The new 114th US Congress counts more minorities and women than ever, although lawmakers remain overwhelmingly white and male in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives and Senate.
A record 104 women are in the new Congress, and for the first time, African-American members of both genders are representing both parties.
No seats in Congress are reserved for women or minorities.
The number of female lawmakers is up slightly from 100 at the close of the last Congress, but represents about 20 per cent of the total in Congress. It’s far less than the nearly 51pc of the US population.
A total of 96 racial minorities will serve in Congress, about 18 per cent. There are 100 senators and 435 seats in the House. The House will have 246 Republicans and 188 Democrats.
One seat is vacant following the resignation on Monday of Republican Michael Grimm, who pleaded guilty to a felony tax evasion charge. The Senate will have 54 Republicans and 44 Democrats, plus two independents — Maine’s Angus King and Vermont’s Bernie Sanders. Both caucus with Democrats.
A total of 84 women will serve in the House, compared with 80 in the last Congress. The new lawmakers include Elise Stefanik, a 30-year-old New York Republican who is the youngest woman ever elected to the House.
Also making history is Mia Love, 38, whose election to a suburban Salt Lake City district made her the first black female Republican to win a seat in Congress. Forty-four African-Americans are in the House, including another black Republican freshman, Will Hurd of Texas.
