives, 1952-1958 Senator, West Virginia State Senate, 1950-1952. Delegate, West Virginia House of Delegates, 1946-1950. He will also be up for re- election in 2015. He married his high school sweetheart and has two daughters and grand children. Senator Byrd has served as Chairman of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee, on which he has held membership since January 1959.

13. Majority Leader: Harry Reid First elected November 1986 and will be up for re- election in 2010. In 20 years in the Senate, Senator Reid has a reputation as a consensus-builder and accomplished legislator. Harry Reid worked as a police officer to support himself through law school. After graduation, he worked as City Attorney for Henderson, Nevada. He was elected to the Nevada State Assembly in 1968. In 1977, he received a prestigious appointment as Chairman of the Nevada State Gaming Commission, where he was legendary in his tough crusade to clean-up Nevada's casino industry. He served in the US House of Representatives from 1983 to 1987.

14. Minority Leader: Mitch McConnell McConnell worked as an intern on Capitol Hill for Senator John Sherman Cooper before serving as chief legislative assistant to Senator Marlow Cook and as deputy assistant attorney general to President Gerald Ford. Before his election to the U.S. Senate, he served as judge-executive of Jefferson County, Kentucky, from 1978 until he commenced his Senate term on January 3, 1985. He can be re-elected in 2014 He has served 24 years in all. He is a top- ranked Republican. McConnell was challenged early in life when he was stricken with polio at the age of two.

15. Majority Whip: Richard J. Durbin Won a seat in 1982 but been U.S Senator since Jan. 1997. He holds the second highest position in the Democratic Party leadership in the Senate. He has served 27 years and is known as one of Obama’s important people. Durbin will be up for re-election in 2010. Durbin, a Democrat from Springfield, is the 47th U.S. Senator from the State of Illinois and the first Illinois senator to serve on the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee in more than a quarter of a century. He is the state’s senior senator and convenor of the bipartisan Illinois delegation.

16. Minority Whip: Jon L. Kyl He ran for the House of Representatives in 1986 and then the United States Senate in 1994. He has been in the Senate since 1994. He can be re- elected in 2012. As of 2009 he has served for 15 years. Previous work is U.S. House of Representatives, 1987-95. His father served as a Congressmen from Iowa after moving his family to Bloomfield, Iowa.

17. House Leaders

18. Nancy Pelosi: Speaker of the House Since 1987, Nancy Pelosi has represented California's Eighth District in the House of Representatives making her in office for 20 plus years. Nancy Pelosi is the first woman in American history to lead a major party in the U.S. Congress. She will be up for re- election in 2010. Speaker, United States House of Representatives, 2007-present Representative, United States House of Representatives, 1987-present Minority Leader, United States House of Representatives, 2002-2006 Minority Whip, United States House of Representatives, 2001-2002 Elected, Special Election, United States House of Representatives, 1987 State Chair, California Democratic Party, 1981-1983 Chair, Northern California Democratic Party, 1977-1981 are her political works.

19. John A. Boehner: Minority Leader Minority Leader, United States House of Representatives, 2006-present Representative, United States House of Representatives, 1990-present Majority Leader, United States House of Representatives, 2004-2006 Representative, Ohio State House of Representatives, 1984-1990 are his political works. He was in the United States Army in 1986. He was elected in 1990 and has served in office for 19 years. He will be up for re- election in 2010.

20. Eric L. Cantor: Minority Whip First elected in 2000 and will be up for re- election in 2010. He was a business man and an attorney before being in office. He has been in office for 9 years. His political works are; Chief Deputy Majority Whip, United States House of Representatives, 2002-present Representative, United States House of Representatives, 2000-present Delegate, Virginia House of Delegates, 1992-2000 are his political works.

21. Steny H. Hoyer: Majority Leader First elected in 1981 and will be up for re-electon in 2010. He has been in office for 28 years. House Majority Leader, United States House of Representatives, 2006-present Representative, United States House of Representatives, 1981-present Democratic Whip, United States House of Representatives, 2002-2006 Deputy Majority Whip, United States House of Representatives, 1987-1989 Won Special Election, Representative, United States House of Representatives, 1981 President, Maryland State Senate, 1975-1978 Senator, Maryland State Senate, 1966-1978 Candidate, Lieutenant Governor, 1978 are his political works. He is a widow with 3 kids.

22. James E Clyburn: Majority Leader Elected in 1992 and is up for re-election in 2010. Has been serving for 17 years in office where before he was a counseling teacher. House Majority Whip, 110th Congress Representative, United States House of Representatives, 1992-present South Carolina Human Affairs Commissioner, 1974-1992 Sought Democratic Nomination, South Carolina Secretary of State, 1978, 1986 is his political work.

23. Current Event 1 Some members (the doctors) have a had strong influence on the debate of health care reform. This has become an issue because some other members believe this is bias

24. Current Event 2 Patriot Act is in the process of being renewed. Congresswoman Dianne Feinstein is the one that thought it would be appropriate to renew it.