List of Arab and Middle Eastern Americans in the United States Congress

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This article is a list of all Arab Americans and Middle Eastern Americans who have ever served in the United States Congress. This list includes North Africans in the United States who identify as Arabs as well as Middle Eastern Americans who are not Arabs.

Contents

The first Arab American to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives was George A. Kasem in 1959, and the first Arab-American U.S. senator was James Abourezk in 1973. In the 115th Congress, there were six U.S. representatives and no U.S. senators of Arab-American descent serving in Congress. [1] [2] On November 6, 2018, four additional Arab Americans, all of whom are female, were elected to the U.S. House of Representatives: Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, Ilhan Omar, Donna Shalala and Rashida Tlaib. Tlaib and Omar were also the first Muslim women in Congress. [3] The U.S. House of Representatives currently has five Arab-American members.

The first Assyrian American to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives was Adam Benjamin in 1977, [4] and the first Iranian-American U.S. Representative was Stephanie Bice in 2021. [5] There currently are one Assyrian-American and one Iranian-American U.S. Representative serving in Congress.

Senate

PictureSenator
(lifespan)
Arab or Middle Eastern ethnicityPartyStateTerm startTerm endNotes
James Abourezk.jpg James Abourezk
(1931–2023)
Lebanese Democratic South Dakota January 3, 1973January 3, 1979Retired [6]
George John Mitchell.jpg George J. Mitchell
(born 1933)
Lebanese Democratic Maine May 17, 1980January 3, 1995Retired [7]
JamesAbdnor.jpg James Abdnor
(1923–2012)
Lebanese Republican South Dakota January 3, 1981January 3, 1987Lost reelection [8]
Spencer Abraham.jpg Spencer Abraham
(born 1952)
Lebanese Republican Michigan January 3, 1995January 3, 2001Lost reelection [9] [10]
John E. Sununu.jpg John E. Sununu
(born 1964)
Palestinian,
Lebanese
Republican New Hampshire January 3, 2003January 3, 2009Lost reelection [11] [12]

House of Representatives

PictureRepresentative
(lifespan)
Arab or Middle Eastern ethnicityPartyStateTerm startTerm endNotes
George A. Kasem (California Congressman).jpg George A. Kasem
(1919–2002)
Lebanese Democratic California January 3, 1959January 3, 1961Lost reelection
Abraham Kazen.jpg Abraham Kazen
(1919–1987)
Lebanese Democratic Texas January 3, 1967January 3, 1985Lost renomination
James Abourezk.jpg James Abourezk
(1931–2023)
Lebanese Democratic South Dakota January 3, 1971January 3, 1973Retired to run successfully for U.S. Senator from South Dakota
JamesAbdnor.jpg James Abdnor
(1923–2012)
Lebanese Republican South Dakota January 3, 1973January 3, 1981Retired to run successfully for U.S. Senator from South Dakota
Toby Moffett.jpg Toby Moffett
(born 1944)
Lebanese Democratic Connecticut January 3, 1975January 3, 1983Retired to run unsuccessfully for U.S. Senator from Connecticut
Adam Benjamin, Jr..jpg Adam Benjamin
(1935–1982)
Assyrian Democratic Indiana January 3, 1977September 7, 1982Died in office
MROakar.jpg Mary Rose Oakar
(born 1940)
Lebanese,
Syrian
Democratic Ohio January 3, 1977January 3, 1993Lost reelection
Nick Rahall.jpg Nick Rahall
(born 1949)
Lebanese Democratic West Virginia January 3, 1977January 3, 2015Lost reelection
PatDanner.jpg Pat Danner
(born 1934)
Lebanese Democratic Missouri January 3, 1993January 3, 2001Retired
Rep Anna Eshoo.jpg Anna Eshoo
(born 1942)
Assyrian Democratic California January 3, 1993Incumbent
John Baldacci - 107th United States Congress.jpg John Baldacci
(born 1955)
Lebanese Democratic Maine January 3, 1995January 3, 2003Retired to run successfully for Governor of Maine
Ray lahood.jpg Ray LaHood
(born 1945)
Lebanese Republican Illinois January 3, 1995January 3, 2009Retired to become U.S. Secretary of Transportation
Chrisjohn.jpg Chris John
(born 1960)
Lebanese Democratic Louisiana January 3, 1997January 3, 2005Retired to run unsuccessfully for U.S. Senator from Louisiana
John E. Sununu.jpg John E. Sununu
(born 1964)
Palestinian,
Lebanese
Republican New Hampshire January 3, 1997January 3, 2003Retired to run successfully for U.S. Senator from New Hampshire
Darrell Issa 117th Congress.jpg Darrell Issa
(born 1953)
Lebanese Republican California January 3, 2001January 3, 2019Retired
January 3, 2021Incumbent
Rep. Charles Boustany.jpg Charles Boustany
(born 1956)
Lebanese Republican Louisiana January 3, 2005January 3, 2017Retired to run unsuccessfully for U.S. Senator from Louisiana
Justin Amash official photo.jpg Justin Amash
(born 1980)
Palestinian,
Syrian
Republican
(2011–2019)
Michigan January 3, 2011January 3, 2021Retired
Independent
(2019–2020)
Libertarian
(2020–2021)
Richard Hanna, Official Portrait, 112th Congress.jpg Richard L. Hanna
(1951–2020)
Lebanese Republican New York January 3, 2011January 3, 2017Retired
Ralph Abraham official congressional photo.jpg Ralph Abraham
(born 1954)
Lebanese Republican Louisiana January 3, 2015January 3, 2021Retired
Gwen Graham 114th.jpg Gwen Graham
(born 1963)
Lebanese Democratic Florida January 3, 2015January 3, 2017Retired
Garret Graves official portrait, 2015.jpg Garret Graves
(born 1972)
Lebanese Republican Louisiana January 3, 2015Incumbent
Darin LaHood official portrait.jpg Darin LaHood
(born 1968)
Lebanese Republican Illinois September 10, 2015Incumbent
Charlie Crist 115th Congress photo.jpg Charlie Crist
(born 1956)
Lebanese Democratic Florida January 3, 2017August 31, 2022Resigned
Ruben Kihuen.jpg Rubén Kihuen
(born 1980)
Lebanese Democratic Nevada January 3, 2017January 3, 2019Retired
Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, official portrait, 116h Congress.jpg Debbie Mucarsel-Powell
(born 1971)
Lebanese Democratic Florida January 3, 2019January 3, 2021Lost reelection
Ilhan Omar, official portrait, 116th Congress (cropped).jpg Ilhan Omar
(born 1981)
Somali [Note 1] Democratic Minnesota January 3, 2019Incumbent
Donna Shalala, official portrait, 116th Congress.jpg Donna Shalala
(born 1941)
Lebanese Democratic Florida January 3, 2019January 3, 2021Lost reelection
Rashida Tlaib, official portrait, 116th Congress.jpg Rashida Tlaib
(born 1976)
Palestinian Democratic Michigan January 3, 2019Incumbent
Rep. Stephanie Bice, 117th Congress.jpg Stephanie Bice
(born 1973)
Iranian Republican Oklahoma January 3, 2021Incumbent

