78th United States Congress

The 78th 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, 1943, to January 3, 1945, during the last two years of Franklin D. Roosevelt's presidency. The apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the 1940 [United States census].
Both chambers had a Democratic majority - albeit greatly reduced from the 77th Congress, with the Democrats losing their supermajority in the House and Senate. Along with President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the Democrats maintained an overall federal government trifecta.

Major events

World War II continued
June 6, 1944: Battle of Normandy
November 7, 1944: General elections:
* President Roosevelt was re-elected to a fourth term.
* Senate Democrats kept their majority despite 1-seat net loss.
* House Democrats increased their majority with a 20-seat net gain.

Major legislation

December 17, 1943: Magnuson Act, Sess. 1, ch. 344,
February 3, 1944: Mustering-out Payment Act, Sess. 2,,
June 6, 1944: Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944, Sess. 2, ch. 268,,
June 27, 1944: Veterans' Preference Act, Sess. 2, ch. 287,,
July 1, 1944: Public Health Service Act, Sess. 2, ch. 373,
Contract Settlement Act of 1944,, Sess. 2, an act to provide for the settlement of claims arising from terminated war contracts
December 22, 1944: Pick-Sloan Flood Control Act, Sess. 2, ch. 665,,

Leaders

Senate

President of [the United States Senate|President]: Henry A. Wallace
President pro tempore: Carter Glass

Majority (Democratic) leadership

Minority (Republican) leadership

Minority Leader: Charles L. McNary, until February 25, 1944
* Wallace H. White Jr., after February 25, 1944
Minority whip: No Republican whips were appointed from 1935 to 1944 since only 17 Republicans were in the Senate following the landslide reelection of President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1936. Accordingly, the minutes of the Republican Conference for the period state: "On motion of Senator Hastings, duly seconded and carried, it was agreed that no Assistant Leader or Whip be elected but that the chairman be authorized to appoint Senators from time to time to assist him in taking charge of the interests of the minority." A note attached to the conference minutes added: "The chairman of the conference, Senator McNary, apparently appointed Senator Austin of Vermont as assistant leader in 1943 and 1944, until the conference adopted Rules of Organization."
Republican Conference Secretary: Wallace H. White Jr., until February 25, 1944
* Harold Hitz Burton
National Senatorial Committee Chair: John G. Townsend Jr.

House of Representatives

Speaker: Sam Rayburn

Majority (Democratic) leadership

Minority (Republican) leadership

Minority Leader: Joseph W. Martin Jr.
Minority whip: Harry Lane Englebright, until May 13, 1943
* Leslie C. Arends, from May 13, 1943
Republican Conference Chairman: Roy O. Woodruff
Republican Campaign Committee Chairman: Charles A. Halleck

Members

Senate

Senators are popularly elected statewide 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 3 meant their term ended with this Congress, facing re-election in 1944; Class 1 meant their term began in the last Congress, facing re-election in 1946; and Class 2 meant their term began in this Congress, facing re-election in 1948.

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

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

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

North Dakota">List of United States senators from North Dakota">North Dakota

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

House of Representatives

The names of representatives are preceded by their district numbers.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Architect of the Capitol: David Lynn
Attending Physician of the United States Congress: George Calver
Comptroller General of the United States: Lindsay C. Warren
Librarian of Congress: Archibald MacLeish, until 1944
Public Printer of the United States: Augustus E. Giegengack

Senate

Chaplain: Frederick Brown Harris
Parliamentarian: Charles Watkins
Secretary: Edwin A. Halsey
Librarian: Ruskin McArdle
Secretary for the Majority: Leslie Biffle
Secretary for the Minority: Carl A. Loeffler
Sergeant at Arms: Chesley W. Jurney, until January 31, 1943
* Wall Doxey, from February 1, 1943

House of Representatives

Chaplain: James Shera Montgomery
Clerk: South Trimble
Doorkeeper: Joseph J. Sinnott, until January 27, 1943
* Ralph R. Roberts, from February 5, 1943
Parliamentarian: Lewis Deschler
Postmaster: Finis E. Scott
Reading Clerks: George J. Maurer and Alney E. Chaffee
Sergeant at Arms: Kenneth Romney