115th United States Congress

2017–2019 legislative term From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

115th United States Congress

The 115th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States of America federal government, composed of the Senate and the House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C., from January 3, 2017, to January 3, 2019, during the final weeks of Barack Obama's presidency and the first two years of Donald Trump's first presidency. The seats in the House were apportioned based on the 2010 United States census.[1]

Quick Facts January 3, 2017 – January 3, 2019, Members ...
115th United States Congress
114th 
 116th
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January 3, 2017 – January 3, 2019
Members100 senators
435 representatives
6 non-voting delegates
Senate majorityRepublican
Senate PresidentJoe Biden (D)[a]
(until January 20, 2017)
Mike Pence (R)
(from January 20, 2017)
House majorityRepublican
House SpeakerPaul Ryan (R)
Sessions
1st: January 3, 2017 – January 3, 2018
2nd: January 3, 2018 – January 3, 2019
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House of Representatives member pin for the 115th U.S. Congress

The Republican Party retained their majority in both the House and the Senate, and, with inauguration of Donald Trump on January 20, 2017, attained an overall federal government trifecta for the first time since the 109th Congress in 2005.

Several political scientists described the legislative accomplishments of this Congress as modest, considering that both Congress and the presidency were under unified Republican Party control.[2][3][4][5]

Major events

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Donald Trump takes the oath of office as the 45th president of the United States
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President Donald Trump addressing Congress, with Vice President Mike Pence and House Speaker Paul Ryan.
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American Federation of Government Employees members protesting for the federal employees affected by the January 2018 government shutdown
Donald Trump meeting with Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer regarding the looming 2018–2019 government shutdown

Major legislation

Enacted

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Trump signing the Music Modernization Act
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Senator Tammy Duckworth and then House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi opposing the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.

Proposed

Party summary

Resignations and new members are discussed in the "Changes in membership" section, below.

Senate

More information Affiliation, Party (shading indicates majority caucus) ...
Affiliation Party
(shading indicates majority caucus)
Total Vacant
Democratic Independent
(caucusing with
Democrats)
Republican
End of previous Congress 44 2 54 100 0
Begin (January 3, 2017) 46 2 52 100 0
February 8, 2017[b] 51 99 1
February 9, 2017[b] 52 100 0
January 2, 2018[c] 45 99 1
January 3, 2018[b][c] 47 51 100 0
April 1, 2018[d] 50 99 1
April 2, 2018[d] 51 100 0
August 25, 2018[e] 50 99 1
September 4, 2018[e] 51 100 0
December 31, 2018[e] 50 99 1
Final voting share 49.5% 50.5%
Beginning of the next Congress 45 2 52 99 1
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House of Representatives

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House membership (from December 31, 2018)
     196 Democrats
     236 Republicans

     3 vacant
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Ideological divisions in the House (on March 27, 2017)
     69 Progressive Caucus
     Freedom Caucus 33      

     113 Other Democrats
     Other Republicans 156      

     11 Blue Dog Coalition
     Tuesday Group 48      

     4 vacant
More information Party (shading indicates majority caucus), Total ...
Party
(shading indicates majority caucus)
Total Vacant
Democratic Independent Republican
End of previous Congress 187 0 246 433 2
Begin (January 3, 2017) 194 0 241 435 0
January 23, 2017[f] 240 434 1
January 24, 2017[g] 193 433 2
February 10, 2017[h] 239 432 3
February 16, 2017[i] 238 431 4
March 1, 2017[j] 237 430 5
April 11, 2017[f][k] 238 431 4
May 25, 2017[j][k] 239 432 3
June 6, 2017[g][k] 194 433 2
June 20, 2017[h][i][k] 241 435 0
June 30, 2017[l] 240 434 1
October 21, 2017[m] 239 433 2
November 7, 2017[l][k] 240 434 1
December 5, 2017[n] 193 433 2
December 8, 2017[o] 239 432 3
January 15, 2018[p] 238 431 4
March 13, 2018[m][k] 194 432 3
March 16, 2018[q] 193 431 4
April 6, 2018[r] 237 430 5
April 23, 2018[s] 236 429 6
April 24, 2018[o][k] 237 430 5
April 27, 2018[t] 236 429 6
May 12, 2018[u] 235 428 7
June 30, 2018[r][k] 236 429 6
August 7, 2018[p][k] 237 430 5
September 10, 2018[v] 236 429 6
September 30, 2018[w] 235 428 7
November 6, 2018[n][q][s][t][u] 197 236 433 2
December 31, 2018[x] 196 432 3
Final voting share 45.4% 0.0% 54.6%  
Non-voting members 3 1 2 6 0
Beginning of the next Congress 235 0 199 434 1[29]
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Leadership

Summarize
Perspective

Section contents: Senate: Majority (R), Minority (D)House: Majority (R), Minority (D)

Senate

Senate President
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Joe Biden (D),
until January 20, 2017
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Mike Pence (R),
from January 20, 2017
Senate President pro tempore

Majority (Republican) leadership

Minority (Democratic) leadership

House of Representatives

House Speaker

Majority (Republican) leadership

Minority (Democratic) leadership

Demographics

Summarize
Perspective
Note: Demographics are accurate as of the commencement of the 115th Congress on January 3, 2017.
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Democratic women in the House of Representatives wearing white to honor women's suffrage. (March 2017)

The average age of members of the House of Representatives during the 115th Congress was 57.8 years, while the average age of U.S. senators was 61.8 years.[34]

The most common occupation of senators prior to being elected to their posts was law, followed by public service/politics and business. In the House of Representatives, business was the dominant prior occupation, followed by public service/politics and law.[34] In the 115th Congress, 94.1% of House members and 100% of senators had attained a bachelor's degree or a higher degree; this was a historically high level of education for a United States Congress. In addition, 167 members of the House and 55 members of the Senate had law degrees. Only 18 members of Congress had no college education.[34]

Ethnic minorities in the 115th Congress consisted of 52 African American members, 45 Hispanic or Latino members, 18 Asian-American or Pacific Islander members, and two members of Native American ancestry.[34] Women comprised 20.1% of the membership in the 115th Congress, which had 109 women and 326 men. This represented an increase of 21 women from the 114th Congress.[34]

Seven openly LGBT members served in the 115th Congress. Tammy Baldwin,[35] Jared Polis,[36] Sean Patrick Maloney, Mark Takano, David Cicilline, and Mark Pocan are openly gay, while Kyrsten Sinema is openly bisexual.[37]

The majority of the 115th Congress was religiously affiliated, with 90.7% identifying as Christians. Approximately half of the Christians were Protestant. Other religious faiths of congressmembers in the 115th Congress included Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism.[34]

Members

Summarize
Perspective

Senate

The numbers refer to their Senate classes. All of the class 3 seats were contested in the November 2016 elections. Class 1 terms end with this Congress, requiring re-election in 2018; Class 2 began in the last Congress, requiring re-election in 2020; and Class 3 began in this Congress, requiring re-election in 2022.

House of Representatives

All 435 seats were filled by the regular elections on November 8, 2016, or subsequent special elections thereafter.

Caucuses

Changes in membership

Senate

More information State (class), Vacated by ...
Senate changes
State
(class)
Vacated by Reason for change Successor Date of successor's
formal installation[aa]
Alabama
(2)
Jeff Sessions
(R)
Resigned February 8, 2017, to become U.S. Attorney General.[39]
Successor appointed February 9, 2017, to continue the term.[40]
Luther Strange
(R)
February 9, 2017
Minnesota
(2)
Al Franken
(D)
Resigned January 2, 2018, amid a sexual misconduct scandal.[41]
Successor appointed January 2, 2018, to continue the term.[38]
Appointee was later elected to finish the term ending January 3, 2021.
Tina Smith
(D)
January 3, 2018
Alabama
(2)
Luther Strange
(R)
Appointment expired January 3, 2018, following a special election.[42][43]
Successor elected December 12, 2017, and seated January 3, 2018, to finish the term ending January 3, 2021.[44]
Doug Jones
(D)
January 3, 2018
Mississippi
(2)
Thad Cochran
(R)
Resigned April 1, 2018, for health reasons.[45]
Successor appointed April 2, 2018, to continue the term.[k]
Appointee was later elected to finish the term ending January 3, 2021.
Cindy Hyde-Smith
(R)
April 9, 2018
Arizona
(3)
John McCain
(R)
Died August 25, 2018.[46]
Successor appointed September 4, 2018, to continue the term.[47]
Jon Kyl
(R)
September 5, 2018
Arizona
(3)
Jon Kyl
(R)
Resigned December 31, 2018.[28]
Successor was seated in the next Congress.
Vacant until the next Congress
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House of Representatives

More information District, Vacated by ...
House changes
District Vacated by Reason for change Successor Date of successor's
formal installation[aa]
Kansas 4 Mike Pompeo
(R)
Resigned January 23, 2017, to become Director of the Central Intelligence Agency.[48]
A special election was held April 11, 2017.[49]
Ron Estes
(R)
April 25, 2017
California 34 Xavier Becerra
(D)
Resigned January 24, 2017, to become Attorney General of California.[50]
A special election was held June 6, 2017.[51]
Jimmy Gomez
(D)
July 11, 2017
Georgia 6 Tom Price
(R)
Resigned February 10, 2017, to become U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services.[52]
A special election was held June 20, 2017.[53]
Karen Handel
(R)
June 26, 2017
South Carolina 5 Mick Mulvaney
(R)
Resigned February 16, 2017, to become Director of the Office of Management and Budget.[54]
A special election was held June 20, 2017.[55]
Ralph Norman
(R)
June 26, 2017
Montana at-large Ryan Zinke
(R)
Resigned March 1, 2017, to become U.S. Secretary of the Interior.[54]
A special election was held May 25, 2017.[56]
Greg Gianforte
(R)
June 21, 2017
Utah 3 Jason Chaffetz
(R)
Resigned June 30, 2017, for personal reasons.[57]
A special election was held November 7, 2017.[58]
John Curtis
(R)
November 13, 2017
Pennsylvania 18 Tim Murphy
(R)
Resigned October 21, 2017.[59]
A special election was held March 13, 2018.[60]
Conor Lamb
(D)
April 12, 2018
Michigan 13 John Conyers
(D)
Resigned December 5, 2017.[61]
A special election was held November 6, 2018.[62]
Brenda Jones
(D)[63]
November 29, 2018
Arizona 8 Trent Franks
(R)
Resigned December 8, 2017.[64]
A special election was held April 24, 2018.[65]
Debbie Lesko
(R)
May 7, 2018
Ohio 12 Pat Tiberi
(R)
Resigned January 15, 2018, to lead the Ohio Business Roundtable.[66][67]
A special election was held August 7, 2018[68]
Troy Balderson (R) September 5, 2018
New York 25 Louise Slaughter
(D)
Died March 16, 2018.[69]
A special election was held November 6, 2018.[70]
Joseph Morelle
(D)
November 13, 2018
Texas 27 Blake Farenthold
(R)
Resigned April 6, 2018.[22]
A special election was held June 30, 2018.[71]
Michael Cloud
(R)
July 10, 2018
Oklahoma 1 Jim Bridenstine
(R)
Resigned April 23, 2018, to become the Administrator of National Aeronautics and Space Administration.[72]
Successor was elected to the next term and, by Oklahoma law, was considered thereby "appointed" November 6, 2018, to finish the current term.[citation needed] There is debate about the legality of such an appointment, however.[citation needed]
Kevin Hern
(R)
November 13, 2018
Pennsylvania 7 Pat Meehan
(R)
Resigned April 27, 2018.[73]
A special election was held November 6, 2018.[74]
Mary Gay Scanlon
(D)
November 13, 2018
Pennsylvania 15 Charlie Dent
(R)
Resigned May 12, 2018.[75]
A special election was held November 6, 2018.[74]
Susan Wild
(D)
November 27, 2018[76]
Florida 6 Ron DeSantis
(R)
Resigned September 10, 2018, to focus on his gubernatorial campaign.[77]
Seat remained vacant until determined by general election.
Vacant until the next Congress
West Virginia 3 Evan Jenkins
(R)
Resigned September 30, 2018, to become justice of the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia.[78]
Seat remained vacant until determined by general election.
New Mexico 1 Michelle Lujan Grisham
(D)
Resigned December 31, 2018, to become Governor of New Mexico.
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Committees

Summarize
Perspective

Section contents: Senate, House, Joint

Senate

More information Committee, Chair ...
Committee Chair Ranking Member[79]
Aging (Special) Susan Collins (R-ME) Bob Casey Jr. (D-PA)
Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Pat Roberts (R-KS) Debbie Stabenow (D-MI)
Appropriations Richard Shelby (R-AL) Patrick Leahy (D-VT)
Armed Services John McCain (R-AZ) until August 25, 2018

Jim Inhofe (R-OK) from September 6, 2018; acting from December 2017

Jack Reed (D-RI)
Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Mike Crapo (R-ID) Sherrod Brown (D-OH)
Budget Mike Enzi (R-WY) Bernie Sanders (I-VT)
Commerce, Science and Transportation John Thune (R-SD) Bill Nelson (D-FL)
Energy and Natural Resources Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) Maria Cantwell (D-WA)
Environment and Public Works John Barrasso (R-WY) Tom Carper (D-DE)
Ethics (Select) Johnny Isakson (R-GA) Chris Coons (D-DE)
Finance Orrin Hatch (R-UT) Ron Wyden (D-OR)
Foreign Relations Bob Corker (R-TN) Bob Menendez (D-NJ)
Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Lamar Alexander (R-TN) Patty Murray (D-WA)
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Ron Johnson (R-WI) Claire McCaskill (D-MO)
Indian Affairs (Permanent Select) John Hoeven (R-ND) Tom Udall (D-NM)
Intelligence (Select) Richard Burr (R-NC) Mark Warner (D-VA)
International Narcotics Control (Permanent Caucus) Chuck Grassley (R-TX) Dianne Feinstein (D-CA)
Judiciary Chuck Grassley (R-SC) Dianne Feinstein (D-CA)
Rules and Administration Roy Blunt (R-MO) Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
Small Business and Entrepreneurship Jim Risch (R-FL) Jeanne Shaheen (D-MD)
Veterans' Affairs Johnny Isakson (R-GA) Jon Tester (D-MT)
Close

House of Representatives

More information Committee, Chairman ...
Committee Chairman[80] Ranking Member
Agriculture Mike Conaway (R-TX) Collin Peterson (D-MN)
Appropriations Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ) Nita Lowey (D-NY)
Armed Services Mac Thornberry (R-TX) Adam Smith (D-WA)
Budget Diane Black (R-TN), until January 11, 2018
Acting until February 16, 2017
Steve Womack (R-AR), from January 11, 2018
John Yarmuth (D-KY)
Education and the Workforce Virginia Foxx (R-NC) Bobby Scott (D-VA)
Energy and Commerce Greg Walden (R-OR) Frank Pallone (D-NJ)
Ethics Susan Brooks (R-IN) Ted Deutch (D-FL)
Financial Services Jeb Hensarling (R-TX) Maxine Waters (D-CA)
Foreign Affairs Ed Royce (R-CA) Eliot Engel (D-NY)
Homeland Security Michael McCaul (R-TX) Bennie Thompson (D-MS)
House Administration Gregg Harper (R-MS) Bob Brady (D-PA)
Judiciary Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) John Conyers (D-MI), until November 26, 2017
Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), from November 26, 2017
Acting until December 20, 2017
Natural Resources Rob Bishop (R-UT) Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ)
Oversight and Government Reform Jason Chaffetz (R-UT), until June 13, 2017
Trey Gowdy (R-SC), from June 13, 2017
Elijah Cummings (D-MD)
Rules Pete Sessions (R-TX) Louise Slaughter (D-NY), until March 16, 2018
Jim McGovern (D-MA), from March 17, 2018
Acting until April 10, 2018
Science, Space and Technology Lamar Smith (R-TX) Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX)
Small Business Steve Chabot (R-OH) Nydia Velázquez (D-NY)
Transportation and Infrastructure Bill Shuster (R-PA) Peter DeFazio (D-OR)
Veterans' Affairs Phil Roe (R-TN) Tim Walz (D-MN)
Ways and Means Kevin Brady (R-TX) Richard Neal (D-MA)
Human Rights (Lantos Commission) Randy Hultgren (R-IL) Jim McGovern (D-MA)
Intelligence (Permanent Select) Devin Nunes (R-CA) Adam Schiff (D-CA)
Close

Joint

More information Committee, Chairman ...
Committee Chairman Ranking Member
Economic Rep. Pat Tiberi (R-OH), until January 11, 2018
Rep. Erik Paulsen (R-MN), from January 11, 2018
Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM)
Library Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO) Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
Printing Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL) Rep. Bob Brady (D-PA)
Taxation Rep. Kevin Brady (R-TX) Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR)
Budget and Appropriations Process Reform (Select) Rep. Steve Womack (R-AR) (co-chair)
Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY) (co-chair)
Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO)
Inaugural Ceremonies (Special) Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO) Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)
Security and Cooperation in Europe (Helsinki Commission) Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-FL)
Solvency of Multiemployer Pension Plans (Select) Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) (co-chair)
Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) (co-chair)
Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC)
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Employees and legislative agency directors

Senate

House of Representatives

Legislative branch agency directors

See also

Elections

Membership lists

Notes

  1. U.S. Vice President Joe Biden's term as President of the Senate ended at noon on January 20, 2017, when Mike Pence's term began.
  2. In Alabama, senator Jeff Sessions (R) resigned February 8, 2017. Luther Strange (R) was appointed February 9, 2017, to continue the term. Doug Jones (D) was elected to finish the term and qualified January 3, 2018.
  3. In Minnesota, senator Al Franken (D) resigned January 2, 2018. Tina Smith (D) was appointed January 3, 2018, to continue the term.
  4. In Mississippi, senator Thad Cochran (R) resigned April 1, 2018. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R) was appointed April 2, 2018, to continue the term.
  5. In Arizona, senator John McCain (R) died August 25, 2018. Jon Kyl (R) was appointed September 4, 2018, to continue the term. Kyl announced his resignation, effective December 31, 2018.[28]
  6. In Kansas's 4th district: Mike Pompeo (R) resigned January 23, 2017, and Ron Estes (R) was elected April 11, 2017.
  7. In California's 34th district: Xavier Becerra (D) resigned January 24, 2017, and Jimmy Gomez (D) was elected June 6, 2017.
  8. In Georgia's 6th district: Tom Price (R) resigned February 10, 2017, and Karen Handel (R) was elected June 20, 2017.
  9. In South Carolina's 5th district: Mick Mulvaney (R) resigned February 16, 2017, and Ralph Norman (R) was elected June 20, 2017.
  10. In Montana's at-large district: Ryan Zinke (R) resigned March 1, 2017, and Greg Gianforte (R) was elected May 25, 2017.
  11. Service begins on the day of a special election, when qualified, not necessarily upon the oath of office.
  12. In Utah's 3rd district: Jason Chaffetz (R) resigned June 30, 2017, and John Curtis (R) was elected November 7, 2017.
  13. In Pennsylvania's 18th district: Tim Murphy (R) resigned October 21, 2017, and Conor Lamb (D) was elected March 13, 2018.
  14. In Michigan's 13th district: Rep. John Conyers (D) resigned December 5, 2017, and Brenda Jones (D) was elected November 6, 2018.
  15. In Arizona's 8th district: Trent Franks (R) resigned December 8, 2017, and Debbie Lesko (R) was elected April 24, 2018.
  16. In Ohio's 12th district: Pat Tiberi (R) resigned January 15, 2018, and Troy Balderson (R) was elected August 7, 2018, although the results weren't final until August 24, 2018.
  17. In New York's 25th district: Louise Slaughter (D) died March 16, 2018, and Joseph D. Morelle (D) was elected November 6, 2018.
  18. In Texas's 27th district: Blake Farenthold (R) resigned April 6, 2018, and Michael Cloud (R) was elected June 30, 2018.
  19. In Oklahoma's 1st district: Jim Bridenstine (R) resigned April 23, 2018, and Kevin Hern (R) was elected November 6, 2018.
  20. In Pennsylvania's 7th district: Pat Meehan (R) resigned April 27, 2018, and Mary Gay Scanlon (D) was elected November 6, 2018.
  21. In Pennsylvania's 15th district: Charlie Dent (R) resigned May 12, 2018 and Susan Wild (D) was elected November 6, 2018.
  22. In Florida's 6th district: Ron DeSantis (R) resigned September 10, 2018, to focus on the 2018 Florida gubernatorial election.
  23. In West Virginia's 3rd district: Evan Jenkins (R) resigned September 30, 2018.
  24. In New Mexico's 1st district: Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) resigned December 31, 2018.
  25. The Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL) and the North Dakota Democratic-Nonpartisan League Party (D-NPL) are the Minnesota and North Dakota affiliates of the U.S. Democratic Party and are counted as Democrats.
  26. In Ohio's 12th congressional district, the special election on August 7, 2018, was so close that it was not settled until August 24, 2018.
  27. When seated or oath administered, not necessarily when service began.

References

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