9% Of Congress Is Jesuit Educated, 30% Of Congress Is Catholic

33 out of the 51 of these Jesuit educated members are committed to legislating pro abortion laws.

The 111th Congress, sworn in last week, features 51 members (out of 535) who are Jesuit-educated, according to the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities. Georgetown has by far the most alumni at the Capitol -- 18 -- but local favorites Boston College and the College of the Holy Cross have their share, with six and four graduates in Congress, respectively.

The BC alumni are all Democrats, including, from Massachusetts, Senator John F. Kerry (JD 1976), Representative Michael Capuano (JD 1977), Representative William D. Delahunt (JD 1967) and Representative Edward J. Markey (BA 1968; JD 1972). The others are Representative Paul W. Hodes of New Hampshire (JD 1978) and Representative Robert C. Scott of Virginia (JD 1973). (UPDATE: An alert reader reminds me that Representative Stephen F. Lynch, also a Massachusetts Democrat, received a law degree from BC (in 1991). I have no idea why he's not on the AJCU list, but that increases BC's number to 7, and the overall number of Jesuit college and university grads in Congress to 51.)

The Holy Cross alumni, also all Democrats, are Senator Robert P. Casey Jr. of Pennsylvania (BA 1982), Representative Timothy H. Bishop of New York (BA 1972), Representative James P. Moran of Virginia (BA 1967) and Representative Peter Welch of Vermont (BA 1969).

In another analysis of the makeup of Congress, the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life looked at the religious makeup of the House and Senate. A few highlights from the report:

"Members of Congress are much more likely than the public overall to say they are affiliated with a particular religion."

The Congress is mostly Protestant (54.7%), mirroring the nation, but the Protestants are from multiple denominations; Baptists are underrepresented, while Episcopalians, Methodists and Presbyterians are overrepresented when compared to their presence in the national population.

"Catholics are the single largest religious group in the 111th Congress. Catholics, who account for nearly one-quarter of the U.S. adult population, make up about 30% of Congress."

"Jews, who account for just 1.7% of the U.S. adult population, make up 8.4% of Congress, including just over 13% of the Senate."

There are two Muslims and two Buddhists in Congress; both groups are slightly underrepresented, as are Hindus (there are no Hindu members of Congress).

Link (here)

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Fifty-One Members of the 111th U.S. Congress are Jesuit College and University Alumni/ae

More than nine percent of the 111th U.S. Congress are Jesuit College and University alumni/ae, the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities (AJCU) reports. Among the 535 Members of the 111th U.S. Congress, 51 of them, or more than nine percent, are alumni/ae of Jesuit institutions.

There are eleven Jesuit alumni/ae in the Senate and 40 in the House of Representatives. Among the top leadership, both the Majority and Minority Leaders in the House of Representatives, Congressmen Steny Hoyer (D-MD) and John Boehner (R-OH) respectively, the Senate Assistant Majority Leader, Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL), and the Chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and Special Assistant to the Speaker, Congressman Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), are all Jesuit alumni.

Of these 51 alumni/ae, 33 received graduate or professional degrees from Jesuit universities. There are 15 Jesuit institutions represented by alumni/ae in the U.S. Congress. Georgetown University has the most alumni/ae with a total of 18, followed by Boston College with seven, and the College of the Holy Cross and Fordham University with four each.

Of note, Anh "Joseph" Cao, a graduate of Fordham University and Loyola University New Orleans, is in the freshman class of the 111th Congress.

"With the many challenges facing our nation, we are happy that our Jesuit college and university alumni/ae are leading the Congressional response to them," said AJCU President Fr. Charles Currie, S.J. "Our graduates, who have dedicated their lives to the highest levels of public service, have been educated at institutions that place great value on academic excellence, competent leadership and compassionate service. We are proud of our Jesuit alumni/ae who continue to represent us with distinction and inspire us with their commitment to lead and serve."

The following is the full list of the Jesuit college and university alumni/ae in Congress:

UNITED STATES SENATE

Senator John Barrasso
(R-WY) Appointed 2007 NARAL Rating 0%
B.A. Georgetown University 1974
M.D. Georgetown University 1978

Senator Jim Bunning
(R-KY), Elected 1998 NARAL Rating 0%
B.S. Xavier University (1953)

Senator Robert P. Casey Jr.
(D-PA), Elected 2006 NARAL Rating 65%
B.A., College of the Holy Cross (1982)

Senator Richard J. Durbin
(D-IL), Elected 1996 NARAL Rating 100%
B.S.F.S. Georgetown University (1966)
J.D. Georgetown University (1969)

Senator Mike Johanns
(R-NB), Elected 2008 NARAL Rating Unknown
J.D. Creighton University (1974)

Senator John F. Kerry
(D-MA), Elected 1984 NARAL Rating 100%
J.D. Boston College (1976)

Senator Patrick J. Leahy NARAL Rating 100 %
(D-VT), Elected 1974
J.D. Georgetown University (1964)

Senator Robert Menendez
(D-NJ), Appointed & Elected 2006 NARAL 100 %
B.A. Saint Peter's College (1976)

Senator Barbara A. Mikulski
(D-MD), Elected 1986 NARAL Rating 100%
B.A. Loyola College in Maryland (1958)

Senator Lisa Murkowski
(R-AK), Elected 2004 NARAL Rating 14%
B.A. Georgetown University (1980)

Senator Jim Webb
(D-VA), Elected 2006 NARAL Rating 100 %
J.D. Georgetown University (1975)

UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Representative Steve Austria
(R-OH), Elected 2008 NARAL Rating 0%
B.A. Marquette University, (1982)

Representative Timothy H. Bishop
(D-NY), Elected 2002 NARAL Rating 100 %
B.A. College of the Holy Cross (1972)

Representative John A. Boehner
(R-OH), Elected 1990 NARAL Rating 0%
B.S. Xavier University (1977)

Representative Vern Buchanan
(R-FL), Elected 2006 NARAL Rating 0 %
MBA, University of Detroit Mercy (1986)

Representative Anh “Joseph” Cao
(R-LA), Elected 2008 NARAL Rating Unknown
MA, Fordham University (1995)
JD, Loyola University New Orleans (2000)

Representative Michael Capuano
(D-MA), Elected 1998 NARAL Rating 100 %
J.D. Boston College (1977)

Representative Michael N. Castle
(R-DE), Elected 1992 NARAL Rating 100 %
L.L.B. Georgetown University (1964)

Representative Henry Cuellar
(D-TX) Elected 2004 NARAL Rating 100%
B.S. Georgetown University (1978)

Representative William D. Delahunt
(D-MA), Elected 1996 NARAL Rating 100%
J.D. Boston College (1967)

Representative John D. Dingell
(D-MI), Elected 1955 NARAL Rating 100%
B.A. Georgetown University (1949)
J.D. Georgetown University (1952)

Representative Jeff Fortenberry
(R-NE) Elected 2004 NARAL Rating 0%
M.A. Georgetown University (1986)

Representative Parker Griffith
(D-AL), Elected 2008 NARAL Rating Unknown
Loyola University New Orleans (1962-64)

Representative John J. Hall
(D-NY), Elected 2006 NARAL Rating 100%

Loyola College Maryland (1965-66)

Representative Stephanie Herseth Sandlin
(D-SD), Elected 2004 NARAL Rating 100%
B.A. Georgetown University (1993)
M.A. Georgetown University (1996)
J.D. Georgetown University (1996)

Representative Mazie K.Hirono
(D-HI), Elected 2006 NARAL Rating 100%
J.D. Georgetown University (1978)

Representative Paul W. Hodes
(D-NH), Elected 2006 NARAL Rating 100%
J.D. Boston College (1978)

Representative Steny H. Hoyer
(D-MD), Elected 1981 NARAL Rating 100%
J.D. Georgetown University (1966)

Representative Mark Steven Kirk
(R-IL), Elected 2000 NARAL Rating 100%
J.D. Georgetown University (1992)

Representative Frank A. LoBiondo
(R-NJ), Elected 1994 NARAL Rating 0%
B.S. St. Joseph's University (1968)

Representative Zoe Lofgren
(D-CA), Elected 1994 NARAL Rating 100%
J.D. University of Santa Clara (1975)

Representative Daniel E. Lungren
(R-CA), Elected 2004 NARAL Rating 0%
J.D. Georgetown University (1971)

Representative Stephen Lynch
(D-MA), Elected 2000 NARAL Rating 10%
J.D. Boston College Law School (1991)

Representative Donald Manzullo
(R-IL), Elected 1992 NARAL Rating 0%
J.D. Marquette University (1970)

Representative Edward J. Markey
(D-MA), Elected 1976 NARAL Rating 100%
B.A. Boston College (1968)
J.D. Boston College (1972)

Representative Thaddeus McCotter
(R-MI), Elected 2002 NARAL Rating 0%
B.A. University of Detroit Mercy (1987)
J.D. University of Detroit Mercy (1991)

Representative Gwen Moore
(D-WI) Elected (2004) NARAL Rating 100%
B.A. Marquette University (1978)

Representative James P. Moran
(D-VA), Elected 1990 NARAL Rating 100%
B.A. College of the Holy Cross (1967)

Representative Timothy F. Murphy
(R-PA), Elected 2002 NARAL Rating 0%
B.A. Wheeling Jesuit College (1974)

Representative Jerrold Nadler
(D-NY), Elected 1992 NARAL Rating 100%
J.D. Fordham University (1978)

Representative Glenn Nye
(D-NY)), Elected 2008 NARAL Rating Unknown
B.S. Georgetown University (1996)

Representative William J. Pascrell Jr.
(D-NJ), Elected 1996 NARAL Rating 100%
B.A. Fordham University (1959)
M.A. Fordham University (1961)

Representative Robert C. Scott
(D-VA), Elected 1992 NARAL Rating 100%
J.D. Boston College (1973)

Representative Albio Sires
(D-NJ), Elected 2006 NARAL Rating 100%
B.A. Saint Peter's College (1974)

Representative Adam Smith
(D-WA), Elected 1996 NARAL Rating 100%
B.A. Fordham University (1987)

Representative Lee Terry
(R-NE), Elected 1998 NARAL Rating 0%
J.D. Creighton University (1987)

Representative Chris Van Hollen Jr.
(D-MD), Elected 2002 NARAL Rating 100%
J.D. Georgetown University (1990)

Representative Peter J. Visclosky
(D-IN), Elected 1984 NARAL Rating 100%
L.L.M. Georgetown University (1982)

Representative Peter Welch
(D-VT), Elected 2006 NARAL Rating 100%
A.B. College of the Holy Cross (1969)

Representative Frank Wolf
(R-VA), Elected 1980 NARAL Rating 0%
J.D. Georgetown University (1965)

Representative Lynn Woolsey
(D-CA), Elected 1992 NARAL Rating 100%
B.S. University of San Francisco (1980)

Link (here)