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<div class="css-17ih8de interactive-body">  <div class="birdkit-body g-bk-p_En2xqTdi4vHg g-dark-mode-compatible" data-birdkit-hydrate="ca979ca31f734133" data-preview-slug="bk-p_En2xqTdi4vHg" id="g-bk-p_En2xqTdi4vHg"> <div class="g-header-wrapper g-align-center svelte-10ngljz"><div class="g-header-container g-theme-news g-align-center g-style-bolditalic svelte-l86h6b" style="--g-header-text-wrap:balance"><header class="g-header svelte-l86h6b" style="max-width: 700px;">  <div class="g-heading-wrapper svelte-l86h6b"><h1 class="g-heading svelte-1ya5ar5">Lindsey Graham’s Death Renews Debate Over Aging Congress</h1></div>   <div class="g-byline-wrapper svelte-l86h6b"><p class="g-byline svelte-1lajuuz"><span class="g-byline-prefix">By</span> <span class="svelte-1lajuuz g-last-byline" itemprop="name"><a class="svelte-1gilwwa" href="https://www.nytimes.com/by/elena-shao">Elena Shao</a></span> </p> <span class="g-timestamp-wrapper"><time class="g-interactive-timestamp svelte-cm3h0f" datetime="2026-07-14T14:11:08-04:00">July 14, 2026</time></span></div>   <div class="g-sharetools svelte-l86h6b"><div class="g-sharetools-wrapper svelte-1llcq6u g-align-center"><span class="svelte-1llcq6u" data-disable="" data-place-component="sharetools" data-render-hash="h--b031da0" data-theme="light-filled"><div class="css-1sm67ns"><div aria-label="Social Media Share buttons, Save button, and Comments Panel with current comment count" class="css-10p500e" data-testid="share-tools" role="toolbar"><div></div><div class="interactive-sharetools css-n7z2yi" data-testid="share-tools-menu"><ul class="css-16g9egj" data-testid="share-tools-list"><li class="css-1obgmli"><div class="css-vxcmzt"><div class="css-79elbk"><button aria-expanded="false" aria-label="" class="css-1eeh360 actionbar-button" data-testid="gift-article-button" type="button"><span class="css-10d8k1f"><svg aria-hidden="true" height="19" viewbox="0 0 19 19" width="19"><path d="M18.04 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aging Congress and the systems and norms that continue to reward seniority and tenure.</p><p class="g-text g-body-text svelte-kxgec5 g-text_last">More than a third of U.S. senators are 70 or older. In the Senate and the House, that age cohort has grown markedly over the past few decades, and now makes up a quarter of membership across both chambers.</p><figure class="g-wrapper svelte-nnmo52 g-needs-margin-block" style="--g-wrapper_margin-block:20px 0px;--g-wrapper_margin-top:20px;--g-wrapper_margin-bottom:0px;--g-wrapper_hed-text-wrap:pretty"><div class="g-block g-block-margin svelte-ki8lyz g-margin-inline"><div class="g-block-width g-max-width-body svelte-ki8lyz"> <div class="g-wrapper_hed g-text-align-left svelte-ork8ht" style="--g-text-wrap:pretty;"><h3 class="g-heading svelte-ork8ht">Number of members age 70 or older at the end of each congressional cycle</h3> </div> </div></div>  <div class="g-block g-block-margin svelte-ki8lyz g-margin-inline"><div class="g-block-width g-max-width-body svelte-ki8lyz"> <div class="g-wrapper_main-content svelte-nnmo52 g-overflow-visible"> <div class="g-wrapper_main_content_slot svelte-nnmo52"><div aria-hidden="true" aria-label="Key to the information shown in graphic" class="g-key-container g-key-align- svelte-1bhjkuh" role="list"><div class="g-key-item g-key-item-swatch g-key-item-align- svelte-7rkxg5"> <div class="g-key-swatch g-label-position-right svelte-17gjv2s" role="listitem"><div