Leaving Congress: House of Representatives
April 20, 2022
and Senate Departures Data, 1989-2020
Jennifer E. Manning
Members of Congress leave the House or Senate for a variety of reasons; these may include
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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
R. Eric Petersen
116th Congress (2019-2020), on average, two Senators and nine Members of the House of
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Representatives have left before the conclusion of a Congress. Over the same period, on average,
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10 Senators and 59 Members of the House left Congress upon expiration of their terms of office.
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.
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Leaving Congress: House of Representatives and Senate Departures Data, 1989-2020
Contents
Tables
Table 1. Congresses and Meeting Years, 1989-2020 ....................................................................... 1
Table 2. House of Representatives Departures Data, 101st-116th Congresses ................................. 2
Table 3. House of Representatives Departure Percentages, 101st-116th Congresses........................ 3
Table 4. Senate Departures Data, 101st-116th Congresses ................................................................ 4
Table 5. Senate Departure Percentages, 101st-116th Congresses ...................................................... 5
Contacts
Author Information .......................................................................................................................... 5
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Leaving Congress: House of Representatives and Senate Departures Data, 1989-2020
n each Congress, Members leave the House or Senate for a variety of reasons. In the course of
a Congress, those reasons could include resignation, death, or chamber action. At the
Iconclusion of a Congress, Members depart due to retirement, electoral defeat, or pursuit of
another office. In the 101st Congress (1989-1990) through 116th Congress (2019-2020), on
average, two Senators and nine Members of the House of Representatives1 have left before the
conclusion of a Congress. Over the same period, on average, 10 Senators (10% of Senate
membership)2 and 59 Members of the House (13.4% of House membership) have left Congress
upon expiration of their terms of office.
This report provides data on Members who have left Congress between 1989 and 2020. 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.3 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 2 provides departure information for the House from the 101st Congress (1989-1990)
through the 116th Congress (2019-2020)
. Table 3 provides House departures as a percentage of
chamber membership for the same peri
od. Table 4 and Table 5 provide Senate departure
information, and departures as a percentage of chamber membership, respectively, for the 101st-
116th Congresses.
Table 1. Congresses and Meeting Years, 1989-2020
Congress, Years
Congress, Years
Congress, Years
Congress, Years
101st, 1989-1990
105th, 1997-1998
109th, 2005-2006
113th, 2013-2014
102nd, 1991-1992
106th, 1999-2000
110th, 2007-2008
114th, 2015-2016
103rd, 1993-1994
107th, 2001-2002
111th, 2009-2010
115th, 2017-2018
104th, 1995-1996
108th, 2003-2004
112th, 2011-2012
116th, 2019-2020
Source: CRS.
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 In one instance since 1989, a Member was expelled from the House pursuant to H.Res. 495, 107th Congress, adopted
on July 24, 2002.
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Leaving Congress: House of Representatives and Senate Departures Data, 1989-2020
Table 2. House of Representatives Departures Data, 101st-116th Congresses
Complete-
Cong.
Total
In-Term
Term
Resigned Died Retired Defeated Other
Departures Departures Departures
Office
101st
51
12
39
9
3
15
14
10
102nd
117
10
107
7
3
51
46
10
103rd
89
9
80
6
3
28
36
16
104th
73
9
64
8
1
32
24
8
105th
46
9
37
5
4
21
8
8
106th
42
4
38
1
3
20
10
8
107th
59
10
49
5
4
22
17
10
108th
41
6
35
6
0
17
9
9
109th
56
8
48
7
1
15
24
9
110th
64
13
51
6
7
25
21
5
111th
106
13
93
12
1
19
58
16
112th
87
8
79
7
1
25
40
14
113th
78
7
71
6
1
24
19
28
114th
60
9
51
7
2
25
12
14
115th
104
16
88
15
1
32
39
17
116th
64
11
53
8
3
28
22
3
Average
71
10
61
7
2
25
25
12
Source: Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, https://bioguide.congress.gov/, and CRS calculations.
Notes: Averages are rounded to the whole number; in-term and complete-term averages may not
equal the averages of their subcategories. 107th Congress in-term departures include one Member
who was expelled from the House pursuant to H.Res. 495, 107th Congress, adopted on July 24,
2002.
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Leaving Congress: House of Representatives and Senate Departures Data, 1989-2020
Table 3. House of Representatives Departure Percentages, 101st-116th Congresses
Complete-
Cong.
