112th United States Congress


The 112th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, from January 3, 2011, until January 3, 2013. It convened in Washington, D.C., on January 3, 2011, and ended on January 3, 2013, 17 days before the end of the presidential term to which Barack Obama was elected in 2008. Senators elected to regular terms in 2006 completed those terms in this Congress. This Congress included the last House of Representatives elected from congressional districts that were apportioned based on the 2000 [United States census|2000 census].
In the 2010 midterm elections, the Republican Party won the majority in the House of Representatives. While the Democrats kept their [|Senate] majority, it was reduced from the previous Congress.
This was the first Congress in which the [|House] and Senate were controlled by different parties since the 107th Congress. It was also the first Congress since the 36th Congress in which the Republican Party held the House but not the Senate. In this Congress, the House of Representatives had the largest number of Republican members, 242, since the 80th Congress. This was the only Congress between the 79th and the 117th that did not include a member of the Kennedy family.
As of 2022, this is the most recent Congress in which Democrats held a Senate seat in Nebraska or a House seat in Arkansas, the last in which Republicans held both Senate seats in Maine, and the last in which Democrats did not hold all seats in Connecticut.

Major events

Potential government shutdown

A failure to pass a 2011 federal budget nearly led to a shutdown of non-essential government services on April 9, 2011, with the furlough of 800,000 government employees appearing imminent. President Obama met Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and House Speaker John Boehner in the days preceding the deadline but was unable to come to an agreement to pass a budget. A one-week budget was proposed to avoid a government shutdown and allow more time for negotiations; however, proposals from both parties could not be accommodated. Obama said he would veto a proposed Republican budget over Republican social spending cuts. This was also backed by Senate Democrats who objected to such cuts as that of Planned Parenthood. However, an agreement was reached between the two parties for a one-week budget to allow for more time to negotiate after Republicans dropped their stance on the Planned Parenthood issue. The two parties ultimately agreed on a 2011 federal budget the following week.
There were many reactions to the possible shutdown with some saying the economy could be hurt during a fragile recovery and others saying the lack of an unnecessary bureaucracy would not be noticed. There was also criticism that while senators and representatives would continue to get paid others such as the police and military personnel would either not be paid for their work or have their payments deferred.

Debt limit crisis

On August 2, 2011, the United States public debt was projected to reach its statutory maximum. Without an increase in that limit the U.S. Treasury would be unable to borrow money to pay its bills. Although previous statutory increases have been routine, conservative members of the House refused to allow an increase without drastically reducing government spending. Over several weeks and months, negotiators from both parties, both houses, and the White House worked to forge a compromise. The compromise bill, the Budget Control Act of 2011, was enacted on August 2.

Major legislation

Enacted

Proposed

Leadership

Senate

Majority (Democratic) leadership

Minority (Republican) leadership

House of Representatives

Majority (Republican) leadership

Minority (Democratic) leadership

Members

For the first time in the history of Congress, over half its members were millionaires as of 2012; Democrats had a median net worth of $1.04 million, while the Republicans median was "almost exactly" $1.00 million. In this Congress, Class 1 meant their term ended with this Congress, requiring reelection in 2012; Class 2 meant their term began in the last Congress, requiring reelection in 2014; and Class 3 meant their term began in this Congress, requiring reelection in 2016.

Senate

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


Committees

Senate

CommitteeChairmanRanking Member
Aging Herb Kohl Bob Corker
Agriculture, Nutrition and ForestryDebbie Stabenow Pat Roberts
AppropriationsDaniel Inouye Thad Cochran
Armed ServicesCarl Levin John McCain
Banking, Housing and Urban AffairsTim Johnson Richard Shelby
BudgetKent Conrad Jeff Sessions
Commerce, Science and TransportationJay Rockefeller Kay Bailey Hutchison
Energy and Natural ResourcesJeff Bingaman Lisa Murkowski
Environment and Public WorksBarbara Boxer Jim Inhofe
Ethics Barbara Boxer Johnny Isakson
FinanceMax Baucus Orrin Hatch
Foreign RelationsJohn Kerry Richard Lugar
Health, Education, Labor and PensionsTom Harkin Mike Enzi
Homeland Security and Governmental AffairsJoe Lieberman Susan Collins
Indian AffairsDaniel Akaka John Barrasso
Intelligence Dianne Feinstein Saxby Chambliss
JudiciaryPatrick Leahy Chuck Grassley
Rules and AdministrationChuck Schumer Lamar Alexander
Small Business and EntrepreneurshipMary Landrieu Olympia Snowe
Veterans' AffairsPatty Murray Richard Burr

House of Representatives

CommitteeChairmanRanking Member
AgricultureFrank Lucas Collin Peterson
AppropriationsHarold Rogers Nita Lowey
Armed ServicesBuck McKeon Adam Smith
BudgetPaul Ryan Chris Van Hollen
Education and the WorkforceJohn Kline George Miller
Energy and CommerceFred Upton Henry Waxman
EthicsJo Bonner Linda Sánchez
Financial ServicesSpencer Bachus Barney Frank
Foreign AffairsIleana Ros-Lehtinen Howard Berman
Homeland SecurityPeter King Bennie Thompson
House AdministrationDan Lungren Robert Brady
JudiciaryLamar Smith John Conyers
Natural ResourcesDoc Hastings Ed Markey
Oversight and Government ReformDarrell Issa Elijah Cummings
RulesDavid Dreier Louise Slaughter
Science, Space & TechnologyRalph Hall Eddie Bernice Johnson
Small BusinessSam Graves Nydia Velázquez
Transportation and InfrastructureJohn Mica Nick Rahall
Veterans' AffairsJeff Miller Bob Filner
Ways and MeansDave Camp Sander Levin
Permanent Select Committee on IntelligenceMike Rogers Dutch Ruppersberger

[|Joint] appointments

Employees

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

Senate

House of Representatives

Elections

Membership lists