List_of_Arab_and_Middle_Eastern_Americans_in_the_United_States_Congress

List of Arab and Middle Eastern Americans in the United States Congress

List of Arab and Middle Eastern Americans in the United States Congress

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This article is a list of all Arab Americans and Middle Eastern Americans who have ever served in the United States Congress. This list includes North Africans in the United States who identify as Arabs as well as Middle Eastern Americans who are not Arabs.

The first Arab American to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives was George A. Kasem in 1959, and the first Arab-American U.S. senator was James Abourezk in 1973. In the 115th Congress, there were six U.S. representatives and no U.S. senators of Arab-American descent serving in Congress.[1][2] On November 6, 2018, four additional Arab Americans, all of whom are female, were elected to the U.S. House of Representatives: Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, Ilhan Omar, Donna Shalala and Rashida Tlaib. Tlaib and Omar were also the first Muslim women in Congress.[3] The U.S. House of Representatives currently has five Arab-American members.

The first Assyrian American to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives was Adam Benjamin in 1977,[4] and the first Iranian-American U.S. Representative was Stephanie Bice in 2021.[5] There currently are one Assyrian-American and one Iranian-American U.S. Representative serving in Congress.

Senate

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House of Representatives

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References

Notes
  1. [N 1]
    Although Somalis are not considered ethnically Arab, Somalia is considered to be part of the Arab World, being part of the Arab League, and Omar is listed in the Arab American Institute's list of officeholders.[13] She is also listed at List of African-American United States representatives.
References
  1. [1]
    "Meet Arab American Members in 115th Congress - Arab American Institute". www.aaiusa.org.
  2. [2]
    "Arab American Members of Congress - Arab American Leadership Council Political Action Committee". www.aaleadershipcouncil.org.
  3. [3]
    Boorstein, Michelle. "The nation's first two Muslim congresswomen are sworn in, surrounded by the women they inspired". Washington Post. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
  4. [4]
    "Assyrians in Middle America A Historical and Demographic Study of the Chicago Assyrian Community" (PDF). jaas.org. Retrieved December 14, 2012.
  5. [5]
    Firozi, Paulina. "House GOP chipped away at Democratic majority. They can thank female candidates" – via www.washingtonpost.com.
  6. [6]
    Hall, Loretta (1999). "James Abourezk". Arab American biography. Vol. I: A-J. Detroit: U.X.L. pp. 18–25. ISBN 978-0-7876-2953-3.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  7. [7]
    Hall, Loretta (1999). "George John Mitchell". Arab American biography. Vol. II: K-Z. Detroit: U.X.L. pp. 311–316. ISBN 978-0-7876-2953-3.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  8. [8]
    Schudel, Matt (May 16, 2012). "James Abdnor, GOP congressman and senator from South Dakota, dies at 89". The Washington Post.
  9. [9]
    Hall, Loretta (1999). "Spencer Abraham". Arab American biography. Vol. I: A-J. Detroit: U.X.L. pp. 33–38. ISBN 978-0-7876-2953-3.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  10. [10]
    "Bioguide Search". bioguide.congress.gov. Retrieved 2022-02-17.
  11. [11]
    Cromwell, Sharon (2008). Arab Americans. Florida: Rourke Publishing. p. 37. ISBN 978-1-60472-751-7.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  12. [12]
    "John E. Sununu". www.congress.gov. Retrieved 2022-02-17.
  13. [13]
    "Arab American Roster". Arab American Institute. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
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