110th United States Congress
The 110th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, between January 3, 2007, and January 3, 2009, during the last two years of the Presidency of George W. Bush. It was composed of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The apportionment of seats in the House was based on the 2000 U.S. census.
The Democratic Party won a majority in both chambers, giving them full control of Congress for the first time since the 103rd Congress in 1993, which was also the previous time they controlled the House.
Officially in the Senate, there were 49 Democrats, 49 Republicans, and two independents, but because both of the independents caucused with the Democrats, this gave the Democrats an operational majority. No Democratic-held seats had fallen to the Republican Party in the 2006 elections.
This is the most recent Congress to feature Republican senators from Minnesota, New Mexico and Oregon, in which Domenici retired and the other two lost re-election at the end of the Congress.
Democrat Nancy Pelosi became the first female speaker of the House. The House also received the first Muslim and Buddhist members of Congress.
Major events
Members debated initiatives such as the Democrats' 100-Hour Plan and the Iraq War troop surge of 2007|troop surge] of 2007.Support for the Iraq War
Following President Bush's 2007 State of the Union Address, Congress debated his proposal to create a troop surge to increase security in Iraq. The House of Representatives passed a non-binding measure opposing the surge and then a $124 billion emergency spending measure to fund the war, which included language that dictated troop levels and withdrawal schedules. President Bush, however, vetoed the bill as promised, making this his second veto while in office. Both houses of Congress subsequently passed a bill funding the war without timelines, but with benchmarks for the Iraqi government and money for other spending projects like disaster relief.Other events
- January 23, 2007: President Bush delivered the 2007 State of the Union Address
- August 2, 2007: The Republican minority disputed the results of a vote to recommit. This led to an investigation by the House Select Committee on Voting Irregularities.
- December 18, 2007: The Senate set a record for the most cloture votes.
- January 2008: Start of the Great Recession
- January 28, 2008: President Bush delivered the 2008 State of the Union Address
- September 15, 2008: The 2008 financial crisis culminates in the Bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers.
- November 4, 2008: General elections - Democrats increased their congressional majorities and Senator Barack Obama was elected president.
Major legislation
| Contents: Enacted Pending or failed Vetoed |
These are partial lists of prominent enacted legislation and pending bills.
Enacted
- February 2, 2007– House Page Board Revision Act of 2007,,
- May 25, 2007– U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Care, Katrina Recovery, and Iraq Accountability Appropriations Act, 2007,,, including Title VIII: Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007,
- June 14, 2007– Preserving United States Attorney Independence Act of 2007,,
- July 26, 2007– Foreign Investment and National Security Act of 2007,,
- August 3, 2007– Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007,,
- August 5, 2007 — Protect America Act of 2007,,
- August 9, 2007 --- America COMPETES Act,
- September 14, 2007– Honest Leadership and Open Government Act,,
- September 20, 2007 --- Native American $1 Coin Act,
- September 27, 2007 --- Food and Drug Administration Amendments Act of 2007,
- November 8, 2007– Water Resources Development Act of 2007,,
- December 19, 2007– Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007,,
- December 20, 2007 --- Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act of 2007,
- December 31, 2007 --- OPEN Government Act of 2007,
- January 28, 2008 --- National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008,
- February 13, 2008 — Economic Stimulus Act of 2008,,
- April 9, 2008 --- Second Chance Act of 2007,
- April 24, 2008 --- Newborn Screening Saves Lives Act of 2007,
- May 8, 2008 --- Consolidated Natural Resources Act of 2008,
- May 21, 2008– Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act,,
- May 22, 2008– Food and Energy Security Act of 2007,,
- June 18, 2008 --- Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008,
- June 20, 2008 --- Federal Food Donation Act of 2008,
- June 30, 2008– Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2008,,, including Title V: Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008
- July 10, 2008 — FISA Amendments Act of 2008,,
- July 15, 2008 --- Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008,
- July 29, 2008– Tom Lantos Block Burmese JADE (Junta's Anti-Democratic Efforts) Act of 2008,,
- July 29, 2008 --- Clean Boating Act of 2008,
- July 30, 2008– Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008,,
- August 14, 2008 --- Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act,
- September 25, 2008 --- ADA Amendments Act of 2008,
- October 3, 2008 — Public Law 110-343,, including:
- * Div. A: Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, ;
- * Div. B: Energy Improvement and Extension Act of 2008; and
- * Div. C: Tax Extenders and Alternative Minimum Tax Relief Act of 2008
- October 7, 2008 --- Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008,
- October 8. 2008 --- India-United States Civil Nuclear Agreement,
- October 13, 2008 --- PRO-IP Act,
- October 13, 2008 --- Drug Trafficking Vessel Interdiction Act of 2008,
- October 15, 2008 — : Setting the beginning of the first session of the 111th Congress and the date for counting Electoral College votes,
- October 16, 2008 --- Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008,
- December 2, 2008 --- Civil Rights Act of 1964 Commemorative Coin Act,
- December 19, 2008 — : A Saxbe fix, reducing the compensation and other emoluments attached to the office of Secretary of State to that which was in effect on January 1, 2007: allowing Hillary Clinton to serve as Secretary of State|Secretary of State] despite the Ineligibility Clause of the United States Constitution.
