105th United States Congress
The 105th 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, DC from January 3, 1997, to January 3, 1999, during the fifth and sixth years of Bill Clinton's presidency. Apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the 1990 [United States census].
This is the most recent Congress with a Republican senator from New York, Al D'Amato, who lost re-election in 1998, and a Democratic senator from Kentucky, Wendell Ford, who retired at the end of the Congress.
Both chambers retained a Republican majority. President Clinton was impeached by the US House of Representatives of the 105th Congress.
Major events
- January 20, 1997: President Bill Clinton began his second term
- May 18, 1998: United States v. Microsoft decision
- August 7, 1998: 1998 United States embassy bombings
- October 8, 1998: Impeachment of Bill Clinton: House opened an impeachment inquiry against Bill Clinton after Clinton denied that he engaged in a sexual relationship with Monica Lewinsky in a sexual harassment lawsuit filed by Paula Jones.
- December 15, 1998: Impeachment of Bill Clinton: House Judiciary Committee approved all four articles of impeachment against Clinton.
- December 19, 1998: Impeachment of Bill Clinton: House impeached President Clinton.
Major legislation
- June 18, 1997: Volunteer Protection Act of 1997
- August 5, 1997: Balanced Budget Act of 1997
- August 5, 1997: Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997
- November 19, 1997; Adoption and Safe Families Act
- November 21, 1997 Food and Drug Administration Modernization Act of 1997
- December 16, 1997: No Electronic Theft (NET) Act of 1997
- June 9, 1998: Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century
- June 23, 1998: Agricultural Research, Extension, and Educational Reform Act of 1998
- July 22, 1998: Internal Revenue Service Restructuring and Reform Act of 1998
- August 7, 1998: Credit Union Membership Access Act
- August 7, 1998: Workforce Investment Act of 1998
- August 13, 1998: Biomaterials Access Assurance Act of 1998
- October 21, 1998: Children's Online Privacy Protection Act
- October 27, 1998: International Religious Freedom Act of 1998
- October 27, 1998: Copyright Term Extension Act
- October 28, 1998: Digital Millennium Copyright Act
- October 31, 1998: Iraq Liberation Act
- November 3, 1998: Securities Litigation Uniform Standards Act of 1998
Major resolutions
- July 1997: Byrd–Hagel Resolution
- December 19, 1998: Impeachment of Bill Clinton,
Party summary
Senate
There was no change in the parties during this Congress.Leadership
Senate
- President of [the United States Senate|President]: Al Gore
- President pro tempore of [the United States Senate|President pro tempore]: Strom Thurmond
Majority (Republican) leadership
- Majority Leader: Trent Lott
- Majority Whip: Don Nickles
- Republican Conference Chairman: Connie Mack III
- Republican Conference Vice-Chairman: Paul Coverdell
- Policy Committee Chairman: Larry Craig
- Republican Campaign Committee Chairman: Mitch McConnell
Minority (Democratic) leadership
- Minority Leader: Tom Daschle
- Minority Whip: Wendell Ford
- Democratic Conference Chairman: Tom Daschle
- Democratic Conference Secretary: Barbara Mikulski
- Policy Committee Co-Chairs: Tom Daschle and Harry Reid
- Democratic Campaign Committee Chairman: Bob Kerrey
- Chief Deputy Whip: John Breaux
House of Representatives
Majority (Republican) leadership
- Majority Leader: Dick Armey
- Majority Whip: Tom DeLay
- Chief Deputy Whip: Dennis Hastert
- Republican Conference Chairman: John Boehner
- Republican Conference Vice-Chairman: Susan Molinari, until July 17, 1997
- * Jennifer Dunn, after July 17, 1997
- Republican Conference Secretary: Jennifer Dunn, until July 17, 1997
- * Tillie Fowler, after July 17, 1997
- Policy Committee Chairman: Christopher Cox
- Republican Campaign Committee Chairman: John Linder
Minority (Democratic) leadership
- Minority Leader: Dick Gephardt
- Minority Whip: David Bonior
- Chief Deputy Minority Whips: Rosa DeLauro, Chet Edwards, John Lewis, & Bob Menendez
- Democratic Caucus Chairman: Vic Fazio
- Democratic Caucus Vice-Chairman: Barbara B. Kennelly
- Democratic Campaign Committee Chairman: Martin Frost
Caucuses
- Armenian Caucus
- Biomedical Research Caucus
- Congressional Air Force Caucus
- Congressional Arts Caucus
- Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus
- Congressional Automotive Caucus
- Congressional Bike Caucus
- Congressional Black Caucus
- Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans
- Congressional Caucus on Korea
- Congressional Fire Services Caucus
- Congressional Friends of Ireland Caucus
- Congressional Hispanic Caucus
- Congressional Mississippi River Caucus
- Congressional Motorsports Caucus
- Congressional Progressive Caucus
- Congressional Pediatric & Adult Hydrocephalus Caucus
- Congressional Portuguese-American Caucus
- Congressional Travel & Tourism Caucus
- Congressional Western Caucus
- Congresswomen's Caucus
- Hong Kong Caucus
- House Democratic Caucus
- House Recycling Caucus
- Hudson River Caucus
- Law Enforcement Caucus
- New Democrat Coalition
- Northern Border Caucus
- Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Caucus
- Senate Democratic Caucus
Members
Senate
In this Congress, Class 3 meant their term ended with this Congress, facing re-election in 1998; Class 1 meant their term began in the last Congress, facing re-election in 2000; and Class 2 meant their term began in this Congress, facing re-election in 2002.Delaware">List of United States senators from Delaware">Delaware
Kansas">List of United States senators from Kansas">Kansas
Mississippi">List of United States senators from Mississippi">Mississippi
New York">List of United States senators from New York">New York
South Carolina">List of United States senators from South Carolina">South Carolina
West Virginia">List of United States senators from West Virginia">West Virginia
House of Representatives
Representatives are listed by districts.Delaware">List of United States representatives from Delaware">Delaware
Kansas">List of United States representatives from Kansas">Kansas
Mississippi">List of United States representatives from Mississippi">Mississippi
New York">List of United States representatives from New York">New York
South Carolina">List of United States representatives from South Carolina">South Carolina
West Virginia">List of United States representatives from West Virginia">West Virginia
Changes in membership
Senate
There were no changes in Senate membership during this Congress.House of Representatives
Four members of the House of Representatives died, and four resigned.Committees
Senate
- Aging (Special)
- Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry
- * Forestry, Conservation and Rural Revitalization
- * Marketing Inspection and Product Promotion
- * Production and Price Competitiveness
- * Research, Nutrition and General Legislation
- Appropriations
- * Agriculture, Rural Development and Related Agencies
- * Commerce, Justice, State and Judiciary
- * Defense
- * District of Columbia
- * Energy and Water Development
- * Foreign Operations
- * Interior
- * Labor, Health, Human Services and Education
- * Legislative Branch
- * Military Construction
- * Transportation
- * Treasury and General Government
- * VA, HUD and Independent Agencies
- Armed Services
- * Acquisition and Technology
- * Airland Forces
- * Personnel
- * Readiness
- * Seapower
- * Strategic Forces
- Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs
- * Financial Institutions and Regulatory Relief
- * Financial Services and Technology
- * Housing Opportunity and Community Development
- * International Finance
- * Securities
- Budget
- Commerce, Science and Transportation
- * Aviation
- * Communications
- * Consumer Affairs, Foreign Commerce and Tourism
- * Manufacturing and Competitiveness
- * Oceans and Fisheries
- * Science, Technology and Space
- * Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine
- Energy and Natural Resources
- * Energy Research, Development, Production and Regulation
- * Forests and Public Land Management
- * National Parks, Historic Preservation and Recreation
- * Water and Power
- Environment and Public Works
- * Clean Air, Wetlands, Private Property and Nuclear Safety
- * Drinking Water, Fisheries and Wildlife
- * Superfund, Waste Control and Risk Assessment
- * Transportation and Infrastructure
- Ethics (Select)
- Finance
- * Health Care
- * International Trade
- * Long-Term Growth, Debt and Deficit Reduction
- * Social Security and Family Policy
- * Taxation and IRS Oversight
- Foreign Relations
- * African Affairs
- * East Asian and Pacific Affairs
- * European Affairs
- * International Economic Policy, Export and Trade Promotion
- * International Operations
- * Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs
- * Western Hemisphere, Peace Corps, Narcotics and Terrorism
- Governmental Affairs
- * International Security, Proliferation and Federal Services
- * Oversight of Government Management, Restructuring and the District of Columbia
- * Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations
- Indian Affairs (Select)
- Judiciary
- * Administrative Oversight and the Courts
- * Antitrust, Business Rights and Competition
- * Constitution, Federalism and Property Rights
- * Immigration
- * Technology, Terrorism and Government Information
- * Youth Violence
- Intelligence (Select)
- Labor and Human Resources
- * Aging
- * Children and Families
- * Employment and Training
- * Public Health and Safety
- Rules and Administration
- Small Business
- Veterans' Affairs
- Year 2000 Technology Problem (Select)
House of Representatives
- Agriculture
- * Departments Operations, Nutrition and Foreign Agriculture
- * Forestry, Resource Conservation and Research
- * General Farm Commodities
- * Livestock, Dairy and Poultry
- * Risk Management and Specialty Crops
- Appropriations
- * Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies
- * Commerce, Justice, State and Judiciary
- * District of Columbia
- * Energy and Water Development
- * Foreign Operations, Export Financing and Related Programs
- * Interior
- * Labor, Health, Human Services and Education
- * Legislative
- * Military Construction
- * National Security
- * Transportation
- * Treasury, Postal Service and General Government
- * VA, HUD and Independent Agencies
- Banking and Financial Services
- * Capital Markets, Securities and Government Sponsored Enterprises
- * Domestic and International Monetary Policy
- * Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit
- * General Oversight and Investigations
- * Housing and Community Opportunity
- Budget
- Commerce
- * Energy and Power
- * Finance and Hazardous Materials
- * Health and Environment
- * Oversight and Investigations
- * Telecommunications, Trade and Consumer Protection
- Education and the Workforce
- * Early Childhood, Youth and Families
- * Employer-Employee Relations
- * Oversight and Investigations
- * Postsecondary Education, Training and Life-Long Learning
- * Workforce Protections
- Government Reform and Oversight
- * Civil Service
- * District of Columbia
- * Government Management, Information and Technology
- * Human Resources
- * National Economic Growth, Natural Resources and Regulatory Affairs
- * National Security, International Affairs and Criminal Justice
- * Postal Service
- House Administration
- International Relations
- * Africa
- * Asia and the Pacific
- * International Operations and Human Rights
- * Western Hemisphere
- * International Economic Policy and Trade
- Judiciary
- * Commercial and Administrative Law
- * The Constitution
- * Courts and Intellectual Property
- * Crime
- * Immigration and Claims
- National Security
- * Military Installations and Facilities
- * Military Personnel
- * Military Procurement
- * Military Readiness
- * Military Research and Development
- * Special Oversight Panel on Morale, Welfare and Recreation
- * Special Oversight Panel on the Merchant Marine
- Resources
- * Energy and Mineral Resources
- * Fisheries Conservation, Wildlife and Oceans
- * National Parks and Public Lands
- * Forests and Forest Health
- * Water and Power
- Rules
- * Legislative and Budget Process
- * Rules and Organization of the House
- Science
- * Basic Research
- * Energy and Environment
- * Space and Aeronautics
- * Technology
- Small Business
- * Empowerment
- * Government Programs and Oversight
- * Regulatory Reform and Paperwork Reduction
- * Tax, Finance and Exports
- Standards of Official Conduct
- Transportation and Infrastructure
- * Aviation
- * Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation
- * Public Buildings and Economic Development
- * Railroads
- * Surface Transportation
- * Water Resources and Environment
- Veterans' Affairs
- * Benefits
- * Health
- * Oversight and Investigations
- Ways and Means
- * Health
- * Human Resources
- * Oversight
- * Social Security
- * Trade
- Whole
Joint committees
Employees
Legislative branch agency">List of federal agencies in the United States#United States Congress">Legislative branch agency directors
- Architect of the Capitol: William L. Ensign, until February 1997
- * Alan M. Hantman, starting February 1997
- Attending Physician of the United States Congress: John F. Eisold
- Comptroller General of the United States: vacant, until 1998
- * David M. Walker, from 1998
- Director of the Congressional Budget Office: June E. O'Neill
- Librarian of Congress: James H. Billington
- Public Printer of the United States: Michael F. DiMario
Senate
- Chaplain: Lloyd John Ogilvie
- Curator: Diane K. Skvarla
- Historian: Richard A. Baker
- Parliamentarian: Bob Dove
- Secretary: Gary Lee Sisco
- Librarian: Greg Harness
- Secretary for the Majority: Elizabeth B. Greene
- Secretary for the Minority: Martin P. Paone
- Sergeant at Arms: Gregory S. Casey, until November 9, 1998
- * James W. Ziglar, from November 9, 1998
House of Representatives
- Chaplain: James David Ford
- Chief Administrative Officer: Jeff Trandahl, until July 31, 1997
- * James M. Eagen III, from July 31, 1997
- Clerk: Robin H. Carle, until December 21, 1998
- * Jeff Trandahl, from January 1, 1999
- Parliamentarian: Charles W. Johnson
- Reading Clerks:
- * Meg Goetz, Mary Kevin Niland
- * Bob Berry along with Paul Hays
- Sergeant at Arms: Wilson Livingood
- Inspector General: John W. Lainhart IV