class="g-square g-key-symbol svelte-17gjv2s" style="background-color: #000;"></div> <p class="svelte-17gjv2s">Both parties</p></div><div class="g-key-swatch g-label-position-right svelte-17gjv2s" role="listitem"><div class="g-square g-key-symbol svelte-17gjv2s" style="background-color: #6794ff;"></div> <p class="svelte-17gjv2s">Democrats</p></div><div class="g-key-swatch g-label-position-right svelte-17gjv2s" role="listitem"><div class="g-square g-key-symbol svelte-17gjv2s" style="background-color: #da5a65;"></div> <p class="svelte-17gjv2s">Republicans</p></div></div></div></div></div> </div></div> </figure><figure class="g-wrapper svelte-nnmo52 g-needs-margin-block" style="--g-wrapper_margin-block:20px 30px;--g-wrapper_margin-top:20px;--g-wrapper_margin-bottom:30px;--g-wrapper_hed-text-wrap:balance">  <div class="g-block g-block-margin svelte-ki8lyz g-margin-inline"><div class="g-block-width g-max-width-900 svelte-ki8lyz" style="max-width: 900px;"> <div class="g-wrapper_main-content svelte-nnmo52 g-overflow-visible"> <div class="g-wrapper_main_content_slot svelte-nnmo52"><div class="g-diptych-wrapper svelte-1kvwou"><div class="g-diptych-panel svelte-1kvwou"><h3 class="svelte-1kvwou">Senate</h3> <div class="g-time-series-chart svelte-zddjko is-mobile" style="height: 400px;"></div></div><div class="g-diptych-panel svelte-1kvwou"><h3 class="svelte-1kvwou">House</h3> <div class="g-time-series-chart svelte-zddjko is-mobile" style="height: 400px;"></div></div></div></div></div> </div></div> <div class="g-block g-block-margin svelte-ki8lyz g-margin-inline"><div class="g-block-width g-max-width-900 svelte-ki8lyz" style="max-width: 900px;"> <p class="g-wrapper_meta g-text-align-left svelte-fkyd84" style="--g-caption-display:inline;--g-caption-margin-bottom:0;">   <span class="g-credit svelte-fkyd84">The New York Times</span></p> </div></div></figure><p class="g-text g-body-text svelte-kxgec5 g-text_last">By the time the legislative body adjourns in January — assuming there are no other deaths or departures — there could be 136 members aged 70 or older. And while Congress’s makeup is in part the result of voters reelecting familiar incumbents, there have been growing calls for a new generation of leadership.</p><p class="g-text g-body-text svelte-kxgec5 g-text_last">Mr. Graham’s death underscores a tumultuous few years that have been characterized by the deaths of older members and sometimes <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/30/us/politics/mitch-mcconnell-freeze-kentucky.html">very public</a> displays of physical and mental decline that have invited heavy scrutiny of the age and fitness of congressional leadership. Last month, Senator Mitch McConnell, the 84-year-old Republican of Kentucky, was hospitalized. He <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/12/us/politics/mitch-mcconnell-fall-hospitalized-statement.html">released a statement</a> on Sunday saying that he had suffered a fall and was recovering in a rehabilitation center after having battled a mild case of pneumonia.