POLITICS
Meet the 18 Lawmakers Who Have Served 40+ Years in Congress
From Robert Byrd's 51 years to Mitch McConnell's 4-decade run, meet the 18 lawmakers whose tenures would completely clash with term limits.
QuartzA new report from Quartz highlights 18 lawmakers who have spent at least 40 years serving in Congress. The list features heavyweights like Robert Byrd, who served 51 years in the Senate, John Dingell with 59 years in the House, and Mitch McConnell, who hit his 40-year milestone starting in 1985.
- Mitch McConnell has spent 40 years in Congress entirely in the Senate, starting in 1985.
- John Dingell holds a massive 59 years of service in the House of Representatives.
- Robert Byrd logged 51 years in the United States Senate alone.
- A total of 18 lawmakers have crossed the 40-year threshold in Congress.
WHY THIS MATTERSWHY THIS MATTERS: When politicians stay in office for half a century, the rules governing your economy, healthcare, and rent are shaped by people whose lived experience stopped reflecting yours during the Bush administration.