While older members of leadership in the House and the Senate are retiring, some from the Silent Generation say their seniority is still a boon for their districts.

While older members of leadership in the House and the Senate are retiring, some from the Silent Generation say their seniority is still a boon for their districts.

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, 85, is heading for the exits after nearly four decades in Congress. So is her longtime deputy, Rep. Steny Hoyer, 86, and former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, 83.

But of the two dozen members of the Silent Generation now serving in the 119th Congress, more than half (13) have decided to run again in 2026, according to an NBC News review.

In total, this Congress is the third-oldest in U.S. history, with an average age of 58.9 years at the start of this session one year ago. The median age in the U.S. is 39.1.