</p><p class="g-text g-body-text svelte-kxgec5 g-text_last">Last year, three House Democrats died within a span of three months: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/05/us/politics/sylvester-turner-dead.html">Sylvester Turner of Texas</a>, who died at 70; <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/14/us/politics/raul-m-grijalva-dead.html">Raul M. Grijalva of Arizona</a>, who died at 77; and <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/21/us/politics/gerald-connolly-dead.html">Gerald E. Connolly of Virginia</a>, who died at 75. This April, David Scott, Democrat of Georgia, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/22/us/politics/david-scott-dead-georgia-congress.html">died at 80</a> after facing scrutiny within his own party for his refusal to exit politics amid a series of health problems.</p><p class="g-text g-body-text svelte-kxgec5 g-text_last">The median age in the Senate has risen over four decades, reaching its highest point of nearly 67 years old, which is above the <a href="https://crr.bc.edu/will-the-average-retirement-age-keep-rising/">typical retirement age</a> of 64 for men and 62 for women. When the current Congress adjourns in January, the median age will also be nearly 67. In the House, the median age will be 59.</p><figure class="g-wrapper svelte-nnmo52 g-needs-margin-block" style="--g-wrapper_margin-block:20px 10px;--g-wrapper_margin-top:20px;--g-wrapper_margin-bottom:10px;--g-wrapper_hed-text-wrap:pretty"><div class="g-block g-block-margin svelte-ki8lyz g-margin-inline"><div class="g-block-width g-max-width-body svelte-ki8lyz"> <div class="g-wrapper_hed g-text-align-left svelte-ork8ht" style="--g-text-wrap:pretty;"><h3 class="g-heading svelte-ork8ht">Median age of members at the end of each congressional cycle</h3> </div> </div></div>  <div class="g-block g-block-margin svelte-ki8lyz g-margin-inline"><div class="g-block-width g-max-width-body svelte-ki8lyz"> <div class="g-wrapper_main-content svelte-nnmo52 g-overflow-visible"> <div class="g-wrapper_main_content_slot svelte-nnmo52"><div aria-hidden="true" aria-label="Key to the information shown in graphic" class="g-key-container g-key-align- svelte-1bhjkuh" role="list"><div class="g-key-item g-key-item-swatch g-key-item-align- svelte-7rkxg5"> <div class="g-key-swatch g-label-position-right svelte-17gjv2s" role="listitem"><div class="g-square g-key-symbol svelte-17gjv2s" style="background-color: #000;"></div> <p class="svelte-17gjv2s">Both parties</p></div><div class="g-key-swatch g-label-position-right svelte-17gjv2s" role="listitem"><div class="g-square g-key-symbol svelte-17gjv2s" style="background-color: #6794ff;"></div> <p class="svelte-17gjv2s">Democrats</p></div><div class="g-key-swatch g-label-position-right svelte-17gjv2s" role="listitem"><div class="g-square g-key-symbol svelte-17gjv2s" style="background-color: #da5a65;"></div> <p class="svelte-17gjv2s">Republicans</p></div></div></div></div></div> </div></div> </figure><figure class="g-wrapper svelte-nnmo52 g-needs-margin-block" style="--g-wrapper_hed-text-wrap:balance">  <div class="g-block g-block-margin svelte-ki8lyz g-margin-inline"><div class="g-block-width g-max-width-900 svelte-ki8lyz" style="max-width: 900px;"> <div class="g-wrapper_main-content svelte-nnmo52 g-overflow-visible"> <div class="g-wrapper_main_content_slot svelte-nnmo52"><div class="g-diptych-wrapper svelte-1kvwou"><div class="g-diptych-panel svelte-1kvwou"><h3 class="svelte-1kvwou">Senate</h3> <div class="g-time-series-chart svelte-zddjko is-mobile" style="height: 400px;"></div></div><div class="g-diptych-panel svelte-1kvwou"><h3 class="svelte-1kvwou">House</h3> <div class="g-time-series-chart svelte-zddjko is-mobile" style="height: 400px;"></div></div></div></div></div> </div></div> <div class="g-block g-block-margin svelte-ki8lyz g-margin-inline"><div class="g-block-width