Leaving Congress: House of Representatives
and Senate Departures Data Since 1989

Jennifer E. Manning
Information Research Specialist
Parker H. Reynolds
Analyst in American National Government
R. Eric Petersen
Analyst in American National Government
September 24, 2010
Congressional Research Service
7-5700
www.crs.gov
R41428
CRS Report for Congress
P
repared for Members and Committees of Congress

Leaving Congress: House of Representatives and Senate Departures Data Since 1989

Summary
Members of Congress leave the House or Senate for a variety of reasons; these may include
resignation, death, or chamber action during a Congress, and retirement, electoral defeat, or
pursuit of another office at the end of a Congress. In the 101st Congress (1989-1990) through
September 2010 of the 111th Congress (2009-2010), on average, two Senators and eight Members
of the House of Representatives have left before the conclusion of a Congress. Over the same
period, on average, 10 Senators and 55 Members of the House left Congress upon expiration of
their terms of office. These figures include those Members who have announced an intention to
retire at the completion of the 111th Congress.
The data provided here may offer insight concerning the turnover of membership in each
chamber, but any such conclusions should be drawn with care, as there appears to be no pattern to
Member departures. This may be due in part to the individualized nature of congressional careers,
which might include numerous events or actions that could affect Members’ decisions to end their
congressional service.
This report will be updated at the conclusion of the 111th Congress. Detailed information
regarding 111th Congress departures is available at http://crs.gov/resources/Pages/
Congress_111_departures.aspx.

Congressional Research Service

Leaving Congress: House of Representatives and Senate Departures Data Since 1989

Contents
Tables
Table 1. House of Representatives Departures Data, 101st-111th Congresses................................. 1
Table 2. House of Representatives Completed Term Departure Percentages ................................. 2
Table 3. Senate Departures Data, 101st-111th Congresses.............................................................. 2
Table 4. Senate Completed Terms Departure Percentages ............................................................ 3

Contacts
Author Contact Information ........................................................................................................ 4

Congressional Research Service

Leaving Congress: House of Representatives and Senate Departures Data Since 1989

n each Congress, Members leave the House or Senate for a variety of reasons. In the course of
a Congress, reasons could include resignation, death, or chamber action. At the conclusion of
I a Congress, Members depart due to retirement, electoral defeat, or pursuit of another office.
Since the 101st Congress (1989-1990), on average, two Senators and eight Members of the House
of Representatives1 have left before the conclusion of a Congress. On average, 10 Senators (10%
of Senate membership)2 and 55 (12.4% of House membership) Members of the House have left
Congress upon expiration of their terms of office.3
This report provides data on Members who have left Congress since 1989. Data are divided into
two broad categories. The first category, “in-term” departures, addresses Members who leave
prior to the conclusion of a Congress. Circumstances of in-term departures include a Member’s
resignation or death, or the action of a chamber regarding a Member’s status.4 The second
category, “complete-term” departures, includes Members who leave the House or Senate at the
completion of their terms. This includes Members who retired, were defeated for reelection, or
who did not run for reelection to the House or Senate because they sought other elective office.
Table 1 provides departure information for the House since the 101st Congress (1989-1990).
Table 2 provides House complete-term departures as a percentage of chamber membership for
the same period. Table 3 and Table 4 provide Senate departure information, and complete-term
departures as a percentage of chamber membership, respectively, since the 101st Congress.
Detailed information regarding 111th Congress departures is available at http://crs.gov/resources/
Pages/Congress_111_departures.aspx.
Table 1. House of Representatives Departures Data, 101st-111th Congresses
Completed
Other
Congress, Years
In-Term
Resigned
Died
Term Retired
Defeated
Office
101st (1989-1990)
9
6
3
40
15
14
11
102nd (1991-1992)
9
6
3
108
50
46
12
103rd (1993-1994)
9
6
3
82
27
39
16
104th (1995-1996)
9
8
1
66
32
25
9
105th (1997-1998)
10
6
4
40
22
9
9
106th (1999-2000)
4
1
3
39
20
11
8
107th (2001-2002)
10a 5 4 50 22 17 11
108th (2003-2004)
6
6
0
35
17
9
9
109th (2005-2006)
6
6
0
49
14
26
9
110th (2007-2008)
13
6
7
51
24
22
5
111th (2009-2010)b 2
9 2
40
19
7
14
Average 8
6
3
55
24
20
10

1 Data include Representatives, Delegates, and the Resident Commissioner.
2 In some instances, Senators were appointed to fill a Senate vacancy, and did not stand for election to a full term. In
this report, those Senators are counted as retiring.
3 These statistics include Members who have announced their intention to retire at the conclusion of the 111th Congress.
4 In one instance since 1989, a Member was expelled from the House pursuant to H.Res. 495, 107th Congress, adopted
on July 24, 2002.
Congressional Research Service
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Leaving Congress: House of Representatives and Senate Departures Data Since 1989

