When the 119th Congress convenes on Friday, it will include 100 military veterans, marking the largest such caucus in eight years. Sixteen new veterans will join 84 incumbents, though this number will decrease by two as Ohio Sen. JD Vance becomes vice president and Florida Rep. Mike Waltz becomes national security adviser.
A one-person increase in veteran lawmakers is notable, occurring only four times in the last 50 years. Veterans are vital for discussions on military and veterans’ issues, despite their numbers in Congress decreasing since the 1970s due to the shift to an all-volunteer force. In 1973, one in four lawmakers were non-veterans; now, one in six are veterans.
Here’s the breakdown:
- Nine women veterans, the highest ever.
- 28 Democrats, 72 Republicans.
- Service branches: 46 Army, 25 Navy, 16 Air Force, 13 Marine Corps.
- One-third started post-2000, 21 began before 1980.
- Senate: 20 veterans, House: 80.
- Texas leads with 11 veteran members, followed by Florida (9) and California (7).
This Congress begins with more members who are military veterans than any session in the last eight years. https://t.co/73HLYx4Zvb
— Military Times (@MilitaryTimes) January 2, 2025