78th United States Congress
The 78th 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, 1943, to January 3, 1945, during the last two years of Franklin D. Roosevelt's presidency. The apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the 1940 United States census.
Both chambers had a Democratic majority - albeit greatly reduced from the 77th Congress, with the Democrats losing their supermajority in the House and Senate. Along with President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the Democrats maintained an overall federal government trifecta.Major events
- World War II continued
- June 6, 1944: Battle of Normandy
- November 7, 1944: General elections:
- * President Roosevelt was re-elected to a fourth term.
- * Senate Democrats kept their majority despite 1-seat net loss.
- * House Democrats increased their majority with a 20-seat net gain.
Major legislation
- December 17, 1943: Magnuson Act, Sess. 1, ch. 344,
- February 3, 1944: Mustering-out Payment Act, Sess. 2,,
- June 6, 1944: Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944, Sess. 2, ch. 268,,
- June 27, 1944: Veterans' Preference Act, Sess. 2, ch. 287,,
- July 1, 1944: Public Health Service Act, Sess. 2, ch. 373,
- Contract Settlement Act of 1944,, Sess. 2, an act to provide for the settlement of claims arising from terminated war contracts
- December 22, 1944: Pick-Sloan Flood Control Act, Sess. 2, ch. 665,,
Party summary
Senate
Leaders
Senate
- President: Henry A. Wallace
- President pro tempore: Carter Glass
Majority (Democratic) leadership
- Majority Leader: Alben W. Barkley
- Majority Whip: J. Lister Hill
- Democratic Caucus Secretary: Francis T. Maloney
Minority (Republican) leadership
- Minority Leader: Charles L. McNary, until February 25, 1944
- * Wallace H. White Jr., after February 25, 1944
- Minority whip: No Republican whips were appointed from 1935 to 1944 since only 17 Republicans were in the Senate following the landslide reelection of President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1936. Accordingly, the minutes of the Republican Conference for the period state: "On motion of Senator Hastings, duly seconded and carried, it was agreed that no Assistant Leader or Whip be elected but that the chairman be authorized to appoint Senators from time to time to assist him in taking charge of the interests of the minority." A note attached to the conference minutes added: "The chairman of the conference, Senator McNary, apparently appointed Senator Austin of Vermont as assistant leader in 1943 and 1944, until the conference adopted Rules of Organization."
- Republican Conference Secretary: Wallace H. White Jr., until February 25, 1944
- * Harold Hitz Burton
- National Senatorial Committee Chair: John G. Townsend Jr.
House of Representatives
- Speaker: Sam Rayburn
Majority (Democratic) leadership
- Majority Leader: John W. McCormack
- Majority whip: Robert Ramspeck
- Democratic Caucus Chairman: Harry R. Sheppard
- Democratic Campaign Committee Chairman: Patrick H. Drewry
Minority (Republican) leadership
- Minority Leader: Joseph W. Martin Jr.
