55th United States Congress
The 55th 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 March 4, 1897, to March 4, 1899, during the first two years of William McKinley's presidency. The apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the 1890 United States census. Both chambers had a Republican majority. There was one African-American member, George Henry White, a Republican from the state of North Carolina, and one Kaw member, Charles Curtis, a Republican from Kansas.
Major events
- March 4, 1897: William McKinley became President of the United States.
- February 15, 1898: Spanish–American War: USS Maine exploded in Havana harbor.
- December 10, 1898: Treaty of Paris ended Spanish–American War,.
Major legislation
- July 24, 1897: Dingley tariff, ch. 11,, increased trade duties for revenue and protection
- April 20, 1898: Teller Resolution,
- April 25, 1898: United States declaration of war upon Spain,
- June 1, 1898: Erdman Act,
- June 13, 1898: War Revenue Act of 1898,
- June 28, 1898: Curtis Act of 1898,, authorized the mass dispossession of territory from the Cherokee Nation, Chickasaw Nation, Choctaw Nation, Muscogee Nation, and Seminole Nation and the divestiture of power from their national governments.
- July 1, 1898: Bankruptcy Act of 1898, ch. 541,, gave companies an option of gaining protection from creditors.
- July 7, 1898: Newlands Resolution, No. 55,, authorized the annexation of the Republic of Hawaii
- March 3, 1899: Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899, Ch. 425,, § 9,
Treaties ratified
- February 6, 1899: Treaty of Paris, ending the Spanish–American War. Guam, the Philippines, and Puerto Rico became possessions of the U.S.
Party summary
Senate
House of Representatives
Leadership
Senate
- President: Garret Hobart
- President pro tempore: William P. Frye
- Republican Conference Chairman: William B. Allison
- Democratic Caucus Chairman: Arthur Pue Gorman, until 1898
- * David Turpie, afterwards
House of Representatives
- Speaker: Thomas Brackett Reed
- Minority Leader: Joseph W. Bailey
- Republican Conference Chairman: Charles H. Grosvenor
- Republican Campaign Committee Chairman: Joseph W. Babcock
- Democratic Caucus Chairman: James D. Richardson
- Democratic Campaign Committee Chairman: Charles James Faulkner
Members
Senate
Senators were elected by the state legislatures 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, requiring re-election in 1898; Class 2 meant their term began in the last Congress, requiring re-election in 1900; and Class 3 meant their term began in this Congress, requiring re-election in 1902.[List of [United States senators from Alabama|Alabama]]
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 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
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.[List of [United States representatives from Alabama|Alabama]]
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 York">List of United States representatives from New York">New York
North Carolina">List of United States representatives from North Carolina">North Carolina
North Dakota">List of United States representatives from North Dakota">North Dakota
Ohio">List of United States representatives from Ohio">Ohio
Oregon">List of United States representatives from Oregon">Oregon
Pennsylvania">List of United States representatives from Pennsylvania">Pennsylvania
Rhode Island">List of United States representatives from Rhode Island">Rhode Island
South Carolina">List of United States representatives from South Carolina">South Carolina
South Dakota">List of United States representatives from South Dakota">South Dakota
Both representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.Tennessee">List of United States representatives from Tennessee">Tennessee
Texas">List of United States representatives from Texas">Texas
Utah">List of United States representatives from Utah">Utah
Vermont">List of United States representatives from Vermont">Vermont
Virginia">List of United States representatives from Virginia">Virginia
Washington">List of United States representatives from Washington">Washington
Both representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.West Virginia">List of United States representatives from West Virginia">West Virginia
Wisconsin">List of United States representatives from Wisconsin">Wisconsin
Wyoming">List of United States representatives from Wyoming">Wyoming
Non-voting members
Changes in membership
The count below reflects changes from the beginning of the first session of this Congress.Senate
- Replacements: 5
- * Democratic: no net change
- * Republican: no net change
- Deaths: 5
- Resignations: 0
- Total seats with changes: 8
| State | Vacated by | Reason for vacancy | Subsequent | Date of successor's installation |
| Ohio | John Sherman | Resigned March 4, 1897, to become Secretary of State">Secretary of the United States Senate">Secretary of State. Elected to fill remainder of term. | Mark Hanna | March 5, 1897 |
| Florida | Vacant | Failure to elect. Successor elected May 14, 1897. | Stephen R. Mallory | May 15, 1897 |
| Oregon | Vacant | Failure to elect. Successor elected October 8, 1898. | Joseph Simon | October 8, 1898 |
| South Carolina | Joseph H. Earle | Died May 20, 1897. Successor was appointed and subsequently elected. | John L. McLaurin | June 1, 1897 |
