66th United States Congress
The 66th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, comprising the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C., from March 4, 1919, to March 4, 1921, during the last two years of Woodrow Wilson's presidency. The apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the 1910 United States census.
The Republicans won majorities in both the House and the Senate, thus taking control of both chambers.
This is the last congress to have no female members of congress in the House of Representatives, and thus the last time there was an all-male congress.
Major events
A brief special session was called by President Wilson in March 1919, because of a filibuster that had successfully blocked appropriations bills needed to fund day-to-day government operations.- April 30, 1919: First wave of the 1919 United States anarchist bombings.
- June 2, 1919: The home of Attorney General Palmer was bombed in the second wave of anarchist bombings.
- June 15, 1919: Pancho Villa attacked Ciudad Juárez. When the bullets begin to fly to the U.S. side of the border, 2 units of the U.S. 7th Cavalry Regiment crossed the border and repulse Villa's forces.
- July 19–23, 1919: Race riot in Washington, D.C.
- August 31, 1919: The Communist Party of the United States was established
- September 9, 1919: Boston Police Strike
- September 22, 1919: Steel strike of 1919
- October 2, 1919: President Woodrow Wilson suffered a massive stroke, leaving him partially paralyzed
- November 1, 1919: Coal Strike of 1919
- November 7, 1919: First of the Palmer Raids during the First Red Scare
- January 2, 1920: Second of the Palmer Raids during the First Red Scare
- January 16, 1920: Prohibition, went into effect in the United States
- March 1, 1920: United States Railroad Administration returned control of American railroads to its constituent railroad companies
- May 7–8, 1920: Louis Freeland Post appeared before the House Committee on Rules, effectively ending Attorney General Palmer's presidential aspirations.
- November 2, 1920: Warren G. Harding defeated James M. Cox in the 1920 United States presidential election
Major legislation
- June 30, 1919: Navy Appropriations Act of 1919
- June 30, 1919: Hastings Amendment
- July 11, 1919: Anti-Lobbying Act of 1919
- July 11, 1919: Army Appropriations Act of 1919
- July 19, 1919: Sundry Civil Expenses Appropriations Act
- October 18, 1919: National Prohibition Act, ch. 85,
- October 22, 1919: Underground Water Act of 1919
- October 29, 1919: National Motor Vehicle Theft Act
- November 4, 1919: Deficiency Act of 1919
- November 6, 1919: Indian Soldier Act of 1919
- December 24, 1919: Edge Act of 1919
- February 25, 1920: Oil Leasing Act of 1920
- February 25, 1920: Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, ch. 85,
- February 25, 1920: Pipeline Rights-of-Way Act
- February 25, 1920: Sale of Water For Miscellaneous Purposes Act
- February 28, 1920: Esch-Cummins Act,,
- March 9, 1920: Suits in Admiralty Act of 1920
- March 15, 1920: Military Surplus Act of 1920
- March 30, 1920: Death on the High Seas Act of 1920
- April 13, 1920: Phelan Act of 1920
- May 1, 1920: Fuller Act of 1920
- May 10, 1920: Deportation Act of 1920
- May 18, 1920: Kinkaid Act of 1920
- May 20, 1920: Sale of Surplus Improved Public Lands Act
- May 22, 1920: Civil Service Retirement Act of 1920
- May 29, 1920: Independent Treasury Act of 1920
- June 2, 1920: Industry Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1920
- June 2, 1920: Civilian Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1920
- June 2, 1920: National Park Criminal Jurisdiction Act
- June 4, 1920: National Defense Act of 1920
- June 5, 1920: Sills Act of 1920
- June 5, 1920: Merchant Marine Act of 1920
- June 5, 1920: Women's Bureau Act of 1920
- June 5, 1920: Ship Mortgage Act of 1920
- June 5, 1920: River and Harbors Act of 1920
- June 5, 1920: Federal Water Power Act of 1920
- January 4, 1921: War Finance Corporation Act of 1921
- March 3, 1921: Patent Act of 1921
- March 3, 1921: Federal Water Power Act Amendment
Constitutional amendments
- January 16, 1919: Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, declaring the production, transport, and sale of alcohol illegal, was ratified by the requisite number of states to become part of the Constitution
- *Amendment later repealed on December 5, 1933, by the Twenty-first Amendment to the United States Constitution
- June 4, 1919: Approved the Nineteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution prohibiting the states and the federal government from denying the right to vote to citizens of the United States on the basis of sex, and submitted it to the state legislatures for ratification
- August 18, 1920: The Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified by the requisite number of states to become part of the Constitution
Treaties
- March 19, 1920: Senate refused to ratify Treaty of Versailles
Party summary
Senate
House of Representatives
Leadership
Senate leadership
Presiding
- President: Thomas R. Marshall
- President pro tempore: Albert B. Cummins
Majority (Republican) leadership
- Majority Leader: Henry Cabot Lodge
- Majority Whip: Charles Curtis
- Republican Conference Secretary: James Wolcott Wadsworth Jr.
- National Senatorial Committee Chair: Miles Poindexter
Minority (Democratic) leadership
- Minority Leader: Oscar Underwood
- Minority Whip: Peter G. Gerry
- Democratic Caucus Secretary: William H. King
House leadership
Presiding
- Speaker: Frederick H. Gillett
Majority (Republican) leadership
- Majority Leader: Franklin Mondell
- Majority Whip: Harold Knutson
- Republican Conference Chairman: Horace Mann Towner
- Republican Campaign Committee Chairman: Simeon D. Fess
Minority (Democratic) leadership
- Minority Leader: Champ Clark
- Minority Whip: vacant
- Democratic Caucus Chairman: Arthur Granville Dewalt
- Democratic Campaign Committee Chairman: Scott Ferris
Members