This Member of Congress is Almost a Centenarian

Many Americans are beginning to feel increasingly frustrated with politicians who, despite being elected to serve constituents, do not always seem to have our best interests in mind. One of the reasons why people feel this disconnect is the rising age of politicians, which people seem to feel does not allow them to truly understand what’s best for the people. However, these older individuals are elected into roles that they serve for years at a time — six year terms for the Senate and two year terms for the House of Representatives. As of February 2025, 87% of Americans supported congressional term limits — i.e., politicians can only serve for a set number of terms before someone new must be elected — and 79% support maximum age limits for elected officials. And it seems like these measures are finally being implemented. Alabama Representative Matt Woods has already signaled his support for Congressional term limits. In Indiana, calls to change congressional term limits have recently been gaining ground. While these proposals do have pushback and a fair share of criticism, enacting term limits could help American citizens regain trust in our political institutions. (These are the least popular U.S. senators.) 

Here, 24/7 Wall St. looked into the oldest members of Congress and what they have done during their tenure. Some of these members, despite their age, are recently elected; others have served for over twenty terms. To identify the oldest members of Congress, we looked at a variety of sources, from Congress reports and data in the Library of Congress to information from Legistorm and the New York Times. We listed the members of Congress in order from youngest to oldest. Any members of Congress who have retired were excluded.

This previously published article was updated on April 23, 2025 to reflect members of Congress’ terms including the most recent session, and to reinforce the interest of Americans to enact Congressional term limits. 

Why Does Congress Not Have Term Limits? 

Interestingly, while the President has had term limits since 1951, members of Congress have had no such restrictions. The goal of presidential term limits was only to stop an “elective monarchy” where a President could hold office indefinitely. 

What Would It Take to Establish Congressional Term Limits? 

The easiest method to establish congressional term limits would require changing the Constitution. This is no easy task and would begin with an approval vote from individuals who would be limited in how long they can remain in office. In 1997, the House voted on congressional term limits but fell short of the two-thirds majority vote required, while a Senate amendment never even made it to a vote. 

How Would A Law or Amendment Pass? 

The conventional path to approving an amendment that would change the Constitution and enact term limits would require two-thirds of the House and Senate to propose language to the states. Three-quarters of state assemblies would then be required to vote in favor of the proposed amendment.  A second path is for Article V of the constitutional convention to be enacted, requiring 34 states to call a convention and 38 states to ratify an amendment initiating term limits. As it stands, in 2025, this process has never happened before in U.S. history. 

What is the Likelihood A Term Limit Amendment Passes? 

One of the rare issues that both Democrat and Republican constituents agree on is that a term limit amendment will probably not be coming anytime soon. Political experts and scholars often say that term limits won’t solve the core problem most Americans have with Congress. What is that problem? That few Americans trust these elected individuals regardless of party affiliation. 

Adding to the argument is that the 16 states with term limits for state legislators have seen an opposite effect of what was intended. These limitations have forced legislators to become more concerned about winning over their party to achieve the next step in their political future rather than advocating for their constituents. Given this, the likelihood of any amendment passing soon is nearly zero. 

These are the oldest serving Congressmen and Congresswomen:

18. Chris Smith

• Current age: 72
• Date of Birth: March 4, 1953
• Serving Since: 1981
• Number of terms: 23

N.J.’s Longest Serving Congressman

Currently serving his 23rd term, Chris Smith is the longest-serving representative in New Jersey’s history. Although Smith was originally a Democrat, he switched to the Republican party in 1978 and has remained a member of the party ever since. As the dean of New Jersey’s congressional delegation, Smith has been a huge proponent of human rights abroad. He also believes in climate change and opposes offshore drilling. 

17. Jim Justice

• Current age: 73
• Date of Birth: April 27, 1951
• Serving Since: 2025
• Number of terms: 1

Newly Sworn In

James Conley Justice II, better known as Jim Justice, served as the 36th governor of West Virginia from 2017 to 2025, when he passed the torch to Patrick Morrisey. Justice, who was endorsed by Trump and espouses conservative values, was sworn into his first term in the U.S. Senate on January 13, 2025. Justice won the role against Democrat Joe Manchin. 

