The Pew Forum on Religion released its latest report this morning, Faith on the Hill: The Religious Composition of the 113th Congress.

 

Next term, the U.S. will see its first Buddhist Senator, the first Hindu member of the House of Representative and the first member of Congress to describe her religion as “none." In fact, the first Hindu member of the House, Tulsi Gabbard, won the seat vacated by Rep. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), who ran and won her race for Senate and will be the aforementioned first Buddhist member of the Senate.

Catholics fared the best on November 6, picking up five new seats.

Protestants, Catholics and Jews are all overrepresented in Congress, compared to the religious makeup of U.S. adults. 56.4 percent of Congress is Protestant, as opposed to 48 percent of the U.S. population. 30.4 percent of Congress is Catholic, but Catholics only make up 22 percent of the U.S. And although Jews only make up two percent of the U.S., they are represented in Congress by three times that amount. Mormons were overrepresented, but just by 0.8 percent.

This neat graphic outlines the religious composition of the House and Senate of the upcoming 113th Congress:

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/religious-makeup-of-the-113th-congress-2012-11#ixzz2CR69FBh3