| Tennessee | Isham G. Harris | Died July 8, 1897. Successor was appointed and subsequently elected. | Thomas B. Turley | July 20, 1897 |
| Mississippi | James Z. George | Died August 14, 1897. Successor was appointed and subsequently elected. | Hernando Money | October 8, 1897 |
| Mississippi | Edward C. Walthall | Died April 21, 1898. Successor was appointed and subsequently elected. | William V. Sullivan | May 31, 1898 |
| Vermont | Justin S. Morrill | Died December 28, 1898. Successor was appointed. | Jonathan Ross | January 11, 1899 |
House of Representatives
- Replacements: 14
- * Democratic: 1 seat net loss
- * Republican: 1 seat net gain
- Deaths: 10
- Resignations: 9
- Contested election: 3
- '''Total seats with changes: 23'''
Committees
Senate
- Library of Congress|Additional Accommodations for the Library of Congress]
- Agriculture and Forestry
- Appropriations
- United States Senate [Committee to Audit and Control the Contingent Expenses of the Senate|Audit and Control the Contingent Expenses of the Senate]
- Canadian Relations
- Census
- Civil Service and Retrenchment
- Claims
- Coast Defenses
- Commerce
- Corporations Organized in the District of Columbia
- Distributing Public Revenue Among the States
- District of Columbia
- Education and Labor|Education and Labor]
- Engrossed Bills
- Enrolled Bills
- Establish a University in the United States
- Examine the Several Branches in the Civil Service
- Finance
- Fisheries
- United States Senate Select Committee on [Five Civilized Tribes of Indians|Five Civilized Tribes of Indians]
- Foreign Relations
- Forest Reservations and the Protection of Game
- Geological Survey
- Immigration
- Indian Affairs
- Indian Depredations
- International Expositions
- Interstate Commerce
- Irrigation and Reclamation of Arid Lands
- Judiciary
- Library
- Manufactures
- Military Affairs
- Mines and Mining
- Mississippi River and its Tributaries|Mississippi River and its Tributaries]
- National Banks
- Naval Affairs
- Nicaragua Canal
- Omaha Exposition
- Pacific Railroads
- Patents
- Pensions
- Post Office and Post Roads
- Potomac River Front
- Printing
- Private Land Claims
- Privileges and Elections
- Public Buildings and Grounds
- Public Health and National Quarantine
- Public Lands
- Railroads
- Revision of the Laws
- Revolutionary Claims
- Rules
- Tariff Regulation
- Territories
- Transportation and Sale of Meat Products
- Transportation Routes to the Seaboard
- Trespassers upon Indian Lands
- Washington City Centennial
- Whole
- Woman Suffrage
House of Representatives
- Accounts
- Agriculture
- Alcoholic Liquor Traffic
- Appropriations
- Banking and Currency
- Claims
- Coinage, Weights and Measures
- Disposition of Executive Papers
- District of Columbia
- Education
- President, Vice President and Representatives in Congress|Election of the President, Vice President and Representatives in Congress]
- Elections No.#1
- Elections No.#2
- Elections No.#3
- Enrolled Bills
- Agriculture Department|Expenditures in the Agriculture Department]
- Expenditures in the Interior Department
- Expenditures in the Justice Department
- United States House Committee on Expenditures [in the Navy Department|Expenditures in the Navy Department]
- Expenditures in the Post Office Department
- Expenditures in the State Department
- Expenditures in the Treasury Department
- Expenditures in the War Department
- Expenditures on Public Buildings
- Foreign Affairs
- Immigration and Naturalization|Immigration and Naturalization]
- Indian Affairs
- Interstate and Foreign Commerce
- Invalid Pensions
- Irrigation of Arid Lands
- Judiciary
- Labor
- Levees and Improvements of the Mississippi River
- Manufactures
- Merchant Marine and Fisheries
- Mileage
- Military Affairs
- Militia
- Mines and Mining
- Naval Affairs
- Pacific Railroads
- Patents
- Pensions
- Post Office and Post Roads
- Public Buildings and Grounds
- Public Lands
- Railways and Canals
- Reform in the Civil Service
- Revision of Laws
- Rivers and Harbors
- Rules
- Standards of Official Conduct
- Territories
- Ventilation and Acoustics
- War Claims
- Ways and Means
- Whole (United States House of Representatives)|Whole]
Joint committees
- Alcohol in the Arts
- Conditions of Indian Tribes
- Disposition of (Useless) Executive Papers
- Enrolled Bills
- Investigate Charities and Reformatory Institutions in the District of Columbia
- The Library
- Printing
Caucuses
- Democratic Caucus|Democratic]
- Democratic
Employees
Legislative branch agency">List of federal agencies in the United States#United States Congress">Legislative branch agency directors
- Architect of the Capitol: Edward Clark
- Librarian of Congress: Ainsworth Rand Spofford, until 1897
- * John Russell Young, from 1897
- Public Printer of the United States: Thomas E. Benedict, until 1897
- * Francis W. Palmer, from 1897
Senate
- Secretary: William Ruffin Cox
- Sergeant at Arms: Richard J. Bright
- Librarian: Alonzo M. Church
- Chaplain: William H. Millburn Methodist
House of Representatives
- Clerk: Alexander McDowell
- Sergeant at Arms: Benjamin F. Russell
- Doorkeeper: William J. Glenn
- Postmaster: Joseph C. McElroy
- Clerk at the Speaker's Table: Asher C. Hinds
- Clerk of the United States House of Representatives|Reading Clerks]: E. L. Sampson and Dennis E. Alward
- Chaplain: Henry N. Couden Universalist