109th United States Congress

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109th United States Congress

United States Capitol (2002)
Session: January 3, 2005 –
January 3, 2007
President of the Senate: Dick Cheney
President pro tempore of the Senate: Ted Stevens
Speaker of the House: Dennis Hastert
Members: 435 Representatives
100 Senators
5 Territorial Representatives
House Majority: Republican
Senate Majority: Republican

The One Hundred Ninth United States Congress was a meeting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives, which together comprise the legislative branch of the United States federal government. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 2005 to January 3, 2007, during the first two years of the second administration of U.S. President George W. Bush.

House members were elected in the 2004 general election on 2004-11-04. Senators were elected in three classes in the 2000 general election on 2000-11-07, 2002 general election on 2002-11-05, or 2004 general election on 2004-11-04. The apportionment of seats in this House of Representatives was based on the Twenty-second Census of the United States in 2000. Both chambers had a Republican majority, the same party as President Bush.

Contents

[edit] Dates of sessions

January 3, 2005–January 3, 2007

Previous: 108th Congress • Next: 110th Congress

[edit] Major events

Prominent events included the filibuster "nuclear option" scare, the alleged failure of the federal government to help in Hurricane Katrina disaster relief, the Tom DeLay corruption investigation, the CIA leak scandal, the rising unpopularity of the Iraq War, the 2006 immigration reform protests and government involvement in the Terri Schiavo case.

In addition to the DeLay indictment, this Congress also had a number of scandals: Bob Ney, Randy "Duke" Cunningham, William J. Jefferson, Mark Foley scandal, and the Jack Abramoff scandals.

As the session neared its conclusion, some commentators labelled this the "Do Nothing Congress," [1][2][3] a pejorative originally given to the 80th United States Congress by President Harry Truman. Noting the comparison, congressional scholar Norman J. Ornstein said, "What would Harry Truman say about the 109th Congress? Harry Truman would probably apologize to the 80th Congress."[4][5]

This Congress met for 242 days, the fewest since World War II and 12 days fewer than the 80th Congress.[4][6][7]

The President vetoed only one bill, his first veto, the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2005.

[edit] Major legislation

[edit] Enacted

Main article: List of United States federal legislation

[edit] Proposed, but not enacted

[edit] Hearings

See also: Congressional hearing

[edit] Party summary

[edit] Senate

The party summary for the Senate remained the same during the entire 109th Congress. On 2006-01-16, Democrat Jon Corzine resigned, but Democrat Bob Menendez was appointed and took Corzine's seat the next day.

Affiliation       Total
Republican Democratic Independent
Members
(shading indicates
majority caucus)
 55 44 1 100
Voting share 55% 45%
Notes Caucused with
the Democrats
Partisan mix of the Senate by state 

[edit] House of Representatives

Due to resignations and special elections, Republicans lost a net of three seats; Democrats gained one seat; three seats were left vacant; and one seat which was vacant at the beginning of the Congress was filled. All seats were filled though special elections. (See Changes in membership, below.)

Affiliation       Total   Notes
Republican Democratic Independent Vacant
Members
(shading indicates
majority caucus)
 Begin (2005-01-03) 232 201 1 434 1 Bob Matsui (D) died before Congress began
2005-03-10 202 435 0 Doris Matsui (D) took Bob Matsui's seat
2005-04-29 231 434 1 Rob Portman (R) resigned
2005-08-02 230 433 2 Chris Cox (R) resigned
2005-09-06 231 434 1 Jean Schmidt (R) took Portman's seat
2005-12-01 230 433 2 Duke Cunningham (R) resigned
2005-12-07 231 434 1 John Campbell (R) took Cox's seat
2006-01-16 201 433 2 Bob Menendez (D) resigned
2006-06-09 230 432 3 Tom DeLay (R) resigned
2006-06-13 231 433 2 Brian Bilbray (R) took Cunningham's seat
2006-09-29 230 432 3 Mark Foley (R) resigned
2006-11-03 229 431 4 Bob Ney (R) resigned
2006-11-13 230 202 433 2 Albio Sires (D) took Menendez's seat
Shelley Sekula-Gibbs (R) took DeLay's seat
2006-12-31 229 432 3 Jim Gibbons (R) resigned
Latest voting share 53% 47%
Notes Caucused with the Democrats
Delegates and Resident Commissioner 1 4 0 5 0
Partisan mix of the House by state 

[edit] Leadership

[edit] Senate

[edit] Majority (Republican) leadership

[edit] Minority (Democratic) leadership

[edit] House of Representatives

[edit] Majority (Republican) leadership

[edit] Minority (Democratic) leadership

Senators' party membership by state.
Senators' party membership by state.

[edit] Members

[edit] Senate

See also: Category:United States Senators
See also: Category:United States Congressional Delegations by state

[edit] Alabama

[edit] Alaska

[edit] Arizona

[edit] Arkansas

[edit] California

[edit] Colorado

[edit] Connecticut

[edit] Delaware

[edit] Florida

[edit] Georgia

[edit] Hawaii

[edit] Idaho

[edit] Illinois

[edit] Indiana

[edit] Iowa

[edit] Kansas

[edit] Kentucky

[edit] Louisiana

[edit] Maine

[edit] Maryland

[edit] Massachusetts

[edit] Michigan

[edit] Minnesota

[edit] Mississippi

[edit] Missouri

[edit] Montana

[edit] Nebraska

[edit] Nevada

[edit] New Hampshire

[edit] New Jersey

[edit] New Mexico

[edit] New York

[edit] North Carolina

[edit] North Dakota

[edit] Ohio

[edit] Oklahoma

[edit] Oregon

[edit] Pennsylvania

[edit] Rhode Island

[edit] South Carolina

[edit] South Dakota

[edit] Tennessee

[edit] Texas

[edit] Utah

[edit] Vermont

[edit] Virginia

[edit] Washington

[edit] West Virginia

[edit] Wisconsin

[edit] Wyoming
Initial percentage of members of the House of Representatives from each party by state at the opening of the 109th Congress in January 2005.
Initial percentage of members of the House of Representatives from each party by state at the opening of the 109th Congress in January 2005.

[edit] House of Representatives

Section contents: Alabama — Alaska — Arizona —Arkansas — California — Colorado — Connecticut — Delaware — Florida — Georgia — Hawaii — Idaho — Illinois — Indiana — Iowa — Kansas — Kentucky — Louisiana — Maine — Maryland — Massachusetts — Michigan — Minnesota — Mississippi — Missouri — Montana — Nebraska — Nevada — New Hampshire — New Jersey — New Mexico — New York — North Carolina — North Dakota — Ohio — Oklahoma — Oregon — Pennsylvania — Rhode Island — South Carolina — South Dakota — Tennessee — Texas — Utah — Vermont — Virginia — Washington — West Virginia — Wisconsin — Wyoming — Non-voting members

The names of members of the House of Representatives elected statewide at-large, are preceded by an "At-large," and the names of those elected from districts are preceded by their district numbers.

See also: Category:Members of the United States House of Representatives
See also: Category:United States Congressional Delegations by state
See also: List of United States Congressional districts for maps of congressional districts.

[edit] Alabama

[edit] Alaska

[edit] Arizona

[edit] Arkansas

[edit] California

[edit] Colorado

[edit] Connecticut

[edit] Delaware

[edit] Florida

[edit] Georgia

[edit] Hawaii

[edit] Idaho

[edit] Illinois

[edit] Indiana

[edit] Iowa

[edit] Kansas

[edit] Kentucky

[edit] Louisiana

[edit] Maine

[edit] Maryland

[edit] Massachusetts

[edit] Michigan

[edit] Minnesota

[edit] Mississippi

[edit] Missouri

[edit] Montana

[edit] Nebraska

[edit] Nevada

[edit] New Hampshire

[edit] New Jersey

[edit] New Mexico

[edit] New York

[edit] North Carolina

[edit] North Dakota

[edit] Ohio

[edit] Oklahoma

[edit] Oregon

[edit] Pennsylvania

[edit] Rhode Island

[edit] South Carolina

[edit] South Dakota

[edit] Tennessee

[edit] Texas

[edit] Utah

[edit] Vermont

[edit] Virginia

[edit] Washington

[edit] West Virginia

[edit] Wisconsin

[edit] Wyoming

[edit] Non-voting members

[edit] Changes in membership

Members who came and left during this Congress.

[edit] Senate

State Vacator Reason for Vacancy Successor Date of Successor's Installation
New Jersey Jon Corzine (D) Corzine became Governor of New Jersey on January 17, 2006. Bob Menendez (D) Appointed January 18, 2006

[edit] House of Representatives

Main article: List of special elections to the United States House of Representatives

All seats were filled though special elections.

District Vacator Reason for Vacancy Successor Date of Successor's Installation
California 5th None. Representative Bob Matsui (D) died January 1, 2005 — before the end of the previous Congress. Doris Matsui (D) March 10, 2005
Ohio 2nd Rob Portman (R) Resigned April 29, 2005 to become the United States Trade Representative. Jean Schmidt (R) September 6, 2005[9]
California 48th Chris Cox (R) Resigned August 2, 2005 to become chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. John Campbell (R) December 7, 2005[10]
California 50th Duke Cunningham (R) Resigned December 1, 2005 after pleading guilty to conspiracy for bribes and tax evasion. Brian Bilbray (R) June 13, 2006[11]
New Jersey 13th Bob Menendez (D) Resigned January 16, 2006 to become a U.S. Senator. Albio Sires (D) November 13, 2006[12]
Texas 22nd Tom DeLay (R) Resigned June 9, 2006 after a series of criminal indictments. Shelley Sekula-Gibbs (R) November 13, 2006[13]
Florida 16th Mark Foley (R) Resigned September 29, 2006 after a teen sex scandal. Remained vacant until the next Congress.[14]
Ohio 18th Bob Ney (R) Resigned November 3, 2006 after pleading guilty to conspiracy. Remained vacant until the next Congress.
Nevada 2nd Jim Gibbons (R) Resigned December 31, 2006 to become Governor of Nevada. Remained vacant until the next Congress.

[edit] Party changes

[edit] Senate

Date Senator State Old party New party Notes
November 2006 Joseph Lieberman Connecticut Democratic Independent Democratic ("Connecticut for Lieberman") Still voted in the Democratic caucus

[edit] Employees

[edit] Senate

[edit] House of Representatives

See also: Rules of the House, Rule 2: "Other officers and officials"

[edit] See also

[edit] Elections

[edit] References

  1. ^ "The Cafferty File: Do-Nothing Congress". The Situation Room. CNN. 2006-12-04. cnn.com
  2. ^ "Goodbye To The Do-Nothing Congress". Face The Nation. CBS. 2006-12-10. cbsnews.com
  3. ^ Dobbs, Lou (2006-08-02). Five-weeks off for 'do-nothing Congress'. CNN. Retrieved on 2006-11-12.
  4. ^ a b Shepard, Scott (December 10, 2006), “109th may be the real 'do nothing' Congress”, Cox News Service (Atlanta, GA), <http://www.newsobserver.com/politics/story/519951.html> 
  5. ^ Mann, T.brookings.edu & Ornstein, N. (2006), The Broken Branch: How Congress Is Failing America and How to Get It Back on Track OUP USA, N.Y., N.Y.: OUP USA 
  6. ^ USA Today Editorial (December 11, 2006), “Our view on Congress wrapping up: 109th Congress' big success: Lowering the achievement bar”, USA Today (MacLean, VA), <http://blogs.usatoday.com/oped/2006/12/post_22.html#more> 
  7. ^ "'Do-Nothing Congress' Raises Critics' Ire". This Week with George Stephanopoulos. ABC. 2006-05-12.
  8. ^ a b c d e The Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL) is affiliated with the United States Democratic Party.
  9. ^ Ohio 2nd: A primary election was held on June 14, 2005. A runoff election was held on August 2, 2005. Jean Schmidt won and took her seat the next month. See Ohio 2nd congressional district election, 2005.
  10. ^ California 48th: A primary election was held on October 4, 2005. A runoff election was held on December 6, 2005. John Campbell won and took his seat the next day.See California 48th Congressional District Election, 2005.
  11. ^ California 50th: A primary election was held on April 11, 2006. A runoff election was held on June 6, 2006. Brian Bilbray won and took his seat one week later.See California 50th congressional district special election, 2006.
  12. ^ New Jersey 13th: An election was held to fill the unexpired term at the November 7, 2006 General Election. Sires was sworn in on November 13. See New Jersey 13th congressional district special election, 2006.
  13. ^ An election was held to fill the unexpired term at the November 7, 2006 General Election. Sekula-Gibbs took her seat on November 13.
  14. ^ 2 Election Winners to Fill Vacancies", via wtopnews.com

[edit] External links

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