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2023–2025 meeting of U.S. legislature From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 118th 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 convened in Washington, D.C., on January 3, 2023, and ended on January 3, 2025, during the final two years of Joe Biden's presidency.
| 118th United States Congress | |
|---|---|
117th ← → 119th | |
.jpg) United States Capitol (2023) | |
January 3, 2023 – January 3, 2025 | |
| Members | 100 senators 435 representatives 6 non-voting delegates |
| Senate majority | Democratic (through caucus) |
| Senate President | Kamala Harris (D) |
| House majority | Republican |
| House Speaker |
|
| Sessions | |
| 1st: January 3, 2023 – January 3, 2024 2nd: January 3, 2024 – January 3, 2025 | |
In the 2022 midterm elections, the Republican Party won control of the House 222–213, taking the majority for the first time since the 115th Congress, while the Democratic Party gained one seat in the Senate, where they already had effective control, and giving them a 51–49-seat majority (with a caucus of 48 Democrats and three independents).[b] With Republicans winning the House, the 118th Congress ended the federal government trifecta Democrats held in the 117th.[1]
This congress also features the first female Senate president pro tempore (Patty Murray), the first Black party leader (Hakeem Jeffries) in congressional history, and the longest-serving Senate party leaders (Mitch McConnell and Dick Durbin).[c] The Senate has the highest number of Independent members in a single Congress since the ratification of the 17th Amendment after Joe Manchin left the Democratic Party to become an Independent.[2] This is the latest congress with a Democratic senator from West Virginia, Montana and Ohio.
The 118th Congress was characterized as a uniquely ineffectual Congress, with its most notable events pointing towards political dysfunction.[3] The intense gridlock, particularly in the Republican-controlled House, where the Republican Conference's majority was often undercut by internal disputes among its members,[4] resulted in it passing the lowest number of laws for the first year of session since the Richard Nixon administration, and possibly ever.[5] By August 2024, the Congress has passed only 78 laws, less than a third of the next lowest laws per Congress in the 112th Congress, which also featured a Republican House opposing the Democratic Senate and White House.[6] This resulted in the need for a legislative coalition to pass key legislation allowing the minority to exercise powers usually reserved for the majority. The fractious session demotivated many veteran legislators, with five committee chairs among the dozens declaring resignations before the end of the session, three of whom were eligible to reprise their positions if the Republican Party retained their majority for 2025.[7] A higher-than-average number of retiring lawmakers were those attempting to pass bipartisan and collaborative legislation.[8] Two complete discharge petitions were filed in late 2024, both Republican-led with majority Democratic support, demonstrating a trend towards bucking leadership and lack of party discipline;[9] such a gambit was last successful in 2015 to support the Export–Import Bank. The second of these, a bill to remove certain Social Security restrictions, was subject to an unusual legislative procedure when a chair pro forma called forth a motion to table on a bill while the chamber was empty, flouting House convention and agreements.[10]
The Congress began with a multi-ballot election for Speaker of the House, which had not happened since the 68th Congress in 1923. Kevin McCarthy was eventually elected speaker on the 15th ballot. After relying on bipartisan votes to get out of a debt ceiling crisis and government shutdown threats, McCarthy became the first speaker to ever be removed from the role during a legislative session on October 3, 2023.[11] Following three failed attempts by various representatives to fill the post, on October 25, Mike Johnson was elected as speaker. Johnson would advance four more bipartisan continuing resolutions from November into March to avoid shutdowns.[12][13] Congress finalized the 2024 United States federal budget on March 23, 2024, through two separate minibus packages.[14] Following a contentious foreign-aid vote, a motion to remove Johnson from the speakership was defeated in a bipartisan vote.[15]
Partisan disciplinary actions have also increased. With the expulsion of New York representative George Santos from the House in December 2023 over the opposition of the speaker, this was the first congress since the 107th in which a member was expelled, and the first ever in which a Republican was. There was also an increase of censures passed in the House,[16] being the first congress with multiple censures since the 1983 congressional page sex scandal and the most in one year since 1870. In December 2023, House Republicans authorized an impeachment inquiry into Joe Biden,[17] followed by the impeachment of Alejandro Mayorkas in February 2024, the first time a cabinet secretary has been the target of impeachment proceedings since William W. Belknap in 1876, and only the second such cabinet impeachment in history.[18][19] The charges were dismissed by the Senate, the first time the Senate dismissed impeachment articles without trial after the reading.[20]
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| Party (shading shows control) |
Total | Vacant | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Independent[d] | Republican | |||
| End of previous Congress[e] | 48 | 2 | 50 | 100 | 0 |
| Begin (January 3, 2023) | 48 | 3 | 49 | 100 | 0 |
| January 8, 2023[f] | 48 | 99 | 1 | ||
| January 23, 2023[f] | 49 | 100 | 0 | ||
| September 29, 2023[g] | 47 | 99 | 1 | ||
| October 3, 2023[g] | 48 | 100 | 0 | ||
| May 31, 2024[h][55] | 47 | 4 | |||
| August 20, 2024[i] | 46 | 99 | 1 | ||
| September 9, 2024[i] | 47 | 100 | 0 | ||
| Last voting share | 51% | 49% | |||
| Beginning of the next Congress | 45 | 2 | 52 | 99 | 1 |
|
| Party (shading shows control) |
Total | Vacant | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Republican | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| End of previous Congress | 216 | 213 | 429 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Begin (January 3, 2023)[j] | 212 | 222 | 434 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| March 7, 2023[j] | 213 | 435 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| May 31, 2023[k] | 212 | 434 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| September 15, 2023[l] | 221 | 433 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| November 13, 2023[k] | 213 | 434 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| November 28, 2023[l] | 222 | 435 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| December 1, 2023[m] | 221 | 434 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| December 31, 2023[n] | 220 | 433 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| January 21, 2024[o] | 219 | 432 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| February 2, 2024[p] | 212 | 431 | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| February 28, 2024[m] | 213 | 432 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| March 22, 2024[q] | 218 | 431 | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| April 20, 2024[r] | 217 | 430 | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| April 24, 2024[s] | 212 | 429 | 6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| May 6, 2024[p] | 213 | 430 | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| June 3, 2024[n] | 218 | 431 | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| June 25, 2024[o] | 219 | 432 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| July 8, 2024[q] | 220 | 433 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| July 19, 2024[t] | 212 | 432 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| August 21, 2024[u] | 211 | 431 | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| September 23, 2024[s] | 212 | 432 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| November 12, 2024[t][r] | 213 | 221 | 434 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| November 13, 2024[v] | 220 | 433 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| December 8, 2024[w][x] | 211 | 431 | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| December 14, 2024[y] | 219 | 430 | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| December 31, 2024[z] | 210 | 429 | 6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last voting share | 48.95% | 51.05% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Non-voting members | 3 | 2[aa] | 5 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Beginning of the next Congress | 215 | 219 | 434 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Note: Democrats refer to themselves as a "caucus"; Republicans refer to themselves as a "conference".
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The numbers refer to their Senate classes. All class 3 seats were contested in the November 2022 elections. In this Congress, class 3 means their term commenced in 2023, requiring re-election in 2028; class 1 means their term ends with this Congress, requiring re-election in 2024; and class 2 means their term began in the last Congress, requiring re-election in 2026.
All 435 seats were filled by election in November 2022. Additionally, six non-voting members were elected from the American territories and Washington, D.C.[ad]
The numbers refer to the congressional district of the given state in this Congress. Eight new congressional districts were created or re-created, while eight others were eliminated, as a result of the 2020 United States census.[ae][af]
| State (class) |
Vacated by | Reason for change | Successor | Date of successor's formal installation[ag] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nebraska (2) |
Ben Sasse (R) |
Incumbent resigned January 8, 2023, to become the president of the University of Florida.[52] Successor was appointed January 12, 2023, to continue the term.[70] Appointee was later elected to finish the term ending January 3, 2027.[71] |
Pete Ricketts (R) |
January 23, 2023 |
| California (1) |
Dianne Feinstein (D) |
Incumbent died September 29, 2023.[53] Successor was appointed October 1, 2023, to continue the term.[72] |
Laphonza Butler (D) |
October 3, 2023 |
| West Virginia (1) |
Joe Manchin (D) |
Incumbent changed party May 31, 2024.[41] | Joe Manchin (I) |
N/A |
| New Jersey (1) |
Bob Menendez (D) |
Incumbent resigned August 20, 2024, due to criminal conviction.[73] Successor was appointed August 23, 2024, to finish the term ending with this Congress.[74] |
George Helmy (D) |
September 9, 2024 |
| New Jersey (1) |
George Helmy (D) |
Appointee resigned December 8, 2024,[68] to allow successor to take office early.[74] Successor was appointed December 8, 2024, having already been elected to the next term. |
Andy Kim (D) |
December 9, 2024 |
| California (1) |
Laphonza Butler (D) |
Appointee resigned December 8, 2024, to allow successor to take office early.[75][76] Successor was appointed having already been elected to finish the term ending with this Congress.[77] |
Adam Schiff (D) |
December 9, 2024 |
| District | Vacated by | Reason for change | Successor | Date of successor's formal installation[ag] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia 4 | Vacant | Incumbent Donald McEachin (D) died November 28, 2022, before the beginning of this Congress. A special election was held on February 21, 2023.[78] |
Jennifer McClellan (D) |
March 7, 2023 |
| Rhode Island 1 | David Cicilline (D) |
Incumbent resigned May 31, 2023, to become CEO of the Rhode Island Foundation. A special election was held on November 7, 2023.[59] |
Gabe Amo (D) |
November 13, 2023 |
| Utah 2 | Chris Stewart (R) |
Incumbent resigned September 15, 2023, due to his wife's health issues. A special election was held on November 21, 2023.[61] |
Celeste Maloy (R) |
November 28, 2023 |
| New York 3 | George Santos (R) |
Incumbent expelled December 1, 2023.[79] A special election was held on February 13, 2024. |
Tom Suozzi (D) |
February 28, 2024 |
| California 20 | Kevin McCarthy (R) |
Incumbent resigned December 31, 2023.[80] A special election was held on May 21, 2024. |
Vince Fong (R) |
June 3, 2024 |
| Ohio 6 | Bill Johnson (R) |
Incumbent resigned January 21, 2024, to become president of Youngstown State University.[81][82] A special election was held on June 11, 2024. |
Michael Rulli (R) |
June 25, 2024 |
| New York 26 | Brian Higgins (D) |
Incumbent resigned February 2, 2024, to become president of Shea's Performing Arts Center.[83] A special election was held on April 30, 2024.[84] |
Tim Kennedy (D) |
May 6, 2024 |
| Colorado 4 | Ken Buck (R) |
Incumbent resigned March 22, 2024.[85] A special election was held on June 25, 2024. |
Greg Lopez (R) |
July 8, 2024 |
| Wisconsin 8 | Mike Gallagher (R) |
Incumbent resigned April 20, 2024.[86] A special election was held on November 5, 2024.[87] |
Tony Wied (R) |
November 12, 2024 |
| New Jersey 10 | Donald Payne Jr. (D) |
Incumbent died April 24, 2024.[88] A special election was held on September 18, 2024. |
LaMonica McIver (D) |
September 23, 2024 |
| Texas 18 | Sheila Jackson Lee (D) |
Incumbent died July 19, 2024.[89] A special election was held on November 5, 2024. |
Erica Lee Carter (D) |
November 12, 2024 |
| New Jersey 9 | Bill Pascrell (D) |
Incumbent died August 21, 2024.[90] | Vacant until the next Congress | |
| Florida 1 | Matt Gaetz (R) |
Incumbent resigned November 13, 2024, after being nominated for U.S. Attorney General, but withdrew from consideration on November 21, 2024.[91] | ||
| New Jersey 3 | Andy Kim (D) |
Incumbent resigned December 8, 2024,[68] after being elected to the U.S. Senate and appointed to take office early.[92] | ||
| California 30 | Adam Schiff (D) |
Incumbent resigned December 8, 2024,[75] after being elected to the U.S. Senate in a special election.[93] | ||
| North Dakota at-large |
Kelly Armstrong (R) |
Incumbent resigned December 14, 2024, after being elected Governor of North Dakota.[94] | ||
| North Carolina 14 | Jeff Jackson (D) |
Incumbent resigned December 31, 2024, after being elected Attorney General of North Carolina.[95] | ||
| Puerto Rico at-large |
Jenniffer González-Colón (NPP/R) |
Incumbent resigned January 2, 2025, after being elected Governor of Puerto Rico. | ||
Section contents: Senate, House, Joint
| Committee | Chair | Ranking Member/Vice Chair |
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry | Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) | John Boozman (R-AR) |
| Appropriations | Patty Murray (D-WA) | Susan Collins (R-ME) |
| Armed Services | Jack Reed (D-RI) | Roger Wicker (R-MS) |
| Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs | Sherrod Brown (D-OH) | Tim Scott (R-SC) |
| Budget | Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) | Chuck Grassley (R-IA) |
| Commerce, Science and Transportation | Maria Cantwell (D-WA) | Ted Cruz (R-TX) |
| Energy and Natural Resources | Joe Manchin (I-WV) (Democrat until May 31, 2024) | John Barrasso (R-WY) |
| Environment and Public Works | Tom Carper (D-DE) | Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) |
| Finance | Ron Wyden (D-OR) | Mike Crapo (R-ID) |
| Foreign Relations | Bob Menendez (D-NJ) until September 22, 2023 Ben Cardin (D-MD) from September 25, 2023 |
Jim Risch (R-ID) |
| Health, Education, Labor and Pensions | Bernie Sanders (I-VT) | Bill Cassidy (R-LA) |
| Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs | Gary Peters (D-MI) | Rand Paul (R-KY) |
| Judiciary | Dick Durbin (D-IL) | Lindsey Graham (R-SC) |
| Rules and Administration | Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) | Deb Fischer (R-NE) |
| Small Business and Entrepreneurship | Ben Cardin (D-MD) until September 25, 2023 Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) from September 27, 2023 |
Joni Ernst (R-IA) |
| Veterans' Affairs | Jon Tester (D-MT) | Jerry Moran (R-KS) |
| Committee | Chair | Ranking Member/Vice Chair |
|---|---|---|
| Aging (Special) | Bob Casey Jr. (D-PA) | Mike Braun (R-IN) |
| Ethics (Select) | Chris Coons (D-DE) | James Lankford (R-OK) |
| Indian Affairs (Permanent Select) | Brian Schatz (D-HI) | Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) |
| Intelligence (Select) | Mark Warner (D-VA) | Marco Rubio (R-FL) |
| International Narcotics Control (Permanent Caucus) | Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) | Chuck Grassley (R-IA) |
| Committee | Chair | Ranking Member |
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture | Glenn Thompson (R-PA) | David Scott (D-GA) |
| Appropriations | Kay Granger (R-TX) until April 10, 2024 Tom Cole (R-OK) from April 10, 2024 |
Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) |
| Armed Services | Mike Rogers (R-AL) | Adam Smith (D-WA) |
| Budget | Jodey Arrington (R-TX) | Brendan Boyle (D-PA) |
| Education and the Workforce | Virginia Foxx (R-NC) | Bobby Scott (D-VA) |
| Energy and Commerce | Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) | Frank Pallone (D-NJ) |
| Ethics | Michael Guest (R-MS) | Susan Wild (D-PA) |
| Financial Services | Patrick McHenry (R-NC) | Maxine Waters (D-CA) |
| Foreign Affairs | Michael McCaul (R-TX) | Gregory Meeks (D-NY) |
| Homeland Security | Mark Green (R-TN) | Bennie Thompson (D-MS) |
| House Administration | Bryan Steil (R-WI) | Joe Morelle (D-NY) |
| Intelligence (Permanent Select) | Mike Turner (R-OH) | Jim Himes (D-CT) |
| Judiciary | Jim Jordan (R-OH) | Jerry Nadler (D-NY) |
| Natural Resources | Bruce Westerman (R-AR) | Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ) |
| Oversight and Reform | James Comer (R-KY) | Jamie Raskin (D-MD) |
| Rules | Tom Cole (R-OK) until April 10, 2024 Michael C. Burgess (R-TX) from April 10, 2024 |
Jim McGovern (D-MA) |
| Science, Space and Technology | Frank Lucas (R- OK) | Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) |
| Small Business | Roger Williams (R-TX) | Nydia Velázquez (D-NY) |
| Transportation and Infrastructure | Sam Graves (R-MO) | Rick Larsen (D-WA) |
| Veterans' Affairs | Mike Bost (R-IL) | Mark Takano (D-CA) |
| Ways and Means | Jason Smith (R-MO) | Richard Neal (D-MA) |
| Committee | Chair | Vice Chair | Ranking Member | Vice Ranking Member |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economic | Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM) | Rep. David Schweikert (R-AZ) | Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) | Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) |
| Inaugural Ceremonies (Special) | Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) | Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) | Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) | Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE) |
| Library | Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) | Rep. Bryan Steil (R-WI) | Rep. Joe Morelle (D-NY) | Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE) |
| Printing | Rep. Bryan Steil (R-WI) | Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) | Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE) | Rep. Joe Morelle (D-NY) |
| Taxation[ah] | Rep. Jason Smith (R-MO) | Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) | Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID) | Rep. Richard Neal (D-MA) |
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