97th United States Congress


The 97th 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, 1981, to January 3, 1983, during the final weeks of Jimmy Carter's presidency and the first two years of Ronald Reagan's presidency. The apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the 1970 United States census.
While the House of Representatives retained a Democratic majority, the Republicans gained control of the Senate, marking the first time that they had control of either chamber of Congress since the 83rd Congress in 1953.

Major events

Major legislation

Special or select committees

  • Senate Select Committee on Small Business — Became a standing committee on March 25, 1981
  • United States Senate Select Committee on Law Enforcement Undercover Activities of the Justice Department — March 24, 1982 – December 15, 1982

Leadership

Senate

Majority (Republican) leadership

Minority (Democratic) leadership

House of Representatives

Majority (Democratic) leadership

Minority (Republican) leadership

Caucuses

Members

This list is arranged by chamber, then by state. Senators are listed by class, and representatives are listed by district.

Senate

Senators are popularly elected statewide every two years, with one-third beginning new six-year terms with each Congress, In this Congress, Class 1 meant their term ended with this Congress, requiring reelection in 1982; Class 2 meant their term began in the last Congress, requiring reelection in 1984; and Class 3 meant their term began in this Congress, requiring reelection in 1986.

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

Representatives are listed by their district numbers.

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 2 resignations.

House of Representatives

There were 4 deaths, 4 resignations, one declared vacancy, and one party change.

Committees

Senate

House of Representatives

  • Aging (Select)
  • Agriculture
  • * Cotton, Rice and Sugar
  • * Livestock, Dairy and Poultry
  • * Tobacco and Peanuts
  • * Wheat, Soybeans and Feed Grains
  • * Conservation Credit and Rural Development
  • * Department Operations Research and Foreign Agriculture
  • * Domestic Marketing, Consumer Relations and Nutrition
  • * Forests, Family Farms and Energy
  • Appropriations
  • * Agriculture, Rural Development and Related Agencies
  • * Defense
  • * District of Columbia
  • * Energy and Power
  • * Foreign Operations
  • * HUD-Independent Agencies
  • * Interior
  • * Labor-Health and Human Services
  • * Legislative
  • * Military Construction
  • * Commerce, Justice, State and the Judiciary
  • * Transportation
  • * Treasury, Postal Service and General Government
  • Armed Services
  • * Research and Development
  • * Seapower, Strategic and Critical Materials
  • * Procurement and Military Nuclear Systems
  • * Investigations
  • * Military Personnel and Compensation
  • * Military Installations and Facilities
  • * Readiness
  • Banking, Finance and Urban Affairs
  • * Financial Institutions Supervision, Regulation and Insurance
  • * Housing and Community Development
  • * General Oversight and Renegotiation
  • * Consumer Affairs and Coinage
  • * International Development Institutions and Finance
  • * Domestic Monetary Policy
  • * International Trade, Investment and Monetary Policy
  • * Economic Stabilization
  • Budget
  • District of Columbia
  • * Fiscal Affairs and Health
  • * Government Operations and Metropolitan Affairs
  • * Judiciary and Education
  • Education and Labor
  • * Elementary, Secondary and Vocational Education
  • * Employment Opportunities
  • * Labor-Management Relations
  • * Health and Safety
  • * Human Resources
  • * Postsecondary Education
  • * Labor Standards
  • * Select Education
  • Energy and Commerce
  • * Oversight and Investigations
  • * Energy Conservation and Power
  • * Health and the Environment
  • * Telecommunications, Consumer Protection and Finance
  • * Fossil and Synthetic Fuels
  • * Commerce, Transportation and Tourism
  • Foreign Affairs
  • * International Security and Scientific Affairs
  • * International Operations
  • * Europe and the Middle East
  • * Asian and Pacific Affairs
  • * International Economic Policy and Trade
  • * Human Rights and International Organizations
  • * Africa
  • * Inter-American Affairs
  • Government Operations
  • * Legislation and National Security
  • * Ingovernmental Relations and Human Resources
  • * Commerce, Consumer and Monetary Affairs
  • * Manpower and Housing
  • * Government Activities and Transportation
  • * Government Information and Individual Rights
  • * Environment, Energy and Natural Resources
  • House Administration
  • * Accounts
  • * Contracts and Printing
  • * Services
  • * Office Systems
  • * Personnel and Police
  • * Policy Group on Information and Computers
  • Insular Affairs
  • * Energy and the Environment
  • * Water and Power Resources
  • * Public Lands and National Lands
  • * Insular Affairs
  • * Mines and Mining
  • * Oversight and Investigations
  • Judiciary
  • * Immigration, Refugees and International Law
  • * Administrative Law and Governmental Relations
  • * Courts, Civil Liberties and the Administration of Justice
  • * Civil and Constitutional Rights
  • * Monopolies and Commercial Law
  • * Crime
  • * Criminal Justice
  • Merchant Marine and Fisheries
  • * Merchant Marine
  • * Fisheries, Wildlife Conservation and the Environment
  • * Coast Guard and Navigation
  • * Oceangraphy
  • * Panama Canal and Outer Continental Stuff
  • Narcotics Abuse and Control (Select)
  • Post Office and Civil Service
  • * Investigations
  • * Postal Operations and Services
  • * Civil Service
  • * Compensation and Employee Benefits
  • * Census and Population
  • * Postal Personnel and Modernization
  • * Human Resources
  • Public Works and Transportation
  • * Aviation
  • * Economic Development
  • * Investigations and Oversight
  • * Public Buildings and Grounds
  • * Surface Transportation
  • * Water Resources
  • Rules
  • * The Legislative Process
  • * Rules of the House
  • Science and Technology
  • * Energy Development and Applications
  • * Natural Resources, Agriculture Research and Environment
  • * Energy Research and Production
  • * Science, Research and Technology
  • * Space Science and Applications
  • * Transportation, Aviation and Materials
  • * Investigations and Oversight
  • Small Business
  • * SBA and SBIC Authority, Minority Enterprise and General Small Business Problems
  • * General Oversight
  • * Antitrust and Restraint of Trade Activities affecting Small Business
  • * Energy, Environment and Safety Issues affecting Small Business
  • * Tax, Access to Equity Capital and Business Opportunities
  • * Export Opportunities and Special Small Business Problems
  • Standards of Official Conduct
  • Veterans' Affairs
  • * Oversight and Investigations
  • * Hospitals and Health Care
  • * Education, Training and Employment
  • * Compensation, Pension and Insurance
  • * Housing and Memorial Affairs
  • Ways and Means
  • * Trade
  • * Social Security
  • * Oversight
  • * Select Revenue Measures
  • * Public Assistance and Unemployment Compensation
  • * Health
  • Whole

Joint committees

Employees

Legislative branch agency directors

Senate

House of Representatives