list of United States Congressmen by longevity of service

This is a list of United States Congressmen by longevity of service. It is meant to only cover those congressmen who have set records for longevity of service (over 36 years). It is divided up into several categories.

Key:
+ = Currently Serving
H = Served in House (only shown for House and Senate combined categories)
S = Served in Senate (only shown for House and Senate combined categories)
I = interruptions in service (only shown for total tenure categories)

The lengths of time given on this list are current as of April, 2007.

Uninterrupted Congressional Service (House and Senate)

1. Carl T. Hayden (H,S) — 57 Years
2. Robert Byrd (H,S) — +54 Years, 3 Months
3. Jamie L. Whitten (H) — 53 Years, 2 Months
4. John Dingell (H) — +51 Years, 4 Months
5. Carl Vinson (H) — 50 Years, 2 Months
6. Emanuel Celler (H) — 49 Years, 10 Months
7. Sam Rayburn (H) — 47 Years, 8 Months, 12 Days
8. Daniel Inouye (H,S) — +47 Years, 7 Months
9. Wright Patman (H) — 47 Years, 3 Days
10. Strom Thurmond (S) — 46 Years, 1 Month, 27 Days
11. Adolph J. Sabath (H) — 45 Years, 8 months, 2 Days
12. Ted Kennedy (S) — +44 Years, 5 Months
13. Warren G. Magnuson (H,S) — 44 Years, 0 Months
14. George H. Mahon (H) — 44 Years, 0 Months
15. Justin Smith Morrill (H,S) — 43 Years
16. Henry M. Jackson (H,S) 42 Years, 7 Months, 29 Days
17. John Conyers (H) — +42 Years
18. Jack Brooks (H) - 42 Years
19. William R. Poage (H) — 42 Years
20. John C. Stennis (S) — 41 Years, 10 Months, 17 Days
21. Kenneth McKellar (H,S) — 41 Years, 29 Days
22. William P. Frye (H,S) — 40 Years, 5 Months, 4 Days
23. Leslie C. Arends (H) — 38 Years, 11 Months, 28 Days
24. Ted Stevens (S) — +38 Years, 3 Months
25. Russell B. Long (S) — 38 Years, 2 Months, 1 Day
26. Ernest Hollings (S) — 38 Years, 1 Month, 25 Days
27. Dave Obey (H) — +38 Years, 0 Months, 10 Days
28. Richard Russell, Jr. (S) — 38 Years, 9 Days
29. Henry Cabot Lodge (H,S) — 37 Years, 8 Months, 4 Days
30. Charles B. Rangel (H) — +36 Years
31. Claiborne Pell (S) — 36 Years
32. Felix Edward Hébert (H) — 36 Years

Total Tenure of Congressional Service (House and Senate)