Source: Congressional Biographical Directory, http://bioguide.congress.gov/biosearch/biosearch.asp, and CRS
calculations.
Notes: 111th Congress data are current through September 8, 2010. Averages are rounded to the whole
number; in-term and completed term averages may not equal the averages of their subcategories.
a. Includes one Member who was expel ed from the House pursuant to H.Res. 495, 107th Congress, adopted
on July 24, 2002.
b. Through September 8, 2010.
Table 2. House of Representatives Completed Term Departure Percentages
Completed
Other
Congress, Years
Term
Retired Defeated Office
101st (1989-1990)
9.1%
3.4%
3.2%
2.5%
102nd (1991-1992)
24.5%
11.4%
10.5%
2.7%
103rd (1993-1994)
18.6%
6.1%
8.9%
3.6%
104th (1995-1996)
15.0%
7.3%
5.7%
2.1%
105th (1997-1998)
9.1%
5.0%
2.1%
2.1%
106th (1999-2000)
8.9%
4.6%
2.5%
1.8%
107th (2001-2002)
11.4%
5.0%
3.9%
2.5%
108th (2003-2004)
8.0%
3.9%
2.1%
2.1%
109th (2005-2006)
11.1%
3.2%
5.9%
2.1%
110th (2007-2008)
11.6%
5.5%
5.0%
1.1%
111th (2009-2010)a 9.1%
4.3%
1.6%
3.2%
Average 12.4%
5.4%
4.7%
2.3%
Source: Congressional Biographical Directory, http://bioguide.congress.gov/biosearch/biosearch.asp, and CRS
calculations.
Notes: 111th Congress data is current through September 8, 2010. Percentages are based on 440 House
Members in 101st-110th Congresses, and 441 Members (435 Representatives, 5 Delegates, and Resident
Commissioner) in the 111th Congress.
a. Through September 8, 2010.
Table 3. Senate Departures Data, 101st-111th Congresses
Completed
Other
Congress, Years
In-Term Resigned Died
Term
Retired Defeated Office
101st
(1989-1990) 2 1 1 3 2 1 0
102nd (1991-1992)
4
2
2
13
6
5
2
103rd (1993-1994)
3
3
0
12
8
3
1
104th
(1995-1996) 2 2 0 15 12 2 1
105th (1997-1998)
0
0
0
8
5
3
0
106th (1999-2000)
2
0
2
11
5
6
0
107th (2001-2002)
2
1
1
7
4
3
0
108th (2003-2004)
0
0
0
9
7
1
1
Congressional Research Service
2

Leaving Congress: House of Representatives and Senate Departures Data Since 1989

Completed
Other
Congress, Years
In-Term Resigned Died
Term
Retired Defeated Office
109th (2005-2006)
1
1
0
13
4
9
0
110th (2007-2008)
2
1
1
8
5
3
0
111th (2009-2010)a 7 5 2 16 12 3 1
Average 2
1
1
10
6
4
1
Source: Congressional Biographical Directory, http://bioguide.congress.gov/biosearch/biosearch.asp, and CRS
calculations.
Notes: 111th Congress data are current through September 18, 2010. Averages are rounded to the whole
number; in-term and completed term averages may not equal the averages of their subcategories.
a. Through September 18, 2010.
Table 4. Senate Completed Terms Departure Percentages
Completed
Other
Congress, Years
Term
Retired Defeated Office
101st (1989-1990)
3%
2%
1%
0%
102nd (1991-1992)
13%
6%
5%
2%
103rd (1993-1994)
12%
8%
3%
1%
104th (1995-1996)
15%
12%
2%
1%
105th (1997-1998)
8%
5%
3%
0%
106th (1999-2000)
11%
5%
6%
0%
107th (2001-2002)
7%
4%
3%
0%
108th (2003-2004)
9%
7%
1%
1%
109th (2005-2006)
13%
4%
9%
0%
110th (2007-2008)
8%
5%
3%
0%
111th (2009-2010)a 16% 12% 3% 1%
Average 10%
6%
4%
1%
Source: Congressional Biographical Directory, http://bioguide.congress.gov/biosearch/biosearch.asp, and CRS
calculations.
Notes: 111th Congress data are current through September 18, 2010. Averages are rounded to the whole
number; in-term and completed term averages may not equal the averages of their subcategories.
a. Through September 18, 2010.
The data provided in this report offer insight into the means by which Members of Congress leave
the House or Senate, and offer preliminary insight about some of the factors that may influence
the turnover of membership in each chamber. At the same time, any conclusions based on these
data should be drawn with care, since there do not appear to be patterns to Member departures.
This may be due in part to the individualized nature of congressional careers, which might
include numerous events or actions that could affect Members’ decisions to end their
congressional service.

Congressional Research Service
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Leaving Congress: House of Representatives and Senate Departures Data Since 1989

Author Contact Information

Jennifer E. Manning
R. Eric Petersen
Information Research Specialist
Analyst in American National Government
jmanning@crs.loc.gov, 7-7565
epetersen@crs.loc.gov, 7-0643
Parker H. Reynolds

Analyst in American National Government
preynolds@crs.loc.gov, 7-5821


Congressional Research Service
4