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

Major legislation

Treaties ratified

Party summary

The count below identifies party affiliations at the beginning of the first session of this Congress, and includes members from vacancies and newly admitted states, when they were first seated. Changes resulting from subsequent replacements are shown below in the "Changes in membership" section.

Leadership

Senate

House of Representatives

Members

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

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.

Georgia">List of United States senators from Georgia">Georgia


Maine">List of United States senators from Maine">Maine


Nebraska">List of United States senators from Nebraska">Nebraska


Oregon">List of United States senators from Oregon">Oregon


Vermont">List of United States senators from Vermont">Vermont


House of Representatives

The names of representatives are preceded by their district numbers.

Georgia">List of United States representatives from Georgia">Georgia


Maine">List of United States representatives from Maine">Maine


Nebraska">List of United States representatives from Nebraska">Nebraska


Oregon">List of United States representatives from Oregon">Oregon


South Dakota">List of United States representatives from South Dakota">South Dakota

Both representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

Washington">List of United States representatives from Washington">Washington

Both representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

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 byReason for vacancySubsequentDate 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
VacantFailure to elect.
Successor elected May 14, 1897.		Stephen R. Mallory May 15, 1897
Oregon
VacantFailure 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

House of Representatives

Joint committees

Caucuses

Employees

Legislative branch agency">List of federal agencies in the United States#United States Congress">Legislative branch agency directors

Senate

House of Representatives