Approximately 20% of all Americans have no religious affiliation, a rate not reflected in Congress.

Among the 535 lawmakers in the 113th Congress, only one has publicly said to have no religious connection. In fact, Representative Kyrsten Sinema (D-Arizona) is the first legislator on Capitol Hill to publicly describe her religion as “none.”

The other 534 representatives and senators say they belong to a particular secular group.

Most lawmakers (56%) belong to a Protestant denomination, which has long been the case in Congress, although they make up only 48% of the population. Catholics account for more than 30% of the members of Congress, but only 22% of the population and 6% of Congress members are Jews, even though they make up just 2% of the U.S. population.

The new Congress includes the first Buddhist to serve in the Senate (Democrat Mazie K. Hirono of Hawaii) and the first Hindu in either house (Democrat Tulsi Gabbard, also of Hawaii).

-Noel Brinkerhoff

To Learn More:

Faith on the Hill: The Religious Composition of the 113th Congress (Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life)

Who’s Underrepresented in Congress? Baptists, Pentecostals and “No Religion” (by Noel Brinkerhoff, AllGov)