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References

Notes
  1. Although Somalis are not considered ethnically Arab, Somalia is considered to be part of the Arab World, being part of the Arab League, and Omar is listed in the Arab American Institute's list of officeholders. [13] She is also listed at List of African-American United States representatives.
References
  1. "Meet Arab American Members in 115th Congress - Arab American Institute". www.aaiusa.org.
  2. "Arab American Members of Congress - Arab American Leadership Council Political Action Committee". www.aaleadershipcouncil.org.
  3. Boorstein, Michelle. "The nation's first two Muslim congresswomen are sworn in, surrounded by the women they inspired". Washington Post. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
  4. "Assyrians in Middle America A Historical and Demographic Study of the Chicago Assyrian Community" (PDF). jaas.org. Retrieved December 14, 2012.
  5. Firozi, Paulina. "House GOP chipped away at Democratic majority. They can thank female candidates" via www.washingtonpost.com.
  6. Hall, Loretta (1999). "James Abourezk". Arab American biography. Vol. I: A-J. Detroit: U.X.L. pp. 18–25. ISBN   978-0-7876-2953-3.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  7. Hall, Loretta (1999). "George John Mitchell". Arab American biography. Vol. II: K-Z. Detroit: U.X.L. pp. 311–316. ISBN   978-0-7876-2953-3.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  8. Schudel, Matt (May 16, 2012). "James Abdnor, GOP congressman and senator from South Dakota, dies at 89". The Washington Post.
  9. Hall, Loretta (1999). "Spencer Abraham". Arab American biography. Vol. I: A-J. Detroit: U.X.L. pp. 33–38. ISBN   978-0-7876-2953-3.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  10. "Bioguide Search". bioguide.congress.gov. Retrieved 2022-02-17.
  11. Cromwell, Sharon (2008). Arab Americans. Florida: Rourke Publishing. p. 37. ISBN   978-1-60472-751-7.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  12. "John E. Sununu". www.congress.gov. Retrieved 2022-02-17.
  13. "Arab American Roster". Arab American Institute. Retrieved March 11, 2019.