108th United States Congress

The 108th 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 from January 3, 2003, to January 3, 2005, during the third and fourth years of George W. Bush's presidency.
House members were elected in the 2002 general election on November 5, 2002. Senators were elected in three classes in the 1998 general election on November 3, 1998, 2000 general election on November 7, 2000, or 2002 general election on November 5, 2002. The apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the 2000 United States census.
This is the most recent Congress to have a Democratic senator from South Carolina, Fritz Hollings, who retired at the end of the Congress.
Both chambers had a Republican majority, with the Republicans slightly increasing their edge in the House, and regaining control of the Senate, after party control had switched back and forth during the 107th Congress due to various factors. With President Bush, this gave the Republicans an overall federal government trifecta.

Major events

February 1, 2003: Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated during reentry
March 20, 2003: 2003 invasion of Iraq began
April 14, 2003: Human Genome Project was completed
July 14, 2003: CIA leak scandal began
May 17, 2004: Same-sex marriage began in Massachusetts
July 22, 2004: 9/11 Commission issued an initial report of its findings
September 13, 2004: expiration of the Federal Assault Weapons Ban
November 2, 2004:
* 2004 United States presidential election: George W. Bush defeated Democratic challenger, Senator John Kerry from Massachusetts.
* United States Senate elections, 2004 & United States House of Representatives elections, 2004: Republicans increased their majorities in both houses.

Major legislation

Enacted

March 11, 2003: Do-Not-Call Implementation Act of 2003,
April 25, 2003: Trade Act,
April 30, 2003: PROTECT (Prosecutorial Remedies and Other Tools to end the Exploitation of Children Today) Act, including Illicit Drug Anti-Proliferation Act,
May 27, 2003: United States Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Act of 2003,
May 28, 2003: Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003,
May 29, 2003: Veterans' Memorial Preservation and Recognition Act of 2003,
June 25, 2003: Keeping Children and Families Safe Act of 2003,
September 4, 2003: Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003,
October 1, 2003: Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2004,
October 28, 2003: Check 21 Act,
November 5, 2003: Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act,
December 3, 2003: Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003,
December 3, 2003: 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act,
December 4, 2003: Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act,
December 6, 2003: Fairness to Contact Lens Consumers Act,
December 8, 2003: Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act,
December 12, 2003:Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act,
December 16, 2003: CAN-SPAM Act,
March 25, 2004: Unborn Victims of Violence Act,
June 30, 2004: Bunning-Bereuter-Blumenauer Flood Insurance Reform Act,
July 7, 2004: GAO Human Capital Reform Act of 2004,
July 21, 2004: Project BioShield Act of 2004,
October 18, 2004: North Korean Human Rights Act of 2004,
October 18, 2004: Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2005,
October 20, 2004: Belarus Democracy Act of 2004,
October 22, 2004: American Jobs Creation Act of 2004,
October 30, 2004: Crime Victims' Rights Act,
December 3, 2004: Internet Tax Nondiscrimination Act,
December 3, 2004: Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004,
December 8, 2004: Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2005,
December 10, 2004: Alaska Land Transfer Acceleration Act,
December 17, 2004: Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act,

Proposed, but not enacted

: Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act of 2003

Party summary

Senate

The party summary for the Senate remained the same during the entire 108th Congress.

House of Representatives

Due to resignations and special elections, Republicans lost a net of two seats to the Democrats. All seats were filled though special elections. ''''

Leadership

Senate

Majority (Republican) leadership

Minority (Democratic) leadership

House of Representatives

Speaker: Dennis Hastert

Majority (Republican) leadership

Minority (Democratic) leadership

Members

Senate

Senators are preceded by the class, In this Congress, Class 3 meant their term ended with this Congress, requiring reelection in 2004; Class 1 meant their term began in the last Congress, requiring reelection in 2006; and Class 2 meant their term began in this Congress, requiring reelection in 2008.

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 preceded by the district number.

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

Members who came and left during this Congress.

Senate

There were no changes in Senate membership during this Congress.

