The 113th Congress is the most diverse in its history, and if recent voting patterns are a guide, it also could be among the most polarized, according to a biannual assessment of the legislative branch.
The report, called Vital Statistics on Congress, which was released on Tuesday, notes that the current Congress comprises a record number of women (96), African-Americans (42) and Hispanics (31), but remains a predominantly white, male institution.
It also argues that the divide between the parties has created an environment that does not allow Congress to operate in a routine manner, or by its own rules, according to Thomas E. Mann of the Brookings Institution, who for more than 30 years has collaborated with Norman J. Ornstein of the American Enterprise Institute to analyze Congressional data and issue the report.
“The most striking feature of the contemporary Congress is extreme partisan polarization, which has reached the level not seen in well over a century,†Mr. Mann said in a video published with the report.
In 2012, party unity votes in the House stood at 72.8 percent, up from about 54.5 percent in 2006. Roll-call votes in support of the president’s agenda by members of the opposition were below 50 percent.
In addition to voting records, the report also examined the makeup of Congress by region, party, occupation, religion, committee assignments, staff size and political stances.
Among its other findings:
- There has been a dramatic decline in the number of veterans serving in Congress over the past half-century. From the end of World War II to the close of the gulf war, the majority of members of the House and Senate had served in the military. But today, barely a fifth of the members of Congress identify as veterans.
- Before 2003, more members of the House said they worked in law than any other sector, besides the military, before winning their seats. Now more members identify as having worked in the business or banking sector, or public service or politics. In the 113th Congress, 187 members said they worked in business and banking, whereas 156 said they worked in law. Only 89 member identify as having served in the military, while 184 said they worked in public service or politics before winning their seats. In the Senate, more members identify as having worked in law than any other profession.
- Democrats have steadily increased their influence in the Northeast for the last 20 years, particularly in New England, where they hold all 21 House seats, up from approximately two-thirds of the seats in 1992. In the Senate, Democrats in the region grew, from holding 12.5 percent of the seats in 1992 to 15 percent of the seats in 2012.
- Despite a reduction in the number of competitive districts because of redistricting, $330 million more was spent on House races in 2012 than Senate races, according to data provided by the Campaign Finance Institute. In total, $923.5 million was spent on House races in 2012, up almost $400 million in 10 years and $587.5 million was spent on Senate races, a $300 million increase since 2002.
- The spending data also revealed that in the House, the average spending for a Democratic member was about $1 million and $1.3 for a Republican. In comparison, the average spending for a Democrat in the Senate was $10.8 million in 2012 and $8.4 for a Republican.
