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Daily Archives: April 11, 2015

Membership of the 114th Congress: A Profile

Membership of the 114th Congress: A Profile. Jennifer E. Manning, Information Research Specialist. March 31, 2015

“This report presents a profile of the membership of the 114th Congress (2015-2016). Statistical information is included on selected characteristics of Members, including data on party affiliation, average age, occupation, education, length of congressional service, religious affiliation, gender, ethnicity, foreign births, and military service. As of March 31, 2015, in the House of Representatives, there are 245 Republicans (including one Delegate), 193 Democrats (including four Delegates and the Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico), and three vacancies. The Senate has 54 Republicans, 44 Democrats, and two Independents, who both caucus with the Democrats. The average age of Members of the House at the beginning of the 114th Congress was 57.0 years; of Senators, 61.0 years. The overwhelming majority of Members of Congress have a college education. The dominant professions of Members are public service/politics, business, and law. Most Members identify as Christians, and Protestants collectively constitute the majority religious affiliation. Roman Catholics account for the largest single religious denomination, and numerous other affiliations are represented. The average length of service for Representatives at the beginning of the 114th Congress was 8.8 years (4.4 terms); for Senators, 9.7 years (1.6 terms). One hundred eight women (a record number) serve in the 114th Congress: 88 in the House, including four Delegates, and 20 in the Senate. There are 46 African American Members of the House and two in the Senate. This House number includes two Delegates. There are 38 Hispanic or Latino Members (a record number) serving: 34 in the House, including one Delegate and the Resident Commissioner, and four in the Senate. A record 14 Members (11 Representatives, two Delegates, and one Senator) are Asian Americans or Pacific Islanders. Two American Indians (Native Americans) serve in the House.”

Cambridge Yearbook of European Legal Studies Now Online

“The Cambridge Yearbook of European Legal Studies is CELS’ flagship publication. It provides a forum for the scrutiny of significant issues in European Union Law, the Law of the Council of Europe, and Comparative Law with a “European” dimension, and particularly those which have come to the fore during the year preceding publication. The contributions… Continue Reading

Enrollment in Private Health Insurance Exchanges Doubled

“A new report by Accenture estimates 6 million people enrolled in private health insurance exchanges for their 2015 employer benefits. These findings show private health insurance exchanges – an online marketplace for people to choose their employer-sponsored benefits – doubled enrollment this year, up from 3 million in 2014. Accenture’s findings show midsize employers, defined… Continue Reading

The Emerging Interactionist Paradigm and the Ideals of Democracy and Rule of Law

van der Burg, Wibren, The Emerging Interactionist Paradigm and the Ideals of Democracy and Rule of Law (April 4, 2015). Erasmus Working Paper Series on Jurisprudence and Socio-Legal Studies No. 15-01. Available for download at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2589808 “In this chapter, I present the theory of interactive legislation in the context of a broader interactionist paradigm.… Continue Reading

Federal Justice Statistics, 2011–12

“Describes the annual activity, workloads, and outcomes associated with the federal criminal justice system from arrest to imprisonment, using data from the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys (EOUSA), Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts (AOUSC), and Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP). Tables and text describe arrests and… Continue Reading

Transportation Statistics Annual Report

“The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) today released the Transportation Statistics Annual Report (TSAR). The 18th edition of this congressionally mandated report presents key transportation indicators along with an overview of the transportation system.  It also includes data and statistics on passenger travel, freight movement, transportation and the economy, system reliability,… Continue Reading

California Plan to Expand Drinking Water Diminished by Drought – Reverse Osmosis

For Water, California Warily Looks to Sea – by Justin Gillis “…Now, for the first time, a major California metropolis is on the verge of turning the Pacific Ocean into an everyday source of drinking water. A $1 billion desalination plant to supply booming San Diego County is under construction here and due to open… Continue Reading