82nd United States Congress
The 82nd 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, 1951, to January 3, 1953, during the last two years of President Harry S. Truman's second term in office.
The apportionment of seats in this House of Representatives was based on the 1940 United States census.
Both chambers had a Democratic majority, and with President Truman, maintained an overall federal government trifecta.Major events
- March 29, 1951: Ethel and Julius Rosenberg were convicted of conspiracy to commit espionage. On April 5 they were sentenced to receive the death penalty.
- April 11, 1951: President Truman relieved General Douglas MacArthur of his Far Eastern commands.
- April 13, 1951: Congress passed a large defense budget 372 votes for the budget and 44 votes against the budget. The budget was intended to help the United States combat communism.
- August 31, 1951: The United States Senate passes the Mutual Security Act by a vote of 61 votes in favor and 5 votes against. The act provided $7.5 billion for foreign military assistance and food aid to America's allies, primarily the United Kingdom. The vote was condemned by the government of the Soviet Union and praised by the government of the United Kingdom.
- September 5, 1951: Treaty of San Francisco: In San Francisco, California, 48 nations signed a peace treaty with Japan to formally end the Pacific War.
- October 24, 1951: President Truman declared an official end to war with Germany.
- November 10, 1951: Direct dial coast-to-coast telephone service began in the United States.
- December 31, 1951: The Marshall Plan expired after distributing more than $13.3 billion USD in foreign aid to rebuild Europe.
- March 29, 1952: President Truman announced that he will not seek reelection.
- June 19, 1952: The Special Forces created.
- July 25, 1952: Puerto Rico became a Commonwealth of the United States, an unincorporated organized territory, with the ratification of its constitution.
- November 4, 1952: 1952 United States presidential election: Republican Dwight D. Eisenhower defeated Democrat Adlai Stevenson
- November 4, 1952: National Security Agency founded.
Major legislation
- October 10, 1951: Mutual Security Act, ch. 479,
- June 27, 1952: Immigration and Nationality Act,
- July 14, 1952: McGuire Act,,
- July 16, 1952: Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act,
- July 16, 1952: Federal Coal Mine Safety Act of 1952,
- July 16, 1952: Wire Fraud Act of 1952,
Constitutional amendments
- February 27, 1951: Twenty-second Amendment to the United States Constitution, setting a term limit for election and overall time of service to the office of President of the United States, was ratified by the requisite number of states to become part of the Constitution
Treaties
- March 20, 1952: Treaty of San Francisco ratified
Party summary
Senate
House of Representatives
Leadership
Senate
- President: Alben W. Barkley
- President pro tempore: Kenneth McKellar
Majority (Democratic) party
- Majority leader: Ernest McFarland
- Majority whip: Lyndon B. Johnson
- Democratic Caucus Secretary: Brien McMahon
- Policy Committee Chairman: Ernest McFarland
Minority (Republican) party
- Minority leader: Kenneth S. Wherry, until November 29, 1951
- * Styles Bridges, from January 8, 1952
- Minority whip: Leverett Saltonstall
- Republican Conference Chairman: Eugene Millikin
- Republican Conference Secretary: Milton Young
- National Senatorial Committee Chair: Owen Brewster
- Policy Committee Chairman: Robert A. Taft
House of Representatives
- Speaker: Sam Rayburn
Majority (Democratic) party
- Majority leader: John W. McCormack
- Majority whip: J. Percy Priest
- Democratic Caucus Chairman: Jere Cooper
- Democratic Campaign Committee Chairman: Michael J. Kirwan
Minority (Republican) party
- Minority leader: Joseph W. Martin Jr.
- Minority whip: Leslie C. Arends
- Republican Conference Chairman: Clifford R. Hope
- Policy Committee Chairman: Joseph W. Martin Jr.
- Republican Campaign Committee Chairman: Leonard W. Hall
Caucuses
- House Democratic Caucus
- Senate Democratic Caucus
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 1 meant their term ended with this Congress, facing re-election in 1952; Class 2 meant their term began in the last Congress, facing re-election in 1954; and Class 3 meant their term began in this Congress, facing re-election in 1956.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