g-max-width-900 svelte-ki8lyz" style="max-width: 900px;"> <p class="g-wrapper_meta g-text-align-left svelte-fkyd84" style="--g-caption-display:inline;--g-caption-margin-bottom:0;">   <span class="g-credit svelte-fkyd84">The New York Times</span></p> </div></div></figure><p class="g-text g-body-text svelte-kxgec5 g-text_last">Lawmakers under 45 used to be much better represented in Congress. At the end of the 97th Congress in 1983, when the median age was at its lowest point in at least three decades, some 30 percent of House and Senate members were younger than 45. By the end of the current congressional cycle, it will be 12 percent, with only 64 members under 45 across both chambers.</p><figure class="g-wrapper svelte-nnmo52 g-needs-margin-block" style="--g-wrapper_margin-block:20px 10px;--g-wrapper_margin-top:20px;--g-wrapper_margin-bottom:10px;--g-wrapper_hed-text-wrap:balance"><div class="g-block g-block-margin svelte-ki8lyz g-margin-inline"><div class="g-block-width g-max-width-body svelte-ki8lyz"> <div class="g-wrapper_hed g-text-align-left svelte-ork8ht" style="--g-text-wrap:balance;"><h3 class="g-heading svelte-ork8ht">Age distribution in Congress</h3> </div> </div></div>  <div class="g-block g-block-margin svelte-ki8lyz g-margin-inline"><div class="g-block-width g-max-width-body svelte-ki8lyz"> <div class="g-wrapper_main-content svelte-nnmo52 g-overflow-visible"> <div class="g-wrapper_main_content_slot svelte-nnmo52"><div aria-hidden="true" aria-label="Key to the information shown in graphic" class="g-key-container g-key-align- svelte-1bhjkuh" role="list"><div class="g-key-item g-key-item-swatch g-key-item-align- svelte-7rkxg5"> <div class="g-key-swatch g-label-position-right svelte-17gjv2s" role="listitem"><div class="g-square g-key-symbol svelte-17gjv2s" style="background-color: #f5a442;"></div> <p class="svelte-17gjv2s">Under 45 by the end of the congressional cycle</p></div><div class="g-key-swatch g-label-position-right svelte-17gjv2s" role="listitem"><div class="g-square g-key-symbol svelte-17gjv2s" style="background-color: #fade91;"></div> <p class="svelte-17gjv2s">45 and older</p></div></div></div></div></div> </div></div> </figure><figure class="g-wrapper svelte-nnmo52 g-needs-margin-block" style="--g-wrapper_hed-text-wrap:balance">  <div class="g-block g-block-margin svelte-ki8lyz g-margin-inline"><div class="g-block-width g-max-width-900 svelte-ki8lyz" style="max-width: 900px;"> <div class="g-wrapper_main-content svelte-nnmo52 g-overflow-visible"> <div class="g-wrapper_main_content_slot svelte-nnmo52"><div class="g-diptych-wrapper svelte-1kvwou"><div class="g-diptych-panel svelte-1kvwou"><h3 class="svelte-1kvwou">97th Congress (concluded in 1983)</h3> <div class="g-histogram svelte-hpiqam" style="height: 400px;"></div></div><div class="g-diptych-panel svelte-1kvwou"><h3 class="svelte-1kvwou">119th Congress (will conclude in 2027)</h3> <div class="g-histogram svelte-hpiqam" style="height: 400px;"></div></div></div></div></div> </div></div> <div class="g-block g-block-margin svelte-ki8lyz g-margin-inline"><div class="g-block-width g-max-width-900 svelte-ki8lyz" style="max-width: 900px;"> <p class="g-wrapper_meta g-text-align-left svelte-fkyd84" style="--g-caption-display:inline;--g-caption-margin-bottom:0;">   <span class="g-credit svelte-fkyd84">The New York Times</span></p> </div></div></figure><p class="g-text g-body-text svelte-kxgec5 g-text_last">The Senate’s oldest member is Charles E. Grassley, Republican of Iowa, who at 92 is third in line to the presidency and leads the powerful Judiciary Committee.