For the fifth consecutive session, Jesuit college alumni comprise ten percent of Congress. Of the 535 seats (and six non-voting delegate positions) in the 119th United States Congress, 55 are filled by graduates of Jesuit colleges and universities: 12 in the Senate and 43 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 Majority Whip; Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL, Georgetown) serves as Democratic Whip; and Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV, Gonzaga) serves as Vice Chair of the Senate Democratic Outreach Committee. In the House, Representative Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY, Georgetown) serves as Democratic Leader; Representative Ted Lieu (D-CA, Georgetown) serves as Vice Chair of the House Democratic Caucus; Representative Debbie Dingell (D-MI, Georgetown) serves as Chair of the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee (DPCC); and Representative Lori Trahan (D-MA, Georgetown) serves as Co-Chair of the DPCC.
Fifteen of the nation’s Jesuit colleges and universities have alumni who serve in the 119th U.S. Congress. Georgetown University has the most with a total of 25, followed by Boston College and Fordham University, each with six alumni (note: Representative Rosa DeLauro is an alumna of Marymount College, which was later incorporated by Fordham University). The College of the Holy Cross, Loyola Marymount University, Marquette University, Saint Louis University, Santa Clara University, University of Detroit Mercy and University of San Francisco all have two alumni represented. Creighton University, Gonzaga University, Loyola University Chicago, Regis University and The University of Scranton each have one alum.
In addition to the 55 alumni of Jesuit colleges and universities, graduates of Jesuit high schools are also serving in the 119th U.S. Congress.
See full list of Jesuit college and university alumni below; bold names indicate new members.
United States Senate (12)
Senator John Barrasso
Senate Majority Whip
(R-WY) Appointed 2007, Elected 2008
B.S. Georgetown University (1974)
M.D. Georgetown University (1978)
Senator Catherine Cortez Masto
Vice Chair, Senate Democratic Outreach Committee
(D-NV) Elected 2016
J.D. Gonzaga University (1990)
Senator Richard J. Durbin
Senate 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 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 (43)
Representative Rob Bresnahan, Jr.
(R-PA-8) Elected 2024
B.S. The University of Scranton (2012)
Representative Vern Buchanan
(R-FL-16) Elected 2006
M.B.A. University of Detroit Mercy (1986)
Representative Gil Cisneros
(D-CA-31) Elected 2024
Previously served from 2019-2021
M.B.A. Regis University (2002)
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 University (2013)
Representative Mark DeSaulnier
(D-CA-10) Elected 2014
B.A. College of the Holy Cross (1974)
Representative Debbie Dingell
Chair, Democratic Policy and Communications Committee
(D-MI-6) Elected 2014
B.S.F.S. Georgetown University (1975)
M.A.L.S. Georgetown University (1998)
Representative Lois Frankel
(D-FL-22) Elected 2012
J.D. Georgetown University (1973)
Representative Laura Gillen
(D-NY-4) Elected 2024
B.A. Georgetown University (1991)
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 Leader
(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)
Delegate Kimberlyn King-Hinds
(R-Del-Northern Mariana Islands) Elected 2024
B.A. Loyola Marymount University (2000)
Representative George Latimer
(D-NY-16) Elected 2024
B.A. Fordham University (1974)
Representative Sam Liccardo
(D-CA-16) Elected 2024
B.A. Georgetown University (1991)
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 April McClain-Delaney
(D-MD-6) Elected 2024
J.D. Georgetown University (1989)
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 Bob Onder
(R-MO-3) Elected 2024
J.D. Saint Louis University Law (1993)
Representative Jimmy Panetta
(D-CA-19) Elected 2016
J.D. Santa Clara University (1996)
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-18) Elected 2022 (special election)
M.A. Georgetown University (2013)
Representative Derek Schmidt
(R-KS-2) Elected 2024
J.D. Georgetown University (1986)
Representative Robert C. Scott
(D-VA-3) Elected 1992
J.D. Boston College (1973)
Representative Lateefah Simon
(D-CA-12) Elected 2024
MPA University of San Francisco (2022)
Representative D. 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 Tom Suozzi
(D-NY-3) Elected 2024
Previously served from 2017-2023
B.S. Boston College (1984)
J.D. Fordham University (1989)
Representative Lori Trahan
Co-Chair, Democratic Policy and Communications Committee
(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.