16. Ron Wyden

• Current age: 75
• Date of Birth: May 3, 1949
• Serving Since: 1981
• Number of terms: 13 

Supporter of Abortion

In an era when many politicians are nervous to speak out against Donald Trump, Ron Wyden stands as an exception. The Democratic Senator has stated that he would push back against Trump policies, particularly those relating to abortion, Meals on Wheels, or senior resources that would affect his constituents. Although Wyden has many Democratic-leaning qualities, he is also known for his more libertarian stance on issues like privacy rights or surveillance. 

15. Marcy Kaptur

• Current age: 78
• Date of Birth: June 17, 1946
• Serving Since: 1983
• Number of terms: 22 

Longest-Serving Woman

Kaptur, a Democrat who has been serving since 1983, is considered the longest-serving woman in Congressional history. Prior to joining the House of Representatives, Marcy Kaptur had acted as a domestic policy advisor for the Carter administration. Kaptur is a vocal proponent of gun control and also of her support for Ukraine. This year, she did show her willingness to cross the aisle when she voted with Republicans for the Laken Riley Act. 

14. Richard Durbin

• Current age: 80
• Date of Birth: November 21, 1944
• Serving Since: 1983
• Number of terms: 13 (7 in the House of Representatives, 5 in the Senate + 1 ongoing in the Senate) 

Senior Senator from Illinois

The senior Senator from Illinois, Dick Durbin, has been the Senate Democratic Whip since 2005, as well as the chair of the Subcommittee on Human Rights and Financial Services and General Government. Durbin has also strongly influenced the provision of funds to improve Illinois roads, bridges, and infrastructure. Durbin first served as a U.S. Representative after his election in 1982. He came into office in 1983 and served seven terms. Durbin was later elected to the U.S. Senate on November 5, 1996, and re-elected in 2002, 2008, 2014, and 2020. He is now serving an additional term, which will end in 2027. 

13. Jim Risch

• Current age: 81
• Date of Birth: May 3, 1943
• Serving Since: 2009
• Number of terms: 3

Junior Senator from Idaho

Jim Risch, the junior Senator from Idaho, was previously the state’s governor and was one of 22 senators who asked President Trump to withdraw the US from the Paris Agreement. Risch has been a key figure in improving cybersecurity resources for small businesses and giving these businesses access to more capital. More recently, Risch has proposed removing some of the sanctions against Syria.  

12. John Carter

• Current age: 83
• Date of Birth: November 6, 1941
• Serving Since: 2002
• Number of terms: 13

Big Texas Representative 

Representing Texas’ 31st congressional district, John Carter has been in office since 2002. Carter famously co-sponsored a bill requiring birth certificates from presidential candidates in 2009 in response to theories President Obama wasn’t a natural-born citizen.  Today, immigration is one of the top issues that Carter remains concerned about. 

11. Frederica Wilson

• Current age: 82
• Date of Birth: November 5, 1942
• Serving Since: 2011
• Number of terms: 8

Job Creator

From Florida’s 24th congressional district, she has taken a vocal stance on issues related to bullying and hazing as well as police shootings after the death of Trayvon Martin, who was a resident of her district. Wilson also introduced the American Jobs Act in 2013, which has helped strengthen the U.S. economy. 

10. Bernie Sanders

• Current age: 83
• Date of Birth: September 8, 1941
• Serving Since: 1991
• Number of terms: 13

Former Presidential Candidate

An outspoken left-wing Senator from Vermont, Bernie Sanders is the longest-serving independent in congressional history. Sanders is a strong proponent of civil rights and banking reform and opposed the Patriot Act and the War in Iraq. Sanders is known as the “amendment king” for famously adding more roll-call amendments than any other congressman since 1995. He has served eight terms in the U.S. House of Representatives and is on his fifth term in the Senate. Sanders, along with Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, has recently been traveling the country to hold anti-oligarchy rallies. 

9. Mitch McConnell

• Current age: 83
• Date of Birth: February 20, 1942
• Serving Since: 1985
• Number of terms: 7

Senate Party Leader

A seven-time U.S. Senator from Kentucky, Mitch McConnell served as the Senate Minority Leader and frequently used the filibuster to block President Obama’s initiatives. Under McConnell’s leadership, the Senate passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 and the Great American Outdoors Act. In 2025, for the 119th Congress, McConnell was replaced as Senate Minority Leader by Chuck Schumer (D-NY). 