- Minority whip: Harry Lane Englebright, until May 13, 1943
- * Leslie C. Arends, from May 13, 1943
- Republican Conference Chairman: Roy O. Woodruff
- Republican Campaign Committee Chairman: Charles A. Halleck
Members
Senate
Senators are popularly elected statewide every two years, with one-third beginning new six-year terms with each Congress. Preceding the names in the list below are Senate class numbers, which indicate the cycle of their election, In this Congress, Class 3 meant their term ended with this Congress, facing re-election in 1944; Class 1 meant their term began in the last Congress, facing re-election in 1946; and Class 2 meant their term began in this Congress, facing re-election in 1948.Arizona">List of United States senators from Arizona">Arizona
Arkansas">List of United States senators from Arkansas">Arkansas
California">List of United States senators from California">California
Colorado">List of United States senators from Colorado">Colorado
Connecticut">List of United States senators from Connecticut">Connecticut
Delaware">List of United States senators from Delaware">Delaware
Florida">List of United States senators from Florida">Florida
Georgia">List of United States senators from Georgia">Georgia
Idaho">List of United States senators from Idaho">Idaho
Illinois">List of United States senators from Illinois">Illinois
Indiana">List of United States senators from Indiana">Indiana
Iowa">List of United States senators from Iowa">Iowa
Kansas">List of United States senators from Kansas">Kansas
Kentucky">List of United States senators from Kentucky">Kentucky
Louisiana">List of United States senators from Louisiana">Louisiana
Maine">List of United States senators from Maine">Maine
Maryland">List of United States senators from Maryland">Maryland
Massachusetts">List of United States senators from Massachusetts">Massachusetts
Michigan">List of United States senators from Michigan">Michigan
Minnesota">List of United States senators from Minnesota">Minnesota
Mississippi">List of United States senators from Mississippi">Mississippi
Missouri">List of United States senators from Missouri">Missouri
Montana">List of United States senators from Montana">Montana
Nebraska">List of United States senators from Nebraska">Nebraska
Nevada">List of United States senators from Nevada">Nevada
New Hampshire">List of United States senators from New Hampshire">New Hampshire
New Jersey">List of United States senators from New Jersey">New Jersey
New Mexico">List of United States senators from New Mexico">New Mexico
New York">List of United States senators from New York">New York
North Carolina">List of United States senators from North Carolina">North Carolina
North Dakota">List of United States senators from North Dakota">North Dakota
Ohio">List of United States senators from Ohio">Ohio
Oklahoma">List of United States senators from Oklahoma">Oklahoma
Oregon">List of United States senators from Oregon">Oregon
Pennsylvania">List of United States senators from Pennsylvania">Pennsylvania
Rhode Island">List of United States senators from Rhode Island">Rhode Island
South Carolina">List of United States senators from South Carolina">South Carolina
South Dakota">List of United States senators from South Dakota">South Dakota
Tennessee">List of United States senators from Tennessee">Tennessee
Texas">List of United States senators from Texas">Texas
Utah">List of United States senators from Utah">Utah
Vermont">List of United States senators from Vermont">Vermont
Virginia">List of United States senators from Virginia">Virginia
Washington">List of United States senators from Washington">Washington
West Virginia">List of United States senators from West Virginia">West Virginia
Wisconsin">List of United States senators from Wisconsin">Wisconsin
Wyoming">List of United States senators from Wyoming">Wyoming
House of Representatives
The names of representatives are preceded by their district numbers.Arizona">List of United States representatives from Arizona">Arizona
Arkansas">List of United States representatives from Arkansas">Arkansas
California">List of United States representatives from California">California
Colorado">List of United States representatives from Colorado">Colorado
Connecticut">List of United States representatives from Connecticut">Connecticut
Delaware">List of United States representatives from Delaware">Delaware
Florida">List of United States representatives from Florida">Florida
Georgia">List of United States representatives from Georgia">Georgia
Idaho">List of United States representatives from Idaho">Idaho
Illinois">List of United States representatives from Illinois">Illinois
Indiana">List of United States representatives from Indiana">Indiana
Iowa">List of United States representatives from Iowa">Iowa
Kansas">List of United States representatives from Kansas">Kansas
Kentucky">List of United States representatives from Kentucky">Kentucky
Louisiana">List of United States representatives from Louisiana">Louisiana
Maine">List of United States representatives from Maine">Maine
Maryland">List of United States representatives from Maryland">Maryland
Massachusetts">List of United States representatives from Massachusetts">Massachusetts
Michigan">List of United States representatives from Michigan">Michigan
Minnesota">List of United States representatives from Minnesota">Minnesota
Mississippi">List of United States representatives from Mississippi">Mississippi
Missouri">List of United States representatives from Missouri">Missouri
Montana">List of United States representatives from Montana">Montana
Nebraska">List of United States representatives from Nebraska">Nebraska
Nevada">List of United States representatives from Nevada">Nevada
New Hampshire">List of United States representatives from New Hampshire">New Hampshire
New Jersey">List of United States representatives from New Jersey">New Jersey
New Mexico">List of United States representatives from New Mexico">New Mexico
New York">List of United States representatives from New York">New York