1. Carl T. Hayden (H,S) — 57 Years
2. Robert Byrd (H,S) — +54 Years, 3 Months
3. Jamie L. Whitten (H) — 53 Years, 2 Months
4. John Dingell (H) — +51 Years, 4 Months
5. Carl Vinson (H) — 50 Years, 2 Months
6. Emanuel Celler (H) — 49 Years, 10 Months
7. Sam Rayburn (H) 47 Years, 8 Months, 12 Days
8. Daniel Inouye (H,S) — +47 Yers, 7 Months
9. Strom Thurmond (S,I) — 47 Years, 5 Months, 7 Days
10. Wright Patman (H) — 47 Years, 3 Days
11. Adolph J. Sabath (H) — 45 Years, 8 months, 2 Days
12. Ted Kennedy (S) — +44 Years, 5 Months
13. Warren G. Magnuson (H,S) — 44 Years, 0 Months
14. George H. Mahon (H) — 44 Years, 0 Months
15. Justin Smith Morrill (H,S) — 43 Years
16. Henry M. Jackson (H,S) 42 Years, 7 Months, 29 Days
17. John Conyers (H) — +42 Years
18. Jack Brooks (H) - 42 Years
19. William R. Poage (H) — 42 Years
20. John C. Stennis (S) — 41 Years, 10 Months, 17 Days
21. Kenneth McKellar (H,S) — 41 Years, 29 Days
22. William P. Frye (H,S) — 40 Years, 5 Months, 4 Days
23. Jennings Randolph (H,S,I) — 40 Years, 8 Months, 27 Days
24. Claude Pepper (H,S,I) — 40 Years, 6 Months, 26 Days
25. Leslie C. Arends (H) — 38 Years, 11 Months, 28 Days
26. Ted Stevens (S) — +38 Years, 3 Months
27. Russell B. Long (S) — 38 Years, 2 Months, 1 Day
28. Ernest Hollings (S) — 38 Years, 1 Month, 25 Days
29. Dave Obey (H) — +38 Years, 0 Months, 10 Days
30. Richard Russell, Jr. (S) — 38 Years, 9 Days
31. Henry Cabot Lodge (H,S) — 37 Years, 8 Months, 4 Days
32. Francis E. Warren (S,I) — 37 Years, 5 Days
33. James Eastland (S,I) 36 Years, 2 Months, 22 Days
34. Charles B. Rangel (H) — +36 Years
35. Claiborne Pell (S) — 36 Years
36. Felix Edward Hébert (H) — 36 Years

Uninterrupted Congressional Service (Senate only)

1. Robert Byrd — +48 Years, 3 Months, 10 Days
2. Strom Thurmond — 46 Years, 1 Month, 27 Days
3. Ted Kennedy — +44 Years, 5 Months, 4 Days
4. Daniel Inouye — +44 Yers, 3 Months, 1 Day
5. Carl T. Hayden — 42 Years
6. John C. Stennis — 41 Years, 10 Months, 17 Days
7. Ted Stevens — +38 Years, 3 Months
8. Russell B. Long — 38 Years, 2 Months, 1 Day
9. Ernest Hollings — 38 Years, 1 Month, 25 Days
10. Richard Russell, Jr. — 38 Years, 9 Days
11. Claiborne Pell — 36 Years

Total Tenure of Congressional Service (Senate only)

1. Robert Byrd — +48 Years, 3 Months, 10 Days
2. Strom Thurmond(I) — 47 Years, 5 Months, 7 Days
3. Ted Kennedy — +44 Years, 5 Months, 4 Days
4. Daniel Inouye — +44 Yers, 3 Months, 1 Day
5. Carl T. Hayden — 42 Years
6. John C. Stennis — 41 Years, 10 Months, 17 Days
7. Ernest Hollings — 38 Years, 1 Month, 25 Days
8. Ted Stevens — +38 Years, 3 Months
9. Russell B. Long — 38 Years, 2 Months, 1 Day
10. Richard Russell, Jr. — 38 Years, 9 Days
11. Francis E. Warren(I) — 37 Years, 5 Days
12. James Eastland{I) 36 Years, 2 Months, 22 Days
13. Claiborne Pell — 36 Years

Uninterrupted Congressional Service (House only)

1. Jamie L. Whitten — 53 Years, 2 Months
2. John Dingell — +51 Years, 4 Months
3. Carl Vinson — 50 Years, 2 Months
4. Emanuel Celler — 49 Years, 10 Months
5. Sam Rayburn 47 Years, 8 Months, 12 Days
6. Wright Patman — 47 Years, 3 Days
7. Adolph J. Sabath (H) — 45 Years, 8 months, 2 Days
8. George H. Mahon — 44 Years, 0 Months
9. John Conyers — +42 Years
10. Jack Brooks - 42 Years
11. William R. Poage — 42 Years
12. Dave Obey — +38 Years, 0 Months, 10 Days
13. Charles B. Rangel — +36 Years
14. Felix Edward Hébert — 36 Years

Total Tenure of Congressional Service (House only)

See also

• Dean of the United States House of Representatives
• Dean of the United States Senate
• Earliest living United States senator

References

• Members Who Have Served in the U.S. Congress 30 Years or More

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