This is a list of Buddhist members of the United States Congress.
As of 2023, only three Buddhists have ever been elected to Congress, the first being both Mazie Hirono and Hank Johnson in 2007. One Buddhist currently serves in the House of Representatives and one Buddhist serves in the Senate.
Senate
Further information: Religious affiliation in the United States Senate| Senator | Party | State | Term | Notes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Start | End | Length of service (days) | ||||||
|
Mazie Hirono | Democratic | Hawaii | January 3, 2013 | Incumbent | 4,368 (11 years, 351 days) |
First Buddhist senator | |
House of Representatives
Further information: Religious affiliation in the United States House of Representatives| Representative | Party | District | Term | Notes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Start | End | Length of service (days) | ||||||
|
Mazie Hirono | Democratic | HI-02 | January 3, 2007 | January 3, 2013 | 2,192 (6 years, 0 days) |
One of the first two Buddhists in Congress. Retired to run successfully for U.S. Senator from Hawaii. | |
|
Hank Johnson | Democratic | GA-04 | January 3, 2007 | Incumbent | 6,560 (17 years, 351 days) |
One of the first two Buddhists in Congress | |
|
Colleen Hanabusa | Democratic | HI-01 | January 3, 2011 | January 3, 2015 | 1,461 (4 years, 0 days) |
Retired to run unsuccessfully for U.S. Senator from Hawaii. | |
| November 14, 2016 | January 3, 2019 | 779 (2 years, 50 days) |
Elected in special election to succeed Mark Takai, who died in office Retired to run unsuccessfully for governor of Hawaii | |||||
See also
- List of Hindu members of the United States Congress
- List of Jewish members of the United States Congress
- List of Mormon members of the United States Congress
- List of Muslim members of the United States Congress
- List of Quaker members of the United States Congress
- List of Asian Americans and Pacific Islands Americans in the United States Congress
References
- ^ "Buddhists Get the Vote". Manitoba Buddhist Temple. November 5, 2010. Archived from the original on July 12, 2013. Retrieved August 12, 2012.
- ^ Camire, Dennis (January 5, 2007). "What happened to ... religious tolerance". Honolulu Advertiser. Gannett Company. Retrieved August 9, 2011.
- Tilove, Jonathan. "New Congress Brings with It Religious Firsts". Newhouse News Service. Archived from the original on December 19, 2006.
- "Faith on the Hill: The Religious Composition of the 114th Congress". Pew Research Center. January 5, 2015. Retrieved September 13, 2016.
The number of Buddhists in Congress fell from three to two, as Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, D-Hawaii, lost her bid for a Senate seat.