- December 23, 2008 --- America's Beautiful National Parks Quarter Dollar Coin Act of 2008,
- December 23, 2008 --- Short-term Analog Flash and Emergency Readiness Act,
Proposed, but not enacted
- America's Climate Security Act of 2007
- Auto Industry Financing and Restructuring Act
- Community Broadband Bill
- Community Choice Act
- Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007
- Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act
- District of Columbia House Voting Rights Act of 2007
- Employee Free Choice Act
- Employment Non-Discrimination Act
- Executive Branch Reform Act of 2007
- FAIR USE Act
- Family and Consumer Choice Act of 2007
- Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act of 2007
- Habeas Corpus Restoration Act of 2007
- Homeowner's Defense Act
- IDEA Fairness Restoration Act
- Internet Radio Equality Act
- Iran Sanctions Enhancement Act of 2007
- Iraq War De-Escalation Act of 2007
- Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007
- Medicare Prescription Drug Price Negotiation Act of 2007
- New Energy Reform Act of 2008
- No Oil Producing and Exporting Cartels Act
- Patent Reform Act of 2007
- Personal Use of Marijuana by Responsible Adults Act of 2008
- Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act of 2007
- State Children's Health Insurance Program
- State Secrets Protection Act
- Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007
Vetoed
- Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007
- Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007
- Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act
- Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2007
- Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008
- : an earlier version of National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008
- : an earlier version of U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Care, Katrina Recovery, and Iraq Accountability Appropriations Act, 2007
Treaties ratified
- 110-1: Land-Based Sources Protocol to Cartagena Convention
- 110-2: Singapore Treaty on the Law of Trademarks
- 110-3: Tax Convention with Belgium
- 110-4: International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism
- 110-6: Amendment to Convention on Physical Protection of Nuclear Material
- 110-8: Protocols of 2005 to the Convention concerning Safety of Maritime Navigation and to the Protocol concerning Safety of Fixed Platforms on the Continental Shelf
- 110-9: Protocol of Amendments to Convention on International Hydrographic Organization
- 110-11: Extradition Treaty with Romania and Protocol to the Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters with Romania
- 110-12: Extradition Treaty with Bulgaria and an Agreement on Certain Aspects of Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters with Bulgaria
- 110-13: International Convention on Control of Harmful Anti-Fouling Systems on Ships, 2001
- 110-14: International Convention Against Doping in Sport
- 110-15: Protocol Amending 1980 Tax Convention with Canada
- 110-16: Amendments to the Constitution and Convention of the International Telecommunication Union
- 110-17: Tax Convention with Iceland
- 110-18: Tax Convention with Bulgaria with Proposed Protocol of Amendment
- 110-20: Protocols to the North Atlantic Treaty of 1949 on Accession of Albania and Croatia
Select committees
- Joint Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies
- House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming
- House Select Committee on the Voting Irregularities of August 2, 2007
Hearings
Party summary
Senate
Membership changed with one death and two resignations.House of Representatives
[Image:Camara Representates Estados Unidos es.svg|thumb|300px|Membership at the beginning of the 110th Congress:]
Membership fluctuated with seven deaths and eight resignations. Democrats achieved a net gain of three seats as a result of their victories in special elections.'' See Changes in membership, below.''
