101st United States Congress
The 101st 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, 1989, to January 3, 1991, during the final weeks of Ronald Reagan's presidency and the first two years of George H. W. Bush's presidency.
The apportionment of seats in this House of Representatives was based on the 1980 United States census. Both chambers maintained a Democratic majority.
Major events
- January 20, 1989: George H. W. Bush became President of the United States
- February 9, 1989: President Bush addressed a joint session of Congress
- February 23, 1989: Senate Armed Services Committee rejected President Bush's nomination of John Tower for Secretary of Defense
- March 24, 1989: Exxon Valdez oil spill
- December 20, 1989: Operation Just Cause launched to overthrow Panamanian leader Manuel Noriega
Major legislation
Enacted
- April 10, 1989: Whistleblower Protection Act,,
- August 9, 1989: Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act of 1989,,
- October 28, 1989: Flag Protection Act of 1989,,
- May 22, 1990: Biological Weapons Anti-Terrorism Act of 1989,,
- July 26, 1990: Americans with Disabilities Act,,
- August 18, 1990: Oil Pollution Act of 1990,,
- August 18, 1990: Ryan White CARE Act of 1990,,
- September 25, 1990: Hotel and Motel Fire Safety Act of 1990,,
- October 30, 1990: Native American Languages Act of 1990,,
- October 30, 1990: Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1990.,
- November 5, 1990: Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990,,
- November 12, 1990: Water Resources Development Act of 1990,
- November 15, 1990: Administrative Dispute Resolution Act,,
- November 15, 1990: Spark M. Matsunaga Hydrogen Research, Development, and Demonstration Act of 1990,,
- November 16, 1990: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act,,
- November 16, 1990: Global Change Research Act of 1990,,
- November 28, 1990: Tongass Timber Reform Act,
- November 28, 1990: Food and Drug Administration Revitalization Act,,
- November 29, 1990: Negotiated Rulemaking Act,,
- November 29, 1990: Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990,,
- November 29, 1990: Immigration Act of 1990,,
- November 29, 1990: Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990,,
- December 1, 1990: Judicial Improvements Act of 1990,,
Vetoed
- October 22, 1990: Civil Rights Act of 1990,. Override attempt failed in Senate, 66-34.
Treaties ratified
- March 1, 1989: Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works, an international treaty on copyrights, ratified
Party summary
Senate
House of Representatives
Leadership
Senate
- President: George H. W. Bush, until January 20, 1989
- * Dan Quayle, from January 20, 1989
- President pro tempore: Robert Byrd
Democratic majority
- Majority Leader: George J. Mitchell
- Majority Whip: Alan Cranston
- Policy Committee Co-Chair: Harry Reid
- Democratic Caucus Secretary: David Pryor
- Democratic Campaign Committee Chairman: John Breaux
- Chief Deputy Whip: Alan J. Dixon
Republican minority
- Minority Leader: Bob Dole
- Minority Whip: Alan K. Simpson
- Republican Conference Chairman: John Chafee
- Republican Conference Secretary: Thad Cochran
- National Senatorial Committee Chair: Don Nickles
- Policy Committee Chairman: William L. Armstrong
House of Representatives
- Speaker: Jim Wright, until June 6, 1989
- * Tom Foley, from June 6, 1989
Democratic majority
- Majority Leader: Tom Foley, until June 6, 1989
- * Dick Gephardt, from June 6, 1989
- Majority Whip: Tony Coelho, until June 15, 1989
- * William H. Gray III, from June 15, 1989
- Chief Deputy Majority Whip: David Bonior
- Democratic Caucus Chairman: William H. Gray III, until June 15, 1989
- * Steny Hoyer, from June 15, 1989
- Democratic Caucus Vice-Chairman: Steny Hoyer, until June 21, 1989
- * Vic Fazio, from June 21, 1989
- Democratic Campaign Committee Chairman: Beryl Anthony Jr.
Republican minority
- Minority Leader: Robert H. Michel
- Minority Whip: Dick Cheney, until March 20, 1989
- * Newt Gingrich, from March 20, 1989
- Chief Deputy Whip: Robert Smith Walker
- Republican Conference Chairman: Jerry Lewis
- Republican Conference Vice-Chairman: Bill McCollum
- Republican Conference Secretary: Vin Weber
- Policy Committee Chairman: Mickey Edwards
- Republican Campaign Committee Chairman: Guy Vander Jagt
Caucuses
- Congressional Arts Caucus
- Congressional Automotive Caucus
- Biomedical Research Caucus
- Congressional Black Caucus
- Congressional Fire Services Caucus
- Congressional Friends of Ireland Caucus
- Congressional Hispanic Caucus
- Congressional Pediatric & Adult Hydrocephalus Caucus
- Congressional Travel & Tourism Caucus
- Congresswomen's Caucus
- House Democratic Caucus
- Senate Democratic Caucus
Members