45th United States Congress


The 45th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States [House of Representatives]. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1877, to March 4, 1879, during the first two years of Rutherford Hayes's presidency. The apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the 1870 [United States census]. The Senate had a Republican majority, and the House had a Democratic majority.
The 45th Congress remained politically divided between a Democratic House and Republican Senate. President Hayes vetoed an Army appropriations bill from the House which would have ended Reconstruction and prohibited the use of federal troops to protect polling stations in the former Confederacy. Striking back, Congress overrode another of Hayes's vetoes and enacted the Bland-Allison Act that required the purchase and coining of silver. Congress also approved a generous increase in pension eligibility for Northern Civil War veterans.

Major events

Major legislation

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.
During this Congress, two Senate seats and one House seat were added for the new state, Colorado.

Senate

Republicans controlled the Senate through a VP-tie-breaking majority.

Leadership

Senate

House of Representatives

Members

This list is arranged by chamber, then by state. Senators are listed in order of seniority, 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 began in the last Congress, requiring reelection in 1880; Class 2 meant their term began in this Congress, requiring reelection in 1882; and Class 3 meant their term ended in this Congress, requiring reelection in 1878.

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


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


New Hampshire">List of United States senators from New Hampshire">New Hampshire


South Carolina">List of United States senators from South Carolina">South Carolina


House of Representatives

The names of representatives are preceded by their district numbers.

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


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


New Hampshire">List of United States representatives from New Hampshire">New Hampshire


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


Changes in membership

The count below reflects changes from the beginning of the first session of this Congress.

Senate

  • Replacements: 5
  • * Democratic: 1 seat net gain
  • * Republican: 1 seat net loss
  • Deaths: 2
  • Resignations: 3
  • Interim appointments: 1
  • Contested elections: 0
  • '''Total seats with changes: 5'''

House of Representatives

  • Replacements: 10
  • * Democratic: 5 seat net gain
  • * Republican: 5 seat net loss
  • Deaths: 7
  • Resignations: 1
  • Contested election: 5
  • '''Total seats with changes: 13'''

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