The 105th United States Congress began on January 3, 1997. There were fourteen new senators (six Democrats, eight Republicans) and 72 new representatives (42 Democrats, 30 Republicans) at the start of the first session. Additionally, nine representatives (five Democrats, four Republicans) took office on various dates in order to fill vacancies during the 105th Congress before it ended on January 3, 1999.
District | Representative | Took office | Switched party | Prior background | Birth year |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
New York 13 | Vito Fossella (R) | April 11, 1997 | No | City Councilor | 1965 |
Texas 28 | Ciro Rodriguez (D) | April 12, 1997 | No | State Representative | 1946 |
New Mexico 3 | William T. Redmond (R) | May 13, 1997 | Yes | Chaplain | 1955 |
New York 6 | Gregory Meeks (D) | February 3, 1998 | No | State Assemblyman | 1953 |
California 22 | Lois Capps (D) | March 17, 1998 | No | Nurse | 1938 |
California 44 | Mary Bono (R) | April 7, 1998 | No | Waitress | 1961 |
California 9 | Barbara Lee (D) | April 21, 1998 | No | State Senator | 1946 |
Pennsylvania 1 | Bob Brady (D) | May 19, 1998 | No | Professor | 1945 |
New Mexico 1 | Heather Wilson (R) | June 25, 1998 | No | Air Force Captain | 1960 |
The positions of majority leader and minority leader are held by two United States senators and members of the party leadership of the United States Senate. They serve as the chief spokespersons for their respective political parties holding the majority and the minority in the United States Senate. They are each elected as majority leader and minority leader by the senators of their party caucuses: the Senate Democratic Caucus and the Senate Republican Conference.
The "Republican Revolution", "Revolution of '94", or "Gingrich Revolution" are political slogans that refer to the Republican Party (GOP) success in the 1994 U.S. mid-term elections, which resulted in a net gain of 54 seats in the House of Representatives, and a pick-up of eight seats in the Senate. On November 9, 1994, the day after the election, Senator Richard Shelby of Alabama, a conservative Democrat, changed parties, becoming a Republican; on March 3, 1995, Colorado Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell switched to the Republican side as well, increasing the GOP Senate majority.
The 107th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from January 3, 2001 to January 3, 2003, during the final weeks of the Clinton presidency and the first two years of the George W. Bush presidency. The apportionment of seats in this House of Representatives was based on the 1990 United States census.
The 1996 United States House of Representatives elections was an election for the United States House of Representatives on November 5, 1996, which coincided with the re-election of President Bill Clinton. Democrats won the popular vote by almost 60,000 votes (0.07%) and gained a net of two seats from the Republicans, but the Republicans retained an overall majority of seats in the House for the first time since 1928.
The 1860–61 United States House of Representatives elections were held at various dates in different states from August 1860 to October 1861.
In U.S. politics, an independent Democrat is an individual who loosely identifies with the ideals of the Democratic Party but chooses not to be a formal member of the party or is denied the Democratic nomination in a caucus or primary election. Independent Democrat is not a political party. Several elected officials, including members of Congress, have identified as independent Democrats.
Party divisions of United States Congresses have played a central role on the organization and operations of both chambers of the United States Congress—the Senate and the House of Representatives—since its establishment as the bicameral legislature of the Federal government of the United States in 1789. Political parties had not been anticipated when the U.S. Constitution was drafted in 1787, nor did they exist at the time the first Senate elections and House elections occurred in 1788 and 1789. Organized political parties developed in the U.S. in the 1790s, but political factions—from which organized parties evolved—began to appear almost immediately after the 1st Congress convened. Those who supported the Washington administration were referred to as "pro-administration" and would eventually form the Federalist Party, while those in opposition joined the emerging Democratic-Republican Party.
Expulsion is the most serious form of disciplinary action that can be taken against a Member of Congress. The United States Constitution provides that "Each House [of Congress] may determine the Rules of its proceedings, punish its members for disorderly behavior, and, with the concurrence of two-thirds, expel a member." The processes for expulsion differ somewhat between the House of Representatives and the Senate.
The 1898–99 United States Senate elections were elections in which the Republican Party gained eight seats in the United States Senate at the expense of the Democrats and several minor third parties.
The 1900–01 United States Senate elections were elections in which both the Republicans and the Democrats gained two seats in the United States Senate at the expense of various third parties and vacancies, and which corresponded with President William McKinley's re-election as well as the 1900 House of Representatives elections.
The 1902–03 United States Senate elections were elections in which the Democratic Party gained four seats in the United States Senate, but the Republicans kept their strong majority.
The 1866–67 United States Senate elections were elections that saw the Republican Party gain two seats in the United States Senate as several of the Southern States were readmitted during Reconstruction, enlarging their majority.
The 1860–61 United States Senate elections were elections corresponding with Abraham Lincoln's election to the presidency. The nascent Republican Party increased their Senate seats in the regular elections, and after southern Democrats withdrew to join the Confederacy, Republicans gained control of the United States Senate. To establish a quorum with fewer members, a lower total seat number was taken into account.
The 118th United States Congress is the current meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It convened in Washington, D.C., on January 3, 2023, and is scheduled to continue until January 3, 2025, during the final two years of President Joe Biden's first term.
The 2022 United States House of Representatives elections in California were held on November 8, 2022, to elect representatives for the 52 seats in California. This marked the first time in the state's history where it lost a seat.
The 2024 United States House of Representatives elections will be held on November 5, 2024, as part of the 2024 United States elections, to elect representatives from all 435 congressional districts across each of the 50 U.S. states, as well as six non-voting delegates from the District of Columbia and the inhabited U.S. territories. Special elections may also be held on various dates throughout 2024. Numerous other federal, state, and local elections, including the U.S. presidential election and elections to the Senate, will also be held on this date. The winners of this election will serve in the 119th United States Congress, with seats apportioned among the states based on the 2020 United States census.