98th United States Congress
The 98th 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, 1983, to January 3, 1985, during the third and fourth years of Ronald Reagan's presidency. The apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the 1980 U.S. census.
The Republicans maintained control of the Senate, while the Democrats increased their majority in the House of Representatives from the 97th Congress.
Major events
- February 24, 1983: A special commission of the Congress released a report critical of the practice of Japanese internment during World War II.
- March 23, 1983: President Ronald Reagan made his Strategic Defense Initiative proposal.
- April 18, 1983: U.S. Embassy bombed in Beirut, killing 63 people.
- October 23, 1983: Simultaneous suicide truck-bombings destroyed both the French and the United States Marine Corps barracks in Beirut, killing 241 U.S. servicemen, 58 French paratroopers and 6 Lebanese civilians.
- October 25, 1983: United States troops invaded Grenada
- November 6, 1984:
- *1984 United States presidential election: Re-election of Ronald Reagan
- *1984 United States Senate elections: Republicans retained Senate, but lost 2 seats
- *1984 United States House of Representatives elections: Democrats retained House, but lost 16 seats
Major legislation
- April 20, 1983: Social Security Amendments of 1983,
- August 26, 1983: Extra-Long Staple Cotton Act of 1983,,
- November 2, 1983: Martin Luther King Jr. Day law,
- March 20, 1984: Shipping Act of 1984,,
- July 17, 1984: Land Remote-Sensing Commercialization Act of 1984,
- July 17, 1984: National Minimum Drinking Age Act,
- August 11, 1984: Equal Access Act
- September 24, 1984: Drug Price Competition and Patent Term Restoration Act,,
- September 28, 1984: Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act,
- October 3, 1984: Secondary Mortgage Market Enhancement Act,,
- October 12, 1984: Comprehensive Crime Control Act,, title II
- October 12, 1984: Armed Career Criminal Act,,
- October 12, 1984: Comprehensive Smoking Education Act,,
- October 12, 1984: Controlled Substances Penalties Amendments Act of 1984,,
- October 19, 1984: National Archives and Records Administration Act,
- October 19, 1984: Aviation Drug-Trafficking Control Act of 1984,
- October 19, 1984: National Organ Transplant Act of 1984,,
- October 30, 1984: Commercial Space Launch Act of 1984,
- October 30, 1984: Cable Communications Policy Act of 1984,,
- October 30, 1984: Trade and Tariff Act of 1984,
- November 8, 1984: National Fishing Enhancement Act of 1984,,
- November 8, 1984: Semiconductor Chip Protection Act of 1984,,
Party summary
Senate
House of Representatives
Leadership
Senate
- President: George H. W. Bush
- President pro tempore: Strom Thurmond
Majority (Republican) leadership
- Majority Leader: Howard Baker
- Majority Whip: Ted Stevens
- Republican Conference Chairman: James A. McClure
- Republican Conference Secretary: Jake Garn
- National Senatorial Committee Chair: Richard Lugar
- Policy Committee Chairman: John Tower
Minority (Democratic) leadership
- Minority Leader and Democratic Conference Chairman: Robert Byrd
- Minority Whip: Alan Cranston
- Democratic Caucus Secretary: Daniel Inouye
- Democratic Campaign Committee Chairman: Lloyd Bentsen
House of Representatives
- Speaker: Tip O'Neill
Majority (Democratic) leadership
- Majority Leader: Jim Wright
- Majority Whip: Tom Foley
- Chief Deputy Majority Whip: William Vollie Alexander Jr.
- Democratic Caucus Chairman: Gillis William Long
- Democratic Caucus Secretary: Geraldine Ferraro
- Democratic Campaign Committee Chairman: Tony Coelho
Minority (Republican) leadership
- Minority Leader: Robert H. Michel
- Minority Whip: Trent Lott
- Chief Deputy Whip: Tom Loeffler
- Republican Conference Chairman: Jack Kemp
- Republican Conference Vice-Chairman: Jack Edwards
- Republican Conference Secretary: Clair Burgener
- Policy Committee Chairman: Dick Cheney
- Republican Campaign Committee Chairman: Guy Vander Jagt
Caucuses
- Congressional Arts Caucus
- Congressional Black Caucus
- Congressional Hispanic Caucus
- Congressional Friends of Ireland Caucus
- Congressional Pediatric & Adult Hydrocephalus Caucus
- Congressional Travel & Tourism Caucus
- Congresswomen's Caucus
- House Democratic Caucus
- Senate Democratic Caucus
Members