96th United States Congress
The 96th 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, 1979, to January 3, 1981, during the last two years of Jimmy Carter's presidency.
The apportionment of seats in this House of Representatives was based on the 1970 census.
Both chambers retained a Democratic majority, and with President Carter, maintained an overall federal government trifecta. This is the last Congress in which the Democrats retained a trifecta for more than one term.
This is the most recent Congress to feature a Democratic senator from Idaho, Frank Church, who lost re-election in 1980.Major events
- March 28, 1979: Partial nuclear meltdown at Three Mile Island
- July 11, 1979: Skylab began its return to Earth
- November 4, 1979: Iran hostage crisis began
- 1979 energy crisis
- February 2, 1980: Abscam became public
- April 7, 1980: End of Iran-United States diplomatic relations
- May 18, 1980: Mount St. Helens erupted
- 1980 United States heat wave
- November 4, 1980: United States elections: Reagan/Bush defeated Carter/Mondale. Republicans gain control of the Senate; the first time Republicans gain control of either chamber since 1954.
Major legislation
- April 10, 1979: Taiwan Relations Act,
- September 9, 1979: Panama Canal Act of 1979,,
- October 17, 1979: Department of Education Organization Act,,
- March 17, 1980: Refugee Act of 1980,,
- March 30, 1980: Depository Institutions Deregulation and Monetary Control Act
- September 19, 1980: Regulatory Flexibility Act,,
- September 29, 1980: Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act of 1980,,
- October 7, 1980: Mental Health Systems Act of 1980
- October 14, 1980: Staggers Rail Act of 1980,,
- October 15, 1980: Classified Information Procedures Act,,
- December 2, 1980: Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act,,
- December 11, 1980: Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act,,
- December 11, 1980: Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980,,
- December 12, 1980: Defense Officer Personnel Management Act,
- December 12, 1980: Bayh–Dole Act,,
- December 22, 1980: Nuclear Safety, Research, Demonstration, and Development Act of 1980,,
Party summary
Senate
House of Representatives
Leaders
Senate
This list is arranged by chamber, then by state. Senators are listed in order of seniority, 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 3 meant their term ended with this Congress, requiring reelection in 1980; Class 1 meant their term began in the last Congress, requiring reelection in 1982; and Class 2 meant their term began in this Congress, requiring reelection in 1984.Alaska">List of United States senators from Alaska">Alaska
Arizona">List of United States senators from Arizona">Arizona
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
Hawaii">List of United States senators from Hawaii">Hawaii
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 Mexico">List of United States senators from New Mexico">New Mexico
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
Oklahoma">List of United States senators from Oklahoma">Oklahoma
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.Alaska">List of United States representatives from Alaska">Alaska
Arizona">List of United States representatives from Arizona">Arizona
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
Hawaii">List of United States representatives from Hawaii">Hawaii
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