Length of Service in House and Senate«
Congress |
|||
1st-56th |
57th-103rd |
104th |
|
| Term | (1789-1891) |
(1891-1995) |
(1995-1997) |
House |
|||
| One (up to 2 years) | 44.0% |
23.3% |
19.5% |
| Two to six (3 to 12 years) | 53.4% |
49.7% |
48.5% |
| Seven or more (14+ years) | 2.6% |
27.0% |
32.0% |
| Mean number of terms | 2.1 |
4.8 |
5.0 |
Senate |
|||
| One (up to six years) | 65.6% |
45.6% |
28.0% |
| Two (7 to 12 years) | 23.4% |
22.4% |
27.0% |
| Three or more (18+ years) | 11.0% |
32.0% |
45.0% |
| Mean number of terms | 1.5 |
2.2 |
2.6 |
«Roger Davidson and Walter Oleszek, "The Two Congresses and
the American People," in Congress and Its Members Fifth Edition, 1996.