</p><figure class="g-wrapper svelte-nnmo52" style="--g-wrapper_hed-text-wrap:balance">  <div class="g-block g-block-margin svelte-ki8lyz g-margin-inline"><div class="g-block-width g-max-width-body svelte-ki8lyz"> <div class="g-wrapper_main-content svelte-nnmo52 g-overflow-visible"> <div class="g-wrapper_main_content_slot svelte-nnmo52"><div class="g-methodology svelte-1fho0c5"><svelte-css-wrapper style="display: contents; --g-text_font-weight: 700;"><p class="g-text svelte-kxgec5 g-text_last">Methodology</p></svelte-css-wrapper> <p class="g-text svelte-kxgec5">Data on legislators’ terms and their birth dates was compiled by the <a href="https://github.com/unitedstates/congress-legislators">@unitedstates project on GitHub</a>. Data and analysis is as of July 13, 2026.</p><p class="g-text svelte-kxgec5">The ages of Congress members were calculated based on the day that a particular congressional cycle concluded, typically in early January of odd-numbered years. Only members who were serving terms on the last day were included in the analysis. For the 119th Congress, members who died or resigned mid-cycle were excluded, and the current active roster is used as a proxy for the final adjournment state.</p><p class="g-text svelte-kxgec5 g-text_last">Minor party members were included in party totals based on the party they caucused with. If no information on a caucus was available, those members were excluded from the party-level analysis but still included in the totals.</p></div></div></div> </div></div> </figure>  <cript type="text/javascript"> { __sveltekit_25x8hf = { base: new URL(".", location).pathname.slice(0, -1) }; const element = document.currentScript.parentElement.dataset.birdkitHydrate ? document.currentScript.parentElement : document.querySelector('[data-birdkit-hydrate="ca979ca31f734133"]'); Promise.all([ import("https://static01.nytimes.com/newsgraphics/p_En2xqTdi4vHg/_app.H3d7GetSIGQG6iOa8Ra0dnjYvJcEaVWzjkLT6GPAz1c/immutable/entry/start.Doyq9Obr.js"), import("https://static01.nytimes.com/newsgraphics/p_En2xqTdi4vHg/_app.H3d7GetSIGQG6iOa8Ra0dnjYvJcEaVWzjkLT6GPAz1c/immutable/entry/app.Dv5rj8df.js") ]).then(([kit, app]) => { kit.start(app, element, { node_ids: [0, 2], data: [null,{type:"data",data:{body:[{type:"header",value:{sharetools:{show:true,theme:"light-filled",position:"belowByline"},style:"bolditalic",align:"center",textWrap:"balance",maxWidth:"700",headline:"Lindsey Graham’s Death Renews Debate Over Aging Congress",leadin:"",bylines:[{prefix:"By",creatorSnapshots:[{displayName:"Elena Shao",bioUrl:"https://www.nytimes.com/by/elena-shao",slug:"elena-shao"}]}],slugs:["by/elena-shao"],firstPublished:"July 14, 2026",firstPublishedTimestamp:"2026-07-14T14:11:08-04:00",lastModified:"July 14, 2026",lastModifiedTimestamp:"2026-07-14T16:19:05-04:00",updatedText:"",language:"en",translations:[],hideBylineAndTimestamp:void 0,transparentMasthead:false}},{type:"text",value:"The \u003Ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/12/us/politics/lindsey-graham-dead.html\">sudden death\u003C/a> of Senator Lindsey Graham, the 71-year-old Republican of South Carolina, has renewed criticism of an increasingly aging Congress and the systems and norms that continue to reward seniority and tenure."},{type:"text",value:"More than a third of U.S. senators are 70 or older. In the Senate and the House, that age cohort has grown markedly over the past few decades, and now makes up a quarter of membership across both chambers."