Total
In-Term
Term
Resigned Died Retired Defeated Other
Departures Departures Departures
Office
101st
11.6%
2.7%
8.9%
2.0%
0.7%
3.4%
3.2%
2.3%
102nd
26.6%
2.3%
24.3%
1.6%
0.7%
11.6%
10.5%
2.3%
103rd
20.2%
2.0%
18.2%
1.4%
0.7%
6.4%
8.2%
3.6%
104th
16.6%
2.0%
14.5%
1.8%
0.2%
7.3%
5.5%
1.8%
105th
10.5%
2.0%
8.4%
1.1%
0.9%
4.8%
1.8%
1.8%
106th
9.5%
0.9%
8.6%
0.2%
0.7%
4.5%
2.3%
1.8%
107th
13.4%
2.3%
11.1%
1.1%
0.9%
5.0%
3.9%
2.3%
108th
9.3%
1.4%
8.0%
1.4%
0.0%
3.9%
2.0%
2.0%
109th
12.7%
1.8%
10.9%
1.6%
0.2%
3.4%
5.5%
2.0%
110th
14.5%
3.0%
11.6%
1.4%
1.6%
5.7%
4.8%
1.1%
111th
24.0%
2.9%
21.1%
2.7%
0.2%
4.3%
13.2%
3.6%
112th
19.7%
1.8%
17.9%
1.6%
0.2%
5.7%
9.1%
3.2%
113th
17.7%
1.6%
16.1%
1.4%
0.2%
5.4%
4.3%
6.3%
114th
13.6%
2.0%
11.6%
1.6%
0.5%
5.7%
2.7%
3.2%
115th
23.6%
3.6%
20.0%
3.4%
0.2%
7.3%
8.8%
3.9%
116th
14.5%
2.5%
12.0%
1.8%
0.7%
6.3%
5.0%
0.7%
Average
16.1%
2.2%
13.9%
1.6%
0.5%
5.6%
5.6%
2.6%
Source: Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, https://bioguide.congress.gov/, and CRS calculations.
Notes: Percentages are based on 440 House Members in 101st-110th Congresses, and 441 Members (435
Representatives, 5 Delegates, and Resident Commissioner) in the 111th-116th Congresses.
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Leaving Congress: House of Representatives and Senate Departures Data, 1989-2020
Table 4. Senate Departures Data, 101st-116th Congresses
Complete-
Cong.
Total
In-Term
Term
Resigned Died Retired Defeated Other
Departures Departures Departures
Office
101st
5
2
3
1
1
2
1
0
102nd
15
4
11
2
2
6
5
0
103rd
15
3
12
3
0
8
4
0
104th
17
2
15
2
0
13
2
0
105th
9
0
9
0
0
6
3
0
106th
13
2
11
0
2
5
6
0
107th
10
3
7
2
1
4
3
0
108th
9
0
9
0
0
7
1
1
109th
14
1
13
1
0
4
9
0
110th
10
2
8
1
1
5
3
0
111th
24
7
17
5
2
12
4
1
112th
15
3
12
2
1
10
2
0
113th
17
4
13
3
1
8
5
0
114th
6
0
6
0
0
5
1
0
115th
14
5
9
4
1
3
6
0
116th
8
1
7
1
0
4
3
0
Average
12
2
10
2
1
6
3
0
Source: Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, https://bioguide.congress.gov/, and CRS calculations.
Notes: Averages are rounded to the whole number; in-term and complete-term averages may not equal the
averages of their subcategories.
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Leaving Congress: House of Representatives and Senate Departures Data, 1989-2020
Table 5. Senate Departure Percentages, 101st-116th Congresses
Complete-
Cong.
Total
In-Term
Term
Resigned Died Retired Defeated Other
Departures Departures Departures
Office
101st
5%
2%
3%
1%
1%
2%
1%
0%
102nd
15%
4%
11%
2%
2%
6%
5%
0%
103rd
15%
3%
12%
3%
0%
8%
4%
0%
104th
17%
2%
15%
2%
0%
13%
2%
0%
105th
9%
0%
9%
0%
0%
6%
3%
0%
106th
13%
2%
11%
0%
2%
5%
6%
0%
107th
10%
3%
7%
2%
1%
4%
3%
0%
108th
9%
0%
9%
0%
0%
7%
1%
1%
109th
14%
1%
13%
1%
0%
4%
9%
0%
110th
10%
2%
8%
1%
1%
5%
3%
0%
111th
24%
7%
17%
5%
2%
12%
4%
1%
112th
15%
3%
12%
2%
1%
10%
2%
0%
113th
17%
4%
13%
3%
1%
8%
5%
0%
114th
6%
0%
6%
0%
0%
5%
1%
0%
115th
14%
5%
9%
4%
1%
3%
6%
0%
116th
8%
1%
7%
1%
0%
4%
3%
0%
Average
12%
2%
10%
2%
1%
6%
3%
0%
Source: Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, https://bioguide.congress.gov/, and CRS calculations.
Notes: Averages are rounded to the whole number; in-term and complete-term averages may not equal the
averages of their subcategories.
The data provided in this report offer insight into the manner 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.
Author Information
Jennifer E. Manning
R. Eric Petersen
Senior Research Librarian
Specialist in American National Government
Congressional Research Service
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Leaving Congress: House of Representatives and Senate Departures Data, 1989-2020
Acknowledgments
Parker H. Reynolds, formerly a staff member at CRS, coauthored an earlier version of this report.
Disclaimer
This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan
shared staff to congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and
under the direction of Congress. Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other
than public understanding of information that has been provided by CRS to Members of Congress in
connection with CRS’s institutional role. CRS Reports, as a work of the United States Government, are not
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