Not Your Father's (Or Mother's) Congress

Despite what has been called a status quo election, life is far from static on Capitol Hill. The 113th Congress will bring with it generational and some historic changes, including the first all-female delegation for a state (New Hampshire), and the fewest number of military veterans in the Senate and House since World War II.

And, as The New York Times notes, "The makeup of Congress has not been this volatile in 20 years, a result of shifting political tides and redistricting. The number of House seats that changed hands in 2010 and this year — 96 and 84, respectively — is the highest since the early 1990s, a period of turnover not seen in nearly half a century."

Some incoming lawmakers have previous federal electoral experience. But others are brand new to the fray of Capitol Hill.

Copyright 2012 National Public Radio. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.