List of new members of the 117th United States Congress
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The 117th United States Congress began on January 3, 2021.[1][2][3] There were six new senators (two Democrats, four Republicans) and 60 new representatives (15 Democrats, 45 Republicans) at the start of the first session. Additionally, three senators (all Democrats) and 16 representatives (six Democrats, ten Republicans) took office on various dates in order to fill vacancies during the 117th Congress before it ended on January 3, 2023.
One representative-elect, Luke Letlow of Louisiana, died before taking office.[4]
The president of the House Democratic freshman class was Nikema Williams of Georgia, while the president of the House Republican freshman class was Stephanie Bice of Oklahoma. Additionally, the Democratic Freshmen Leadership Representative was Mondaire Jones of New York, and the Republican's freshmen liaison was Andrew Clyde of Georgia.[5][6][7]
↑ The titleholder was previously held by Kwanza Hall (D), who had won the special election to replace John Lewis after a December 1, 2020 runoff. However, he was not a candidate in the regular election.
↑ Mitchell left the Republican Party in December 2020, before he left Congress but after McClain was elected.[47]
In the United States House of Representatives, the two major political parties maintain policy and steering committees. Their primary purpose is to assign fellow party members to other House committees, and they also advise party leaders on policy.
In U.S. politics, an independent Democrat is an individual who loosely identifies with the ideals of the Democratic Party but chooses not to be a formal member of the party or is denied the Democratic nomination in a caucus or primary election. Independent Democrat is not a political party. Several elected officials, including members of Congress, have identified as independent Democrats.
Party divisions of United States Congresses have played a central role on the organization and operations of both chambers of the United States Congress—the Senate and the House of Representatives—since its establishment as the bicameral legislature of the Federal government of the United States in 1789. Political parties had not been anticipated when the U.S. Constitution was drafted in 1787, nor did they exist at the time the first Senate elections and House elections occurred in 1788 and 1789. Organized political parties developed in the U.S. in the 1790s, but political factions—from which organized parties evolved—began to appear almost immediately after the 1st Congress convened. Those who supported the Washington administration were referred to as "pro-administration" and would eventually form the Federalist Party, while those in opposition joined the emerging Democratic-Republican Party.
The 117th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It convened in Washington, D.C., on January 3, 2021, during the final weeks of Donald Trump's presidency and the first two years of Joe Biden's presidency and ended on January 3, 2023.
Andrew Reed Garbarino is an American attorney and politician serving as the U.S. representative for New York's 2nd congressional district since 2021. A member of the Republican Party, he served as the New York State Assemblyman for the 7th district from 2013 to 2020.
Kendra Suzanne Horn is an American lawyer and politician who served as the U.S. representative for Oklahoma's 5th congressional district from 2019 to 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, her district included almost all of Oklahoma City.
Nikema Natassha Williams is an American politician and political executive serving as the representative for Georgia's 5th congressional district. The district includes almost three-fourths of Atlanta. She was a member of the Georgia State Senate for the 39th district before her House campaign. She is also the chair of the Democratic Party of Georgia. Williams served as one of 16 electors for Georgia in the Electoral College following the 2020 United States presidential election.
Stephanie Irene Bice is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for Oklahoma's 5th congressional district since 2021. A member of the Republican Party, she is the first Iranian American to be elected to Congress. Bice represented the 22nd district in the Oklahoma Senate from 2014 to 2020.
Elizabeth Ann Van Duyne is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for Texas's 24th congressional district. A member of the Republican Party, she was mayor of Irving from 2011 to 2017. She was an official in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development during the Trump administration.
Luke Joshua Letlow was an American businessman and politician from Louisiana. A Republican, he was elected to the United States House of Representatives for Louisiana's 5th congressional district in 2020 but died from complications caused by COVID-19 five days before he was due to take office in the 117th Congress. Before his election to Congress, Letlow served as chief of staff to Representative Ralph Abraham. Three months after his death, Letlow's widow Julia was elected to the vacant seat in a special election.
The 2021 Louisiana's 5th congressional district special election was held on March 20, 2021. It was triggered by the death of Republican congressman-elect Luke Letlow on December 29, 2020, who died from a heart attack while being treated for COVID-19.
Julia Janelle Letlow is an American politician and academic administrator serving as the U.S. representative for Louisiana's 5th congressional district since 2021. Letlow is the first Republican woman to represent Louisiana in the House.
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