65th United States Congress
The 65th 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, 1917, to March 4, 1919, during the fifth and sixth years of Woodrow Wilson's presidency. The apportionment of seats in this House of Representatives was based on the 1910 United States census.
The Senate maintained a Democratic majority. In the House, the Republicans had actually won a plurality, but as the Progressives and Socialist Representative Meyer London caucused with the Democrats, this gave them the operational majority of the nearly evenly divided chamber, thus giving the Democrats full control of Congress, and along with President Wilson maintaining an overall federal government trifecta.
Major events
- March 4, 1917: Jeannette Rankin of Montana became the first woman member of the United States House of Representatives.
- March 8, 1917: The United States Senate adopted the cloture rule to limit filibusters.
- March 31, 1917: The United States takes possession of the Danish West Indies, which become the US Virgin Islands, after paying $25 million to Denmark.
- April 2, 1917: World War I: President Woodrow Wilson asks the U.S. Congress for a declaration of war on Germany.
- December 4, 1917: World War I: President Woodrow Wilson delivers the 1917 [State of the Union Address|State of the Union Address] and requests declaration of war on Austria-Hungary.
- March 4, 1918: A soldier at Camp Funston, Kansas, fell sick with the first confirmed case of the Spanish flu.
- November 11, 1918: World War I ends.
Major legislation
- April 6, 1917: Germany (1917)|Declaration of war against Germany], Sess. 1 ch. 1,
- April 24, 1917: First Liberty Bond Act, Sess. 1, ch. 4,
- May 12, 1917: Enemy Vessel Confiscation Joint Resolution,,
- May 12, 1917: First Army Appropriations Act of 1917,
- May 18, 1917: Selective Service Act of 1917, Sess. 1, ch. 15,
- May 29, 1917: Esch Car Service Act of 1917, Sess. 1, ch. 23,
- June 15, 1917: Emergency Shipping Fund Act of 1917, c. 29,
- June 15, 1917: Second Army Appropriations Act of 1917,
- June 15, 1917: Espionage Act of 1917, Sess. 1, ch. 30,
- July 24, 1917: Aviation Act of 1917, ch. 40,
- August 8, 1917: River and Harbor Act of 1917, Sess. 1, ch. 49,
- August 10, 1917: Priority of Shipments Act of 1917, Sess. 1, ch. 51,
- August 10, 1917: Food and Fuel Control Act, Sess. 1, ch. 53,
- October 1, 1917: Second Liberty Bond Act, Sess. 1, ch. 56,
- October 1, 1917: Aircraft Board Act of 1917, Sess. 1, ch. 61,
- October 3, 1917: War Revenue Act of 1917, Sess. 1, ch. 63,
- October 5, 1917: Repatriation Act of 1917, Sess. 1, ch. 68,
- October 6, 1917: Federal Explosives Act of 1917, Sess. 1, ch. 83,
- October 6, 1917: War Risk Insurance Act of 1917, Sess. 1, ch. 105,
- October 6, 1917: International Emergency Economic Powers Act, Sess. 1, ch. 106,
- December 7, 1917: Declaration of war against Austria–Hungary, Sess. 2, ch. 1,
- February 24, 1918: Revenue Act of 1918, Sess. 2, ch. 18,
- March 8, 1918: Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief Act, Sess. 2, ch. 20,
- March 19, 1918: Standard Time Act of 1918, Sess. 2, ch. 24,
- March 21, 1918: Federal Control Act of 1918, Sess. 2, ch. 25,
- April 4, 1918: Third Liberty Bond Act, Sess. 2, ch. 44,
- April 5, 1918: Finance Corporation Act">United States Senate Committee on Finance">Finance Corporation Act, Sess. 2, ch. 45,
- April 10, 1918: Webb–Pomerene Act, Sess. 2, ch. 50,
- April 18, 1918: American Forces Abroad Indemnity Act, Sess. 2, ch. 57,
- April 20, 1918: Destruction of War Materials Act, Sess. 2, ch. 59,
- April 23, 1918: Pittman Act, Sess. 2, ch. 63,
- May 9, 1918: Alien Naturalization Act, Sess. 2, ch. 69,
- May 16, 1918: Housing Act, Sess. 2, ch. 74,
- May 16, 1918: Sedition Act of 1918, Sess. 2, ch. 75,
- May 20, 1918: Departmental Reorganization Act, Sess. 2, ch. 78,
- May 22, 1918: Wartime Measure Act of 1918, Sess. 2, ch. 81,
- May 31, 1918: Saulsbury Resolution, Sess. 2, ch. 90,
- June 27, 1918: Veterans Rehabilitation Act, Sess. 2, ch. 107,
- July 3, 1918: Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, Sess. 2, ch. 128,
- July 9, 1918: Fourth Liberty Bond Act, Sess. 2, ch. 142,
- July 9, 1918: Army Appropriations Act of 1918, Sess. 2, ch. 143,
- July 18, 1918: River and Harbor Act of 1918, Sess. 2, ch. 155,
- July 18, 1918: Charter Rate and Requisition Act of 1918, Sess. 2, ch. 157,
- October 16, 1918: Immigration Act of 1918, Sess. 2, ch. 186,
- October 16, 1918: Corrupt Practices Act of 1918, Sess. 2, ch. 187,
- November 7, 1918: National Bank Consolidation Act of 1918, Sess. 2, ch. 209,
- November 21, 1918: Food Production Stimulation Act, Sess. 2, ch. 212,
- February 24, 1919: Labor Act of 1919">United States House Committee on Labor">Labor Act of 1919, Sess. 3, ch. 18,
- February 26, 1919: Grand Canyon National Park Act of 1919, Sess. 3, ch. 44,
- February 26, 1919: Acadia National Park Act of 1919, Sess. 3, ch. 45,
- March 2, 1919: War Risk Insurance Act of 1919, Sess. 3, ch. 94,
- March 2, 1919: River and Harbors Act of 1919, Sess. 3, ch. 95,
- March 3, 1919: