109th United States Congress

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109th United States Congress

Speaker Hastert (2006)

Duration: January 3, 2005 – January 3, 2007

President of the Senate: Dick Cheney (R)
President pro tempore: Ted Stevens (R)
Speaker of the House: Dennis Hastert (R)
Members: 100 Senators
435 Representatives
5 Non-voting members
Senate Majority: Republican Party
House Majority: Republican Party

Sessions
1st: January 4, 2005 – December 22, 2005
2nd: January 3, 2006 – December 8, 2006
<108th 110th>

The 109th United States Congress was the legislative branch of the United States, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives, 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 November 4, 2004. Senators were elected in three classes in the 2000 general election on November 7, 2000, 2002 general election on November 5, 2002, or 2004 general election on November 4, 2004. 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

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.

This Congress met for 242 days, the fewest since World War II and 12 days fewer than the 80th Congress.123 As the Congress neared its conclusion, some commentators labelled this the "Do Nothing Congress," 45617 a pejorative originally given to the 80th United States Congress by President Harry Truman.

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

Major legislation

Enacted

Proposed, but not enacted

Hearings

See also: Congressional hearing

Party summary

Senate

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

Affiliation Party
(shading indicates majority caucus)
Total
     
Republican Democratic Independent
Members 55 44 1 100
Voting share 55% 45%
Notes Caucused with
the Democrats

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 Party
(shading indicates majority caucus)
Total
       
Republican Democratic Independent Vacant
Begin (January 3, 2005) 232 201 1 434 1
March 10, 2005 202 435 0
April 29, 2005 231 434 1
August 2, 2005 230 433 2
September 6, 2005 231 434 1
December 1, 2005 230 433 2
December 7, 2005 231 434 1
January 16, 2006 201 433 2
June 9, 2006 230 432 3
June 13, 2006 231 433 2
September 29, 2006 230 432 3
November 3, 2006 229 431 4
November 13, 2006 230 202 433 2
December 31, 2006 229 432 3
Final voting share 53% 47%
Notes Caucused with
the Democrats
Non-voting members 1 4 0 5 0

Leadership

Senate

Majority (Republican) leadership

Minority (Democratic) leadership

House of Representatives

Majority (Republican) leadership

Minority (Democratic) leadership

Members

Senate

See also: Category:United States Senators
See also: Category:United States Congressional Delegations by state
Senators' party membership by state

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

House of Representatives

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

Alabama

(5-2 Republican)

Alaska

(1 Republican)

Arizona

(6-2 Republican)

Arkansas

(3-1 Democratic)

California

(33-20 Democratic)