},{type:"key",value:{hed:"Number of members age 70 or older at the end of each congressional cycle",textWrap:"pretty",leadin:"",align:"",marginBlock:"20px 0px",items:[{type:"swatch",labels:"Both parties, Democrats, Republicans",fills:"#000, #6794ff, #da5a65",symbols:"square, square, square"}]}},{type:"svelte",value:{component:"DiptychWrapper",maxWidth:"900",marginInline:true,marginBlock:"20px 30px",credit:"The New York Times",items:[{chartHed:"Senate",chamber:"senate",metric:"over_70_at_end",showBothParties:true,endLabel:"both",chartHeight:"400",yTickLabel:"members",yAxisTickInterval:"5",yAxisBounds:"0, 40",xTickLabel:"",xAxisTickInterval:"10",xAxisBounds:"82, 119"},{chartHed:"House",chamber:"house",metric:"over_70_at_end",showBothParties:true,endLabel:"both",chartHeight:"400",yTickLabel:"members",yAxisTickInterval:"10",yAxisBounds:"0, 100",xTickLabel:"",xAxisTickInterval:"10",xAxisBounds:"82, 119"}]}},{type:"text",value:"By the time the legislative body adjourns in January — assuming there are no other deaths or departures — there could be 136 members aged 70 or older. And while Congress’s makeup is in part the result of voters reelecting familiar incumbents, there have been growing calls for a new generation of leadership."},{type:"text",value:"Mr. Graham’s death underscores a tumultuous few years that have been characterized by the deaths of older members and sometimes \u003Ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/30/us/politics/mitch-mcconnell-freeze-kentucky.html\">very public\u003C/a> displays of physical and mental decline that have invited heavy scrutiny of the age and fitness of congressional leadership. Last month, Senator Mitch McConnell, the 84-year-old Republican of Kentucky, was hospitalized. He \u003Ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/12/us/politics/mitch-mcconnell-fall-hospitalized-statement.html\">released a statement\u003C/a> on Sunday saying that he had suffered a fall and was recovering in a rehabilitation center after having battled a mild case of pneumonia."},{type:"text",value:"Last year, three House Democrats died within a span of three months: \u003Ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/05/us/politics/sylvester-turner-dead.html\">Sylvester Turner of Texas\u003C/a>, who died at 70; \u003Ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/14/us/politics/raul-m-grijalva-dead.html\">Raul M. Grijalva of Arizona\u003C/a>, who died at 77; and \u003Ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/21/us/politics/gerald-connolly-dead.html\">Gerald E. Connolly of Virginia\u003C/a>, who died at 75. This April, David Scott, Democrat of Georgia, \u003Ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/22/us/politics/david-scott-dead-georgia-congress.html\">died at 80\u003C/a> after facing scrutiny within his own party for his refusal to exit politics amid a series of health problems."},{type:"text",value:"The median age in the Senate has risen over four decades, reaching its highest point of nearly 67 years old, which is above the \u003Ca href=\"https://crr.bc.edu/will-the-average-retirement-age-keep-rising/\">typical retirement age\u003C/a> of 64 for men and 62 for women. When the current Congress adjourns in January, the median age will also be nearly 67. In the House, the median age will be 59."},{type:"key",value:{hed:"Median age of members at the end of each congressional cycle",textWrap:"pretty",leadin:"",align:"",marginBlock:"20px 10px",items:[{type:"swatch",labels:"Both parties, Democrats, Republicans",fills:"#000, #6794ff, #da5a65",symbols:"square, square, square"}]}},{type:"svelte",value:{component:"DiptychWrapper",maxWidth:"900",marginInline:true,marginBlock:true,credit:"The New York Times",items:[{chartHed:"Senate",chamber:"senate",metric:"median_at_end",showBothParties:true,endLabel:"both",chartHeight:"400",yTickLabel:"years old",yAxisTickInterval:"5",yAxisBounds:"45, 70",xTickLabel:"",xAxisTickInterval:"10",xAxisBounds:"82, 119"},{chartHed:"House",chamber:"house",metric:"median_at_end",showBothParties:true,endLabel:"both",chartHeight:"400",yTickLabel:"years old",yAxisTickInterval:"5",yAxisBounds:"45, 70",xTickLabel:"",xAxisTickInterval:"10",xAxisBounds:"82, 119"}]}},{type:"text",value:"Lawmakers under 45 used to be much better represented in Congress. At the end of the 97th Congress in 1983, when the median age was at its lowest point in at least three decades, some 30 percent of House and Senate members were younger than 45. By the end of the current congressional cycle, it will be 12 percent, with only 64 members under 45 across both chambers."},{type:"key",value:{hed:"Age distribution in Congress",align:"",marginBlock:"20px 10px",items:[{type:"swatch",labels:"Under 45 by the end of the congressional cycle, 45 and older",fills:"#f5a442, #fade91",symbols:"square, square, square"}]}},{type:"svelte",value:{component:"DiptychWrapper",maxWidth:"900",marginInline:true,marginBlock:true,chartStyle:"histogram_static",credit:"The New York Times",items:[{chartHed:"97th Congress (concluded in 1983)",chamber:"both",metric:"num_in_97_at_end",chartHeight:"400",highlightRange:"25, 45",yTickLabel:"members",yAxisTickInterval:"20",yAxisBounds:"0, 100",xTickLabel:"",xAxisTickInterval:"10",xAxisBins:"5",xAxisBounds:"25, 95"},{chartHed:"119th Congress (will conclude in 2027)",chamber:"both",metric:"num_in_119_at_end",chartHeight:"400",highlightRange:"25, 45",yTickLabel:"members",yAxisTickInterval:"20",yAxisBounds:"0, 95",xTickLabel:"",xAxisTickInterval:"10",xAxisBins:"5",xAxisBounds:"25, 95"}]}},{type:"text",value:"The Senate’s oldest member is Charles E. Grassley, Republican of Iowa, who at 92 is third in line to the presidency and leads the powerful Judiciary Committee."},{type:"methodology",value:{hed:"Methodology",text:[{type:"text",value:"Data on legislators’ terms and their birth dates was compiled by the \u003Ca href=\"https://github.com/unitedstates/congress-legislators\">@unitedstates project on GitHub\u003C/a>. Data and analysis is as of July 13, 2026."},{type:"text",value:"The ages of Congress members were calculated based on the day that a particular congressional cycle concluded, typically in early January of odd-numbered years. Only members who were serving terms on the last day were included in the analysis. For the 119th Congress, members who died or resigned mid-cycle were excluded, and the current active roster is used as a proxy for the final adjournment state."},{type:"text",value:"Minor party members were included in party totals based on the party they caucused with. If no information on a caucus was available, those members were excluded from the party-level analysis but still included in the totals."