Leadership
Senate
Majority (Democratic) leadership
- Majority Leader and Democratic Conference Chairman: Harry Reid
- Assistant Majority Leader (Majority Whip): Dick Durbin
- Democratic Conference Vice Chairman and Democratic Campaign Committee Chairman: Chuck Schumer
- Democratic Conference Secretary: Patty Murray
- Policy Committee Chairman: Byron Dorgan
- Steering and Outreach Committee Chairwoman: Debbie Stabenow
- Committee Outreach Chairman: Jeff Bingaman
- Committee Outreach Vice Chairwoman: Hillary Clinton
- Rural Outreach Chairwoman: Blanche Lincoln
- Chief Deputy Whip: Barbara Boxer
- Deputy Whips: Tom Carper, Bill Nelson, Russ Feingold
Minority (Republican) leadership
- Minority Leader: Mitch McConnell
- Assistant Minority Leader (Minority Whip): Trent Lott, until December 18, 2007
- * Jon Kyl, from December 18, 2007
- Counselor to the Minority Leader: Bob Bennett
- Republican Conference Chairman: Jon Kyl, until December 18, 2007
- * Lamar Alexander, from December 18, 2007
- Policy Committee Chairman: Kay Bailey Hutchison
- Republican Conference Vice Chairman: John Cornyn
- National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman: John Ensign
- Chief Deputy Whip: John Thune
House of Representatives
Majority (Democratic) leadership
- Majority Leader: Steny Hoyer
- Majority Whip: Jim Clyburn
- Senior Chief Deputy Majority Whip: John Lewis
- Chief Deputy Majority Whips: Debbie Wasserman Schultz, G. K. Butterfield, Joseph Crowley, Diana DeGette, Ed Pastor, Jan Schakowsky, John S. Tanner, and Maxine Waters
- Democratic Caucus Chairman: Rahm Emanuel
- Democratic Caucus Vice-Chairman: John Larson
- Democratic Campaign Committee Chairman: Chris Van Hollen
- Democratic Steering/Policy Committee Co-Chairs: Rosa DeLauro for Steering and George Miller for Policy
Minority (Republican) leadership
- Minority Leader: John Boehner
- Minority Whip: Roy Blunt
- Chief Deputy Minority Whip: Eric Cantor
- Republican Conference Chairman: Adam Putnam
- Republican Policy Committee Chairman: Thad McCotter
- Republican Conference Vice-Chair: Kay Granger
- Republican Conference Secretary: John Carter
- Republican Campaign Committee Chairman: Tom Cole
- Ranking Member of the House Rules Committee: David Dreier
Members
Senate
Senators are listed by state, then by class, In this Congress, Class 2 meant their term ended with this Congress, requiring reelection in 2008; Class 3 meant their term began in the last Congress, requiring reelection in 2010; and Class 1 meant their term began in this Congress, requiring reelection in 2012.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
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 two resignations and one death.Committees
House of Representatives
- Agriculture
- * Conservation, Credit, Energy, and Research
- * Department Operations, Oversight, Nutrition and Forestry
- * General Farm Commodities and Risk Management
- * Horticulture and Organic Agriculture
- * Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry
- * Specialty Crops, Rural Development and Foreign Agriculture
- Appropriations
- * Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies
- * Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies
- * Defense
- * Energy and Water Development
- * Financial Services and General Government
- * Homeland Security
- * Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies
- * Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies
- * Legislative Branch
- * Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies
- * State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs
- * Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies
- Armed Services
- * Readiness
- * Seapower and Expeditionary Forces
- * Air and Land Forces
- * Oversight and Investigations
- * Military Personnel
- * Terrorism, Unconventional Threats and Capabilities
- * Strategic Forces
- Budget
- Education and Labor
- * Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education
- * Healthy Families and Communities
- * Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions
- * Higher Education, Lifelong Learning, and Competitiveness
- * Workforce Protections
- Energy and Commerce
- * Health
- * Energy and Air Quality
- * Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection
- * Telecommunications and the Internet
- * Oversight and Investigations
- Energy Independence and Global Warming (Select)
- Financial Services
- * Domestic and International Monetary Policy, Trade and Technology
- * Oversight and Investigations