8. Danny K. Davis

• Current age: 83
• Date of Birth: September 6, 1941
• Serving Since: 1997
• Number of terms: 15

Key Affordable Care Act Participant

From Illinois’ 7th congressional district, which represents pro-choice and single-payer healthcare platforms, Davis has also supported numerous apprenticeship programs. Davis is highly regarded for his work in stewarding the Affordable Care Act through Congress and improving child welfare funding. 

7. Nancy Pelosi

• Current age: 85
• Date of Birth: March 26, 1940
• Serving Since: 1987
• Number of terms: 20

Former Speaker of the House

The most powerful Democratic member of the House, Nancy Pelosi, has served as Speaker twice, the first woman to do so. She represents California’s 11th district. Pelosi led the passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act in 2009, which provided job and economic relief after the housing crisis. She also been involved in passing such legislation as the the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the CHIPS and Science Act, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, and the Respect for Marriage Act. Pelosi is known for her passionate disapproval of Donald Trump and contributed to his dual impeachment. 

6. James Clyburn

• Current age: 84
• Date of Birth: July 21, 1940
• Serving Since: 1993
• Number of terms: 17

Powerful House Member

James Clyburn, a representative from South Carolina’s 6th congressional district, was the third-ranking House member from 2007 until 2023. Clyburn helped develop the 10-20-30 formula for establishing federal guidelines around allocating resources to those below the poverty line. He has played an active role in the push for civil rights. More recently, in the town halls he has been hosting for constituents, Clyburn has expressed his disapproval of Trump. 

5. Steny H. Hoyer

• Current age: 85
• Date of Birth: June 14, 1939
• Serving Since: 1981
• Number of terms: 23

Previous House Majority Leader

For almost twenty years, until 2023, Steny H. Hoyer was the second-ranking Democrat in the House behind Nancy Pelosi and a two-time House majority leader. Hoyer played a major role recently in passing the Chips and Science Act and historically, in passing the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990, a landmark civil rights legislation. He also served as House Democratic Whip from 2003-2007 and 2011-2019. 

4. Maxine Waters

• Current age: 86
• Date of Birth: August 5, 1938
• Serving Since: 1991
• Number of terms: 18

Outspoken about Urban Affairs

Maxine Waters, a prominent member of the Democratic party, serves the 43rd District of California in the House. She has been outspoken about the disrepair of urban cities in the US, especially South Central Los Angeles. Waters chaired the Congressional Black Caucus from 1997 to 1998. After making a comment about Melania Trump’s immigration status, Elon Musk recently issued an ominous message to Waters — but it doesn’t seem like she’ll be backing down any time soon. 

3. Harold Rogers

• Current age: 87
• Date of Birth: December 31, 1937
• Serving Since: 1981
• Number of terms: 23

Kentucky’s Longest Serving Congressman

Hailing from Kentucky, Hal Rogers has been serving his state since 1980. In that time, he has tirelessly fought to ensure first responders in his home state have plenty of money to protect against terrorist threats. Rogers was the first to chair the subcommittee on Homeland Security, which was established after 9/11. 

2. Eleanor Holmes Norton

• Current age: 87
• Date of Birth: June 13, 1937
• Serving Since: 1991
• Number of terms: 18

A Human Rights Advocate in the District of Columbia

Serving as the congressional delegate to the U.S. House from the District of Columbia, Elanor Holmes Norton has helped provide D.C. high school graduates with funds for school and a homebuyer tax credit for D.C. residents. Norton is also a tireless campaigner to give Washington, D.C. full voting rights in Congress. Norton is known for her human rights advocacy with a focus on universal human and civil rights. 

1. Senator Charles (Chuck) E. Grassley

• Current age: 91
• Date of Birth: September 17, 1933
• Serving Since: 1975
• Number of terms: 11

Oldest Member of Congress

The current Senate President pro tempore, Chuck Grassley, has served over four decades in the Senate since 1991. Grassley represents the state of Iowa. He is currently the oldest sitting U.S. Senator and member of Congress. Grassley is also a tireless defender of whistleblower laws, which has helped recover over $28 billion in fraudulent spending. 

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