The 117th congress brings along a change of majority control in the Senate from Republican to Democratic hands. The Democrats were able to maintain control over the House of Representatives which gives Democrats a majority in both the House and Senate.
The recent election for the 117th Congress boasts a record-breaking 144 seats held by women. In the Senate, there are 24 seats currently held by women. Not included in the count is Vice President Kamala Harris, who also serves as the president of the Senate, and Nancy Pelosi who is serving her fourth term as Speaker of the House.
A few notable female members of the Congress include:
Cynthia Lummis, a Republican Senator from Wyoming joins the Senate as the most recent addition of the 24 current female Senators. She previously held office as a Representative for Wyoming, and before that she served as a Representative, Senator, and Treasurer for the state of Wyoming.
Kyrsten Sinema, a Democratic Senator from Arizona has been in office since 2019. She is the first openly bisexual member of the Senate. She started her political career in the Arizona legislature first as a Representative then as a Senator, and in 2013 was elected as a Representative for Arizona. She is considered a moderate Democrat and supports bi-partisanship.
Susan Collins, a Republican Senator from Maine, is the longest-serving Republican woman having served four terms. She is considered a moderate Republican and has therefore exercised pivotal votes in her career. Senator Collins is also the chair of the Senate Aging Committee, which conducts research on Medicare and Social Security.
Dianne Feinstein, a Democratic Senator from California, has served as Senator since 1992 and at the ripe age of 87, she is the oldest sitting U.S. senator. She currently holds the position as chair of the Senate Narcotic Caucus which monitors and encourages international cooperation against drug trafficking.
