107th United States Congress
The 107th 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, 2001, to January 3, 2003, during the final weeks of the Clinton presidency and the first two years of the George W. Bush presidency. The apportionment of seats in this House of Representatives was based on the 1990 United States census.
The House of Representatives had a Republican majority throughout the session, while the Senate was tied 50–50 for only the second time in history resulting in numerous changes in the majority. Vice President Al Gore gave Democrats a majority for 17 days, then a Republican majority after Dick Cheney became Vice President on January 20, 2001. Senator Jim Jeffords became an independent who caucused with the Democrats on June 6, 2001, giving the party a 51–49 majority for the rest of the Congress.
When Bush was sworn in as president on January 20, the Republicans held a federal trifecta for the first time since the 83rd Congress in 1955.
Major events
A rare even split in the United States Senate, the defection of a Senator, and the inauguration of a new Vice President, led to three changes in majorities.- January 3, 2001: The 107th Congress officially begins, with the Senate split 50–50. Democrat Al Gore — the outgoing Vice President — briefly gives the Democrats a majority.
- January 3, 2001: First Lady Hillary Clinton, wife of outgoing President Bill Clinton, became the first, and, to date, only presidential spouse to hold political office.
- January 6, 2001: A joint session to count the presidential Electoral College votes of the 2000 presidential election.
- January 20, 2001: George W. Bush was sworn in as the 43rd President of the United States; simultaneously, Dick Cheney was sworn in as the 46th Vice President, giving Republicans a Senate majority.
- February 27, 2001: President Bush addressed a joint session of Congress.
- May 24, 2001: Senator Jim Jeffords left the Republican Party, becoming an independent who caucused with the Democrats, giving them a majority from June 6.
- September 11, 2001: The September 11 attacks occurred.
- September 20, 2001: President Bush addressed a joint session of Congress, announcing the investigation into the September 11 attacks.
- October 7, 2001: Operation Enduring Freedom began with airstrikes against the Taliban.
- October 9, 2001: Anthrax spores were mailed to, among others, two Senators, Majority Leader Tom Daschle and Patrick Leahy.
- December 2001: Accounting scandals arise from the financial practices of Enron and WorldCom.
- June 12, 2002: John Howard, the Prime Minister of Australia, addressed a joint session of Congress. The address was originally scheduled for September 12, 2001, but was postponed after the September 11 attacks.
- September 6, 2002: Over 300 members of both houses of Congress meet in Federal Hall, New York City, to mark the first anniversary of the September 11 attacks and memorialize the victims.
- October 25, 2002: Senator Paul Wellstone, dies in a plane crash, and non-caucusing Independence Party member Dean Barkley is appointed to hold the seat until a special election was held.
- November 23, 2002: Jim Talent wins the United States Senate special election for a Missouri seat, giving Republicans the majority once again.
Major legislation
- June 7, 2001: Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act,,
- September 18, 2001: Authorization for Use of Military Force of 2001,
- September 22, 2001: Air Transportation Safety and System Stabilization Act,
- September 28, 2001: Jordan–United States Free Trade Agreement,
- October 26, 2001: "USA PATRIOT" Act,,
- October 27, 2001: International Money Laundering Abatement and Financial Anti-Terrorism Act of 2001,
- November 19, 2001: Aviation and Transportation Security Act,
- December 18, 2001: MD-Care Act,
- December 21, 2001: Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act of 2001,
- January 8, 2002: No Child Left Behind Act,,
- January 8, 2002: District of Columbia Police Coordination Amendment Act of 2001,
- January 11, 2002: Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act,,
- March 9, 2002: Job Creation and Worker Assistance Act,,
- March 27, 2002: Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act,,
- May 13, 2002: Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002,,
- May 14, 2002: Hematological Cancer Research Investment and Education Act,
- May 14, 2002: Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act of 2002,
- May 15, 2002: Notification and Federal Employee Antidiscrimination and Retaliation Act of 2002,
- July 30, 2002: Sarbanes–Oxley Act,,
- August 5, 2002: Born-Alive Infants Protection Act of 2002,
- August 6, 2002: Trade Act of 2002,,
- October 1, 2002: National Construction Safety Team Act,
- October 16, 2002: Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq,,
- October 21, 2002: Sudan Peace Act,,
- October 29, 2002: Help America Vote Act,,
- November 6, 2002: Rare Diseases Act of 2002,
- November 25, 2002: Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002,
- November 25, 2002: Homeland Security Act,,
- November 26, 2002: Terrorism Risk Insurance Act of 2002,
- December 17, 2002: E-Government Act of 2002,,
Party summary
Senate
House of Representatives
Leadership
Senate
- President: Al Gore, until January 20, 2001
- * Dick Cheney, from January 20, 2001
- President pro tempore: Robert Byrd, until January 20, 2001
- * Strom Thurmond, January 20 – June 6, 2001
- * Robert Byrd, from June 6, 2001
Republican leadership
- Minority Leader: Trent Lott, until January 20, 2001, and from June 6, 2001
- * Majority leader January 20 – June 6, 2001
- Minority Whip: Don Nickles, until January 20, 2001, and from June 6, 2001
- * Majority whip January 20 – June 6, 2001
- Republican Conference Chairman: Rick Santorum
- Republican Conference Secretary: Kay Bailey Hutchison
- Republican Campaign Committee Chair: Bill Frist
- Republican Policy Committee Chairman: Larry Craig
Democratic leadership
- Majority Leader: Tom Daschle, until January 20, 2001, and from June 6, 2001
- * Minority leader January 20 – June 6, 2001
- Majority Whip: Harry Reid, until January 20, 2001, and from June 6, 2001
- * Minority whip January 20 – June 6, 2001
- Democratic Policy Committee Chairman: Byron Dorgan
- Democratic Conference Secretary: Barbara Mikulski
- Democratic Campaign Committee Chairman: Patty Murray
- Democratic Chief Deputy Whip: John Breaux
House of Representatives
- Speaker: Dennis Hastert
Majority (Republican) leadership
- Majority Leader: Dick Armey
- Majority Whip: Tom DeLay
- Chief Deputy Whip: Roy Blunt
- Republican Conference Chairman: J. C. Watts
- Republican Conference Vice-Chairman: Deborah Pryce
- Republican Conference Secretary: Barbara Cubin
- Policy Committee Chairman: Christopher Cox
- Republican Campaign Committee Chairman: Thomas M. Davis
- House Rules Committee Chairman: David Dreier
Minority (Democratic) leadership
- Minority Leader: Dick Gephardt
- Minority Whip: David E. Bonior, until January 15, 2002
- * Nancy Pelosi, from January 15, 2002
- Chief Deputy Minority Whips: John Lewis, Ed Pastor, Max Sandlin & Maxine Waters
- Democratic Caucus Chairman: Martin Frost
- Democratic Caucus Vice Chairman: Bob Menendez
- Democratic Campaign Committee Chairman: Nita Lowey
Members