<P> The 90th Congress was notable because for a period of 10 days (December 24, 1968--January 3, 1969), it contained within its Senate all 10 of the longest - serving senators in history until January 7, 2013, when Patrick Leahy surpassed Russell B. Long as the 10th longest - serving senator in history . This period stretched from the installation of Ted Stevens of Alaska after his appointment to fill a vacancy to the retirement of Carl Hayden of Arizona early the next year . </P> <P> The 96th Congress and 97th Congress were the periods in which most people from this list were serving together (all but Hayden, Russell Jr., Warren, Eastland, and Grassley in the former and all but Hayden, Russell Jr., Warren, Eastland, and Magnuson in the latter). </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th> Total tenure rank </Th> <Th> Uninterrupted tenure rank </Th> <Th> Name </Th> <Th> State represented </Th> <Th> Dates of service </Th> <Th> Total tenure </Th> <Th> Uninterrupted tenure </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Robert Byrd </Td> <Td> West Virginia </Td> <Td> January 3, 1959--June 28, 2010 </Td> <Td> 51 years, 176 days </Td> <Td> 51 years, 176 days </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Daniel Inouye </Td> <Td> Hawaii </Td> <Td> January 3, 1963--December 17, 2012 </Td> <Td> 49 years, 349 days </Td> <Td> 49 years, 349 days </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Strom Thurmond (I) </Td> <Td> South Carolina </Td> <Td> December 24, 1954--April 7, 1956 November 7, 1956--January 3, 2003 </Td> <Td> 47 years, 159 days </Td> <Td> 46 years, 57 days </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Ted Kennedy </Td> <Td> Massachusetts </Td> <Td> November 7, 1962--August 25, 2009 </Td> <Td> 46 years, 292 days </Td> <Td> 46 years, 292 days </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 5 </Td> <Td> 5 </Td> <Td> Patrick Leahy </Td> <Td> Vermont </Td> <Td> Since January 3, 1975 </Td> <Td> 7004158510000000000 ♠ 43 years, 145 days </Td> <Td> 7004158510000000000 ♠ 43 years, 145 days </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 6 </Td> <Td> 6 </Td> <Td> Carl Hayden </Td> <Td> Arizona </Td> <Td> March 4, 1927--January 3, 1969 </Td> <Td> 41 years, 305 days </Td> <Td> 41 years, 305 days </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 7 </Td> <Td> 7 </Td> <Td> Orrin Hatch </Td> <Td> Utah </Td> <Td> Since January 3, 1977 </Td> <Td> 7004151200000000000 ♠ 41 years, 145 days </Td> <Td> 7004151200000000000 ♠ 41 years, 145 days </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 8 </Td> <Td> 8 </Td> <Td> John C. Stennis </Td> <Td> Mississippi </Td> <Td> November 7, 1947--January 3, 1989 </Td> <Td> 41 years, 59 days </Td> <Td> 41 years, 59 days </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 9 </Td> <Td> 9 </Td> <Td> Ted Stevens </Td> <Td> Alaska </Td> <Td> December 24, 1968--January 3, 2009 </Td> <Td> 40 years, 10 days </Td> <Td> 40 years, 10 days </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 10 </Td> <Td> 10 </Td> <Td> Thad Cochran </Td> <Td> Mississippi </Td> <Td> December 27, 1978--April 1, 2018 </Td> <Td> 39 years, 94 days </Td> <Td> 39 years, 94 days </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 11 </Td> <Td> 11 </Td> <Td> Ernest Hollings </Td> <Td> South Carolina </Td> <Td> November 8, 1966--January 3, 2005 </Td> <Td> 38 years, 55 days </Td> <Td> 38 years, 55 days </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 12 </Td> <Td> 12 </Td> <Td> Richard Russell Jr . </Td> <Td> Georgia </Td> <Td> January 12, 1933--January 21, 1971 </Td> <Td> 38 years, 9 days </Td> <Td> 38 years, 9 days </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 13 </Td> <Td> 13 </Td> <Td> Russell B. Long </Td> <Td> Louisiana </Td> <Td> December 31, 1948--January 3, 1987 </Td> <Td> 38 years, 3 days </Td> <Td> 38 years, 3 days </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 14 </Td> <Td> 14 </Td> <Td> Chuck Grassley </Td> <Td> Iowa </Td> <Td> Since January 3, 1981 </Td> <Td> 7004136590000000000 ♠ 37 years, 145 days </Td> <Td> 7004136590000000000 ♠ 37 years, 145 days </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 15 </Td> <Td> 999 </Td> <Td> Francis E. Warren (I) </Td> <Td> Wyoming </Td> <Td> November 18, 1890--March 4, 1893 March 4, 1895--November 24, 1929 </Td> <Td> 37 years, 6 days </Td> <Td> n / a </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 16 </Td> <Td> 999 </Td> <Td> James Eastland (I) </Td> <Td> Mississippi </Td> <Td> June 30--September 28, 1941 January 3, 1943--December 27, 1978 </Td> <Td> 36 years, 83 days </Td> <Td> n / a </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 17 </Td> <Td> 15 </Td> <Td> Warren Magnuson </Td> <Td> Washington </Td> <Td> December 14, 1944--January 3, 1981 </Td> <Td> 36 years, 20 days </Td> <Td> 36 years, 20 days </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> 16 </Td> <Td> Joe Biden </Td> <Td> Delaware </Td> <Td> January 3, 1973--January 15, 2009 </Td> <Td> 36 years, 12 days </Td> <Td> 36 years, 12 days </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 19 </Td> <Td> 17 </Td> <Td> Claiborne Pell </Td> <Td> Rhode Island </Td> <Td> January 3, 1961--January 3, 1997 </Td> <Td> 36 years, 0 days </Td> <Td> 36 years, 0 days </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 20 </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> Pete Domenici </Td> <Td> New Mexico </Td> <Td> January 3, 1973--January 3, 2009 </Td> <Td> 36 years, 0 days </Td> <Td> 36 years, 0 days </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 21 </Td> <Td> 19 </Td> <Td> Richard Lugar </Td> <Td> Indiana </Td> <Td> January 3, 1977--January 3, 2013 </Td> <Td> 36 years, 0 days </Td> <Td> 36 years, 0 days </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 22 </Td> <Td> 20 </Td> <Td> Carl Levin </Td> <Td> Michigan </Td> <Td> January 3, 1979--January 3, 2015 </Td> <Td> 36 years, 0 days </Td> <Td> 36 years, 0 days </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Th> Total tenure rank </Th> <Th> Uninterrupted tenure rank </Th> <Th> Name </Th> <Th> State represented </Th> <Th> Dates of service </Th> <Th> Total tenure </Th> <Th> Uninterrupted tenure </Th> </Tr>

Who is currently the longest serving member of the senate