}]}}],theme:"news",sheets:{}},uses:{url:1}}], form: null, error: null, params: {}, route: {"id":"/index"} }); }); } </script> </div> <template class="hydration-helper" data-component="sharetools" data-render-hash="h--b031da0"><div class="css-1sm67ns"><div aria-label="Social Media Share buttons, Save button, and Comments Panel with current comment count" class="css-10p500e" data-testid="share-tools" role="toolbar"><div></div><div class="interactive-sharetools css-n7z2yi" data-testid="share-tools-menu"><ul class="css-16g9egj" data-testid="share-tools-list"><li class="css-1obgmli"><div class="css-vxcmzt"><div class="css-79elbk"><button aria-expanded="false" aria-label="" class="css-1eeh360 actionbar-button" data-testid="gift-article-button" type="button"><span class="css-10d8k1f"><svg aria-hidden="true" height="19" viewbox="0 0 19 19" width="19"><path d="M18.04 5.293h-2.725c.286-.34.493-.74.606-1.17a2.875 2.875 0 0 0-.333-2.322A2.906 2.906 0 0 0 13.64.48a3.31 3.31 0 0 0-2.372.464 3.775 3.775 0 0 0-1.534 2.483l-.141.797-.142-.847A3.745 3.745 0 0 0 7.927.923 3.31 3.31 0 0 0 5.555.459 2.907 2.907 0 0 0 3.607 1.78a2.877 2.877 0 0 0-.333 2.321c.117.429.324.828.606 1.171H1.155a.767.767 0 0 0-.757.757v3.674a.767.767 0 0 0 .757.757h.424v7.53A1.01 1.01 0 0 0 2.588 19h14.13a1.01 1.01 0 0 0 1.01-.959v-7.56h.424a.758.758 0 0 0 .757-.757V6.05a.759.759 0 0 0-.868-.757Zm-7.196-1.625a2.665 2.665 0 0 1 1.01-1.736 2.24 2.24 0 0 1 1.574-.313 1.817 1.817 0 0 1 1.211.818 1.857 1.857 0 0 1 .202 1.453 2.2 2.2 0 0 1-.838 1.191h-3.431l.272-1.413ZM4.576 2.386a1.837 1.837 0 0 1 1.221-.817 2.23 2.23 0 0 1 1.565.313 2.624 2.624 0 0 1 1.01 1.736l.242 1.453H5.182a2.2 2.2 0 0 1-.838-1.19 1.857 1.857 0 0 1 .202-1.495h.03ZM1.548 6.424h7.54V9.39h-7.58l.04-2.967Zm1.181 4.128h6.359v7.287H2.729v-7.287Zm13.777 7.287h-6.348v-7.307h6.348v7.307Zm1.181-8.468h-7.53V6.404h7.53V9.37Z" fill="#121212" fill-rule="nonzero"></path></svg>Share full article</span></button></div></div></li><li class="css-19yhb3c"><div class="css-vxcmzt"><div class="css-79elbk"><button aria-expanded="false" aria-label="More sharing options ..." class="css-1nurhyi actionbar-button" type="button"><svg aria-hidden="true" class="css-1gj6bx9" height="18" viewbox="0 0 23 18" width="23"><path d="M1.357 17.192a.663.663 0 0 1-.642-.81c1.82-7.955 6.197-12.068 12.331-11.68V1.127a.779.779 0 0 1 .42-.653.726.726 0 0 1 .78.106l8.195 6.986a.81.81 0 0 1 .253.557.82.82 0 0 1-.263.547l-8.196 6.955a.83.83 0 0 1-.779.105.747.747 0 0 1-.42-.663V11.29c-8.418-.905-10.974 5.177-11.08 5.45a.662.662 0 0 1-.6.453Zm10.048-7.26a16.37 16.37 0 0 1 2.314.158.81.81 0 0 1 .642.726v3.02l6.702-5.682-6.702-5.692v2.883a.767.767 0 0 1-.242.536.747.747 0 0 1-.547.18c-4.808-.537-8.364 1.85-10.448 6.922a11.679 11.679 0 0 1 8.28-3.093v.042Z" fill="#000" fill-rule="nonzero"></path></svg></button></div></div></li><li class="css-19yhb3c save-button"><button aria-busy="false" aria-checked="false" aria-label="Save article for reading later..." aria-live="polite" class="css-w9tuw0 actionbar-button" data-testid="save-article-button" disabled="" role="switch" type="button"><svg class="css-111qyxx" height="18" viewbox="0 0 12 18" width="12"><g fill-rule="nonzero"><path class="saved-fill" d="M1.157 1.268v14.288l4.96-3.813 4.753 3.843V1.268z"></path><path class="saved-stroke" d="m12 18-5.9-4.756L0 17.98V1.014C0 .745.095.487.265.297.435.107.664 0 .904 0h10.192c.24 0 .47.107.64.297.169.19.264.448.264.717V18ZM1.157 1.268v14.288l4.96-3.813 4.753 3.843V1.268H1.158Z"></path></g></svg></button></li></ul></div></div></div></template></div>

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