- * Housing and Community Opportunity
- * Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit
- * Capital Markets, Insurance, and Government-Sponsored Enterprises
- Foreign Affairs
- * Africa and Global Health
- * Asia, the Pacific, and the Global Environment
- * Europe
- * International Organizations, Human Rights, and Oversight
- * Middle East and South Asia
- * Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade
- * Western Hemisphere
- Homeland Security
- * Border, Maritime and Global Counterterrorism
- * Emergency Communications, Preparedness, and Response
- * Emerging Threats, Cybersecurity, and Science and Technology
- * Intelligence, Information Sharing, and Terrorism Risk Assessment
- * Management, Investigations, and Oversight
- * Transportation Security and Infrastructure Protection
- House Administration
- * Capitol Security
- * Elections
- Intelligence (Permanent Select)
- Judiciary
- * Commercial and Administrative Law
- * Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties
- * Courts, the Internet, and Intellectual Property
- * Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security
- * Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law
- Natural Resources
- * Energy and Mineral Resources
- * Fisheries, Wildlife and Oceans
- * Insular Affairs
- * National Parks, Forests and Public Lands
- * Water and Power
- Oversight and Government Reform
- * Domestic Policy
- * Federal Workforce, Post Office, and District of Columbia
- * Government Management, Organization, and Procurement
- * Information Policy, Census, and National Archives
- * National Security and Foreign Affairs
- Rules
- * Legislative and Budget Process
- * Rules and the Organization of the House
- Science and Technology
- * Space and Aeronautics
- * Technology and Innovation
- * Research and Science Education
- * Investigations and Oversight
- * Energy and Environment
- Small Business
- * Finance and Tax
- * Contracting and Technology
- * Rural and Urban Entrepreneurship
- * Regulations, Healthcare and Trade
- * Investigations and Oversight
- Standards of Official Conduct
- Transportation and Infrastructure
- * Aviation
- * Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation
- * Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management
- * Highways and Transit
- * Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials
- * Water Resources and Environment
- Veterans' Affairs
- * Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs
- * Economic Opportunity
- * Health
- * Oversight and Investigations
- Ways and Means
- * Health
- * Social Security
- * Income Security and Family Support
- * Trade
- * Oversight
- * Select Revenue Measures
- Whole
Joint committees
Employees
Other officers and officials include:Legislative branch agency directors
- Architect of the Capitol:Alan M. Hantman, until February 2, 2007
- * Stephen T. Ayers, thereafter
- Attending Physician of the United States Congress: John F. Eisold
- Comptroller General of the United States: David M. Walker, until 2008
- * Eugene Louis Dodaro, from March 13, 2008
- Director of the Congressional Budget Office: Donald B. Marron Jr., until January 18, 2007
- * Peter R. Orszag, January 25, 2007 – November 25, 2008
- * Robert A. Sunshine, starting November 25, 2008
- Librarian of Congress: James H. Billington
- Public Printer of the United States: Robert C. Tapella
Senate
- Chaplain: Barry C. Black
- Curator: Diane K. Skvarla
- Historian: Richard A. Baker
- Parliamentarian: Alan Frumin
- Secretary: Nancy Erickson
- Librarian: Greg Harness, until 2008
- * Mary E. Cornaby, starting 2008
- Sergeant at Arms: Terrance W. Gainer
- Secretary for the Majority: Martin P. Paone, until January 23, 2008
- * Lula J. Davis, elected January 23, 2008
- Secretary for the Minority: David J. Schiappa
House of Representatives
- Chaplain: Daniel P. Coughlin
- Chief Administrative Officer: James M. Eagen III
- * Daniel P. Beard
- Clerk: Karen L. Haas, until February 15, 2007
- * Lorraine Miller, elected February 15, 2007
- Historian: Robert V. Remini
- Parliamentarian: John V. Sullivan
- Reading Clerks: Mary Kevin Niland /Jaime Zapata, Paul Hays /Susan Cole
- Sergeant at Arms: Wilson Livingood
- Inspector General: James J. Cornell
Elections
- 2006 United States elections
- * 2006 United States Senate elections
- * 2006 United States House of Representatives elections
- 2008 United States elections
- * 2008 United States presidential election
- * 2008 United States Senate elections
- * 2008 United States House of Representatives elections