LegiStorm

Nick Pennington is departing the Hill for the position of senior coordinator for government relations and public policy at the Association of American Universities.

Pennington most recently served as Rep. Nikema Williams' (D-Ga.) legislative director. Prior to joining Williams' office, he was legislative director for former Rep. Jim Langevin (D-R.I.). During his five years on the Hill, Pennington covered various issues, such as education and social welfare, and advocated for the integration of the STEM to STEAM Act into the CHIPS and Science Act.

The AAU is an organization of over 60 public and private research universities in the U.S. and Canada committed to upholding strong research and education standards. 

In January, 14 former congressional staffers will return as members of Congress.

These incoming representatives are Julie Fedorchak (R-N.D.), Sarah Elfreth (D-Md.), Jeff Crank (R-Colo.), Addison McDowell (R-N.C.), Maggie Goodlander (D-N.H.), Riley Moore (R-W.Va.), Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz.), Brian Jack (R-Ga.), Marlin Stutzman (R-Ind.), Suhas Subramanyam (D-Va.), Josh Riley (D-N.Y.), Shomari Figures (D-Ala.), Derek Schmidt (R-Kan.) and Dave Min (D-Calif.)

These seven incoming Democrats and seven incoming Republicans all share one thing in common: they worked for a congressional office before being elected. 

The range of congressional positions that these incoming representatives held varies. Some members, including Elfreth, Ansari, Jack, Stutzman and Figures, held congressional internships or positions as staff assistants, while others, including Crank, Fedorchak, Riley, Min, Schmidt and Subramanyam, held higher-ranking positions, such as director, counsel and clerk. Stutzman also served as a member of Congress.

At least three additional former staffers ran for election but were unsuccessful: Monica Tranel (D-Mont.), Lanon Baccam (D-Iowa) and Paul Junge (R-Mich.). 

After more than six years on the Hill, GOP staffer Sam Cloud is headed to the American Exploration and Production Council.

Cloud, who was most recently legislative director for Rep. Pat Fallon (R-Texas), will serve as director of government affairs for the trade organization, which represents natural gas and crude oil companies throughout the U.S.

Prior to joining Fallon's office, he held various positions with Rep. Richard Hudson (R-N.C.) and served as member services and coalitions assistant for the House Education and Labor Committee. He has covered numerous issues during his time on the Hill, including natural resources, energy and environmental protection.

The American Exploration and Production Council has spent over $1 million on lobbying this year. 

Yesterday's Veterans Day meant more to many members of Congress than average Americans, with member rates of service far outweighing those of U.S. adults.

About 15% of current members of Congress have served in the military, according to LegiStorm data. This makes a member of Congress 2.5 times more likely to have served in the military than an average U.S. adult, with approximately 6% of U.S. adults having served, according to the Pew Research Center.

Currently, 20% of GOP members of Congress are veterans, while only 9.5% of Democratic members have served in the military.

Men are especially well-represented. Some 91% of current GOP legislators who served in the military are men and 88% of Democratic veterans are men.

Overall, 1.5% of women currently serving in Congress are veterans. 

November may be Native American Heritage Month but the underrepresentation of Native Americans in Congress is unlikely to change after Tuesday's election.

The United States Census Bureau finds that approximately 2.9% of the U.S. population claims to be at least partially American Indian/Alaska Native; however, Native Americans account for fewer than 1% of members of Congress.

Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) and Reps. Josh Brecheen (R-Okla.), Sharice Davids (D-Kan.), Tom Cole (R-Okla.) and Mary Peltola (D-Alaska) are currently the only American Indians or Alaska Natives who hold a congressional office.

The percentage of Native Americans in the 118th Congress, .93%, marks a slight downturn from previous years. The 117th and 116th Congresses included 6, or 1.12%, American Indian/Alaska Native members.

With Peltola's 2024 race for reelection considered a toss-up and Davids' predicted as likely Democrat but holding the possibility of flipping Republican, according to The Cook Political Report, it is possible that the number of American Indian/Alaska Native members will decrease in 2025. However, it is also possible that the number increases, as two Native Americans are in competitive races with House incumbents: Yvette Herrell (R-N.M.) is in a toss-up race and Jonathan Nez (D-Ariz.) is in a likely GOP race that could flip.

Even if these four races are won by an American Indian/Alaska Native and the 119th Congress sees an increase in Native American members, the Native American population would still be underrepresented in Congress, with only 1.3% of members.