By Amelia FortunatoOn Thurs., Jan. 3, the 116th Congress of the United States of America was officially sworn in. This change of representatives was brought about by Democrats taking control of the House of Representatives for the first time in eight years, according to NPR. This new Congress is also the most diverse Congress in all of history, bringing grand strides with the representation of minorities in the Government. The demographics in Congress have now completely changed. The House of Representatives, for example, now includes 102 women, which is about a third of the 332 men (House of Representatives). It also consists of 235 Democrats and only 199 Republicans, showcasing the historic 2018-2019 “blue wave,” as many Democrats have called it. The Senate, however, still has more Republicans than Democrats, although the numbers are fairly close. The Senate possesses 53 Republicans and 45 Democrats. In contrast, it holds 75 men and 25 women.
This Congress has many milestones in diversity, as stated. Included are the historic firsts of many minority members in Congress.
To demonstrate, the first ever Muslim women have been elected to Congress: Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar and Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib; the first Native American women have joined Congress: Kansas Rep. Sharice Davids and New Mexico Rep. Deb Haaland; the youngest woman ever has also been elected at only 29 years: New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez What will this diversity mean for the U.S. as a country? Although the diversity can have an emotional aspect by uplifting children in minority communities, it can also affect the U.S. politically. According to Pacific Standard, research shows that having a more diverse Government creates a more productive, bipartisan and responsive legislature. Also, by having a more diverse Congress, it is likely that these members will advocate for marginalized groups. This could make a huge difference in our country, especially at a time when minorities are in a place right now where they are often mistreated.
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Elena Caputo
Hi! My name is Elena, and I'm a senior at Wilson and one of the Editors of the Editorial section. If you have any questions or ideas or if you want to write, email me at [email protected]! Olivia MonosHello! My name is Olivia and I'm a junior this year, and one of the editors of the Editorial section! I'm really excited to write for the Paw Print again this year!
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