For the fourth consecutive session, Jesuit-educated alumni comprise ten percent of Congress. Among the 535 members (and six non-voting delegates) of the 118th United States Congress, 53 graduated from Jesuit colleges and universities: 14 in the Senate and 39 in the House of Representatives.
Jesuit-educated members are well-represented in leadership positions in both the Senate and the House. In the Senate, Senator John Barrasso (R-WY, Georgetown) serves as Chair of the Senate Republican Conference, while Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL, Georgetown) serves as Democratic Whip and Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV, Gonzaga) serves as Vice Chair of the Democratic Outreach Committee. In the House, Representative Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY, Georgetown) serves as Democratic Leader; he is the first African-American to hold the role. Representative Ted Lieu (D-CA, Georgetown) serves as Vice Chair of the House Democratic Caucus.
Fifteen of the nation’s Jesuit colleges and universities are currently represented by alumni in the 118th U.S. Congress. Georgetown University has the most with a total of 25, followed by Boston College and Fordham University with five alumni each (note: Representative Rosa DeLauro is an alumna of Marymount College, which was later incorporated by Fordham University). The College of the Holy Cross has three alumni; Loyola University Chicago, Marquette University, Santa Clara University and the University of Detroit Mercy have two alumni represented; and Creighton University, Gonzaga University, Loyola Marymount University, Regis University, Saint Louis University, Saint Peter’s University and the University of San Francisco each have one alum.
In addition to the 53 alumni from Jesuit colleges and universities who are serving in the 118th U.S. Congress, there are several who are graduates of Jesuit high schools.
AJCU’s president, Rev. Michael J. Garanzini, S.J., said, “We are proud of the achievements of our alumni, but even more so of their commitment to public service. A Jesuit education is dedicated to serving the common good. We look forward to working with these alumni as they work across the aisle to address our nation’s challenges.”
See full list of Jesuit college and university alumni below; bold names indicate new members.
United States Senate (14)
Senator John Barrasso, M.D.
Republican Conference Chair
(R-WY) Appointed 2007, Elected 2008
B.S. Georgetown University (1974)
M.D. Georgetown University (1978)
Senator Robert P. Casey, Jr.
(D-PA) Elected 2006
B.A. College of the Holy Cross (1982)
Senator Catherine Cortez Masto
Vice Chair of the Democratic Outreach Committee
(D-NV) Elected 2016
J.D. Gonzaga University (1990)
Senator Richard J. Durbin
Democratic Whip
(D-IL) Elected 1996
B.S.F.S. Georgetown University (1966)
J.D. Georgetown University (1969)
Senator Mazie Hirono
(D-HI) Elected 2012
J.D. Georgetown University (1978)
Senator Edward J. Markey
(D-MA) Elected 2013
B.A. Boston College (1968)
J.D. Boston College (1972)
Senator Robert Menendez
(D-NJ) Appointed & Elected 2006
B.A. Saint Peter’s University (1976)
Senator Lisa Murkowski
(R-AK) Appointed 2002, Elected 2004
B.A. Georgetown University (1980)
Senator Jon Ossoff
(D-GA) Elected 2021
B.S. Georgetown University (2009)
Senator Gary Peters
(D-MI) Elected 2014
M.B.A. University of Detroit Mercy (1984)
Senator Eric Schmitt
(R-MO) Elected 2022
J.D. Saint Louis University (2000)
Senator Dan Sullivan
(R-AK) Elected 2014
J.D.-M.S.F.S. Georgetown University (1993)
Senator Chris Van Hollen, Jr.
(D-MD) Elected 2016
J.D. Georgetown University (1990)
Senator Peter Welch
(D-VT) Elected 2022
B.A. College of the Holy Cross (1969)
United States House of Representatives (39)
Representative Vern Buchanan
(R-FL-16) Elected 2006
M.B.A. University of Detroit Mercy (1986)
Representative Yadira Caraveo, M.D.
(D-CO-8) Elected 2022
B.S. Regis University (2003)
Representative Henry Cuellar
(D-TX-28) Elected 2004
B.S.F.S. Georgetown University (1978)
Representative Rosa L. DeLauro
(D-CT-3) Elected 1990
B.A. Marymount College, Tarrytown* (1964)
Representative Chris Deluzio
(D-PA-17) Elected 2022
J.D. Georgetown Law School (2013)
Representative Mark DeSaulnier
(D-CA-11) Elected 2014
B.A. College of the Holy Cross (1974)
Representative Debbie Dingell
(D-MI-6) Elected 2014
B.S.F.S. Georgetown University (1975)
M.A.L.S. Georgetown University (1998)
Representative Lois Frankel
(D-FL-21) Elected 2012
J.D. Georgetown University (1973)
Representative Mike Gallagher
(R-WI-8) Elected 2016
M.A. Georgetown University (2012 & 2013)
Ph.D. Georgetown University (2015)
Representative Mike Garcia
(R-CA-27) Elected 2020 (Special election)
M.A. Georgetown University (1998)
Representative Paul Gosar
(R-AZ-9) Elected 2010
B.S. Creighton University (1981)
D.D.S. Creighton University (1985)
Representative Steny H. Hoyer
(D-MD-5) Elected 1981
J.D. Georgetown University (1966)
Representative Jared Huffman
(D-CA-2) Elected 2012
J.D. Boston College (1990)
Representative Pramila Jayapal
(D-WA-7) Elected 2016
B.A. Georgetown University (1986)
Representative Hakeem Jeffries
House Democratic Caucus Chair
(D-NY-8) Elected 2012
M.P.P. Georgetown University (1994)
Representative William Keating
(D-MA-9) Elected 2010
B.A. Boston College (1974)
M.B.A. Boston College (1982)
Representative Kevin Kiley
(R-CA-3) Elected 2022
M.A. Loyola Marymount University (2009)
Representative Ann McLane Kuster
(D-NH-2) Elected 2012
J.D. Georgetown University (1984)
Representative Ted Lieu
Vice Chair, House Democratic Caucus
(D-CA-36) Elected 2014
J.D. Georgetown University (1994)
Representative Zoe Lofgren
(D-CA-18) Elected 1994
J.D. Santa Clara University (1975)
Representative Stephen Lynch
(D-MA-8) Elected 2000
J.D. Boston College (1991)
Representative Gwen Moore
(D-WI-4) Elected 2004
B.A. Marquette University (1978)
Representative Kevin Mullin
(D-CA-15) Elected 2022
B.A. University of San Francisco (1992)
Representative Jerrold Nadler
(D-NY-12) Elected 1992
J.D. Fordham University (1978)
Representative Jimmy Panetta
(D-CA-19) Elected 2016
J.D. Santa Clara University (1996)
Representative William J. Pascrell, Jr.
(D-NJ-9) Elected 1996
B.A. Fordham University (1959)
M.A. Fordham University (1961)
Representative Greg Pence
(R-IN-6) Elected 2018
B.A. Loyola University Chicago (1979)
M.B.A. Loyola University Chicago (1983)
Representative August Pfluger
(R-TX-11) Elected 2020
M.A. Georgetown University (2019)
Delegate Stacey Plaskett
(D-VI-AL) Elected 2014
B.S.F.S. Georgetown University (1988)
Representative Michael Quigley
(D-IL-5) Elected 2009
J.D. Loyola University Chicago (1989)
Representative Pat Ryan
(D-NY-19) Elected 2022 (special election)
M.A. Georgetown University (2013)
Representative Robert C. Scott
(D-VA-3) Elected 1992
J.D. Boston College (1973)
Representative Mikie Sherrill
(D-NJ-11) Elected 2018
J.D. Georgetown University (2007)
Representative Adam Smith
(D-WA-9) Elected 1996
B.A. Fordham University (1987)
Representative Greg Stanton
(D-AZ-4) Elected 2018
B.A. Marquette University (1992)
Representative Bryan Steil
(R-WI-1) Elected 2018
B.S. Georgetown University (2003)
Representative Lori Trahan
(D-MA-3) Elected 2018
B.A. Georgetown University (1995)
Representative Mike Turner
(R-OH-10) Elected 2022 (special election)
D.L.S. Georgetown University (2022)
Representative Juan C. Vargas
(D-CA-52) Elected 2012
M.A. Fordham University (1987)
*Marymount College was later incorporated by Fordham University.
We strive for accuracy in our bi-annual report on Jesuit college and university alumni in Congress but should any errors be found, please contact AJCU’s Vice President for Government Relations, Jenny Smulson (jsmulson@ajcunet.edu), and we will update this page immediately.