Committees

House of Representatives

Agriculture
* Conservation, Credit and Rural Development
* [United States House United States House Committee on Agriculture|Agriculture Subcommittee on Department Operations, United States House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Oversight|Oversight, Nutrition and Forestry|Department Operations, Oversight, Nutrition and Forestry]
* General Farm Commodities and Risk Management
* Livestock and Horticulture
* Specialty Crops and Foreign Agriculture Programs
Appropriations
* Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies
* Commerce, Justice, State and the Judiciary
* Defense
* District of Columbia
* [United States House Appropriations Subcommittee on United States House Science Subcommittee on Energy|Energy and Water Development|Energy and Water Development]
* Foreign Operations, Export Financing and Related Programs
* Homeland Security
* Interior
* Legislative
* Military Construction
* Transportation, Treasury and Independent Agencies
* VA, HUD and Independent Agencies
Armed Services
* Projection Forces
* Readiness
* Strategic Forces
* Tactical Air and Land Forces
* Terrorism, Unconventional Threats and Capabilities
* Total Force
Budget
Education and the Workforce
* Education Reform
* Employer-Employee Relations
* Select Education
* Workforce Protections
* 21st Century Competitiveness
Energy and Commerce
* Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection
* Energy and Air Quality
* Environment and Hazardous Materials
* Health
* Oversight and Investigations
* Telecommunications and the Internet
Financial Services
* Capital Markets, Insurance and Government-Sponsored Enterprises
* Domestic and International Monetary Policy, Trade and Technology
* Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit
* Housing and Community Opportunity
* Oversight and Investigations
Government Reform
* Civil Service and Agency Organization
* Criminal Justice, Drug Policy and Human Resources
* Energy Policy, Natural Resources and Regulatory Affairs
* Government Efficiency and Financial Management
* Human Rights and Wellness
* National Security, Emerging Threats and International Relations
* Technology, Information Policy, Intergovernmental Relations and the Census
House Administration
International Relations
* Africa
* Asia and the Pacific
* Europe
* International Terrorism, Nonproliferation and Human Rights
* The Middle East and Central Asia
* The Western Hemisphere
Judiciary
* Commercial and Administrative Law
* The Constitution
* Courts, The Internet and Intellectual Property
* Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security
* Immigration, Border Security and Claims
Resources
* Energy and Mineral Resources
* Fisheries Conservation, Wildlife and Oceans
* Forests and Forest Health
* National Parks, Recreation and Public Lands
* Water and Power
Rules
* The Legislative Process
* Technology and the House
Science
* Energy
* Environment, Technology and Standards
* Research
* Space and Aeronautics
Small Business
* Regulatory Reform and Oversight
* Rural Enterprises, Agriculture and Technology
* Tax, Finance and Exports
* Workforce, Empowerment and Government Programs
Standards of Official Conduct
Transportation and Infrastructure
* Aviation
* Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation
* Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management
* Highways, Transit and Pipelines
* Railroads
* Water Resources and Environment
Veterans' Affairs
* Benefits
* Health
* Oversight and Investigations
Ways and Means
* Health
* Human Resources
* Oversight
* Select Revenue Measures
* Social Security
* Trade
Whole

Joint committees

Employees

Legislative branch agency">List of federal agencies in the United States">Legislative branch agency directors

Architect of the Capitol: Alan M. Hantman
Attending Physician of the United States Congress: John F. Eisold
Comptroller General of the United States: David M. Walker
Director of the Congressional Budget Office: Barry B. Anderson, until February 5, 2003
* Douglas Holtz-Eakin, from February 5, 2003
Librarian of Congress: James H. Billington
Public Printer of the United States: Bruce James

Senate

Chaplain: Lloyd John Ogilvie, until March 15, 2003
* Barry C. Black, from July 7, 2003
Curator: Diane K. Skvarla
Historian: Richard A. Baker
Parliamentarian: Alan S. Frumin
Secretary: Emily J. Reynolds
Librarian: Greg Harness
Secretary for the Majority: David J. Schiappa
Secretary for the Minority: Martin P. Paone
Sergeant at Arms: Alfonso E. Lenhardt, until March 17, 2003
* William H. Pickle, from March 17, 2003

House of Representatives

Employees include:

Chaplain: Daniel P. Coughlin
Chief Administrative Officer: James M. Eagen III
Clerk: Jeff Trandahl
Inspector General: Steven McNamara
Parliamentarian: Charles W. Johnson III, until May 31, 2004
* John V. Sullivan, from May 31, 2004
Reading Clerks: Mary Kevin Niland ; Paul Hays
Sergeant at Arms: Wilson Livingood

Elections

Membership lists

List of new members of the 108th United States Congress