96th United States Congress
| 96th United States Congress | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Ninety-sixth 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, 1979 to January 3, 1981, during the last two years of the administration of U.S. President Jimmy Carter.
The apportionment of seats in this House of Representatives was based on the 1970 Census. Both chambers had a Democratic majority.
Major events
- March 28, 1979: Partial nuclear meltdown at Three Mile Island
- July 11, 1979: Skylab began its return to earth
- November 4, 1979: Iran hostage crisis began
- 1979 energy crisis
- February 2, 1980: Abscam became public
- May 18, 1980: Mount St. Helens erupted
- 1980 United States heat wave
- November 4, 1980: United States elections: Reagan/Bush defeated Carter/Mondale. Republicans gain control of the Senate; the first time Republicans gain control of any chamber since 1954.
Major legislation
- September 9, 1979: Panama Canal Act of 1979, Pub.L. 96–70, 93 Stat. 452
- April 10, 1979: Taiwan Relations Act, Pub.L. 96–8
- October 17, 1979: Department of Education Organization Act, Pub.L. 96–88, 93 Stat. 668
- March 17, 1980: Refugee Act, Pub.L. 96–212, 94 Stat. 102
- September 19, 1980: Regulatory Flexibility Act, Pub.L. 96–354, 94 Stat. 1164
- September 29, 1980: Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act of 1980, Pub.L. 96–366, 94 Stat. 1322
- October 14, 1980: Staggers Rail Act of 1980, Pub.L. 96–448, 94 Stat. 1895
- December 2, 1980: Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, Pub.L. 96–487, 94 Stat. 2371
- December 11, 1980: Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA or Superfund), Pub.L. 96–510, 94 Stat. 2767
- December 11, 1980: Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980, Pub.L. 96–511, 94 Stat. 2812
- December 12, 1980: Defense Officer Personnel Management Act, Pub.L. 96–513
- December 12, 1980: Bayh–Dole Act, Pub.L. 96–517, 94 Stat. 3018
- December 22, 1980: Nuclear Safety, Research, Demonstration, and Development Act of 1980, Pub.L. 96–567, 94 Stat. 3329
Party summary
Senate
Party standings on the opening day of the 96th Congress
- Democratic: 58
- Republican: 42
Total members: 100
House of Representatives
| House seats by party holding plurality in state | |
|---|---|
80.1–100% Republican |
80.1–100% Democratic |
60.1–80% Republican |
60.1–80% Democratic |
50.1–60% Republican |
50.1–60% Democratic |
| striped: 50–50 split | |
- Democratic: 277
- Republican: 158
Total members: 435
Leadership
Senate
- President of the Senate: Walter Mondale (D)
- President pro tempore: Warren Magnuson (D)
- Milton Young (R), for just for one day: December 5, 1980
Majority (Democratic) leadership
Minority (Republican) leadership
House of Representatives
- Speaker: Tip O'Neill (D)
Majority (Democratic) leadership
Minority (Republican) leadership
Members
This list is arranged by chamber, then by state. Senators are listed in order of seniority, and Representatives are listed by district.
Senate
Senators are popularly elected statewide every two years, with one-third beginning new six-year terms with each Congress.
House of Representatives
The names of members of the House of Representatives are preceded by their district numbers.
Changes in Membership
The count below reflects changes from the beginning of the first session of this Congress.
Senate
- replacements: 4
- Democratic: 3 seat net loss
- Republican: 3 seat net gain
- deaths:
- resignations: 4
- vacancy:
- Total seats with changes: 4
| State (class) |
Vacator | Reason for change | Successor | Date of successor's formal installation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maine (Class 1) |
Edmund Muskie (D) |
Resigned May 7, 1980 after being appointed United States Secretary of State | George J. Mitchell (D) |
May 19, 1980 |
| New Hampshire (Class 3) |
John A. Durkin (D) |
Resigned December 29, 1980 | Warren Rudman (R) |
December 29, 1980 |
| Florida (Class 3) |
Richard Stone (D) |
Resigned December 30, 1980 | Paula Hawkins (R) |
January 1, 1981 |
| Alabama (Class 3) |
Donald Stewart (D) |
Resigned January 2, 1981 | Jeremiah Denton (R) |
January 2, 1981 |
House of Representatives
- replacements: 7
- Democratic: 0 seat net loss
- Republican: 0 seat net gain
- deaths: 1
- resignations: 4
- expulsion: 1
- contested election:
- Total seats with changes: 10
| District | Vacator | Reason for change | Successor | Date successor seated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California 11th | Vacant | Rep. Leo Ryan died during previous congress | William Royer (R) | April 3, 1979 |
| Wisconsin 6th | Vacant | Rep. William A. Steiger died during previous congress | Tom Petri (R) | April 3, 1979 |
| Illinois 10th | Abner J. Mikva (D) | Resigned September 26, 1979 after being appoined judge of US Court of Appeals | John Porter (R) | January 22, 1980 |
| Pennsylvania 11th | Daniel J. Flood (D) | Resigned January 31, 1980 | Ray Musto (D) | April 9, 1980 |
| Louisiana 3rd | Dave Treen (R) | Resigned March 10, 1980 after being elected Governor of Louisiana | Billy Tauzin (D) | May 22, 1980 |
| West Virginia 3rd | John M. Slack, Jr. (D) | Died March 17, 1980 | John G. Hutchinson (D) | June 30, 1980 |
| Michigan 13th | Charles Diggs (D) | Resigned June 3, 1980 | George W. Crockett, Jr. (D) | November 4, 1980 |
| New Mexico 2nd | Harold L. Runnels (D) | Died August 5, 1980 | Vacant | Not filled this term |
| Pennsylvania 1st | Michael Myers (D) | Expelled October 2, 1980 | Vacant | Not filled this term |
| South Carolina 6th | John Jenrette (D) | Resigned December 10, 1980 | Vacant | Not filled this term |
| New Jersey 4th | Frank Thompson (D) | Resigned December 29, 1980 after being censured by the House of Representatives | Vacant | Not filled this term |
References
- Martis, Kenneth C. (1989). The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
- Martis, Kenneth C. (1982). The Historical Atlas of United States Congressional Districts. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
External links
- Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress
- U.S. House of Representatives: Congressional History
- U.S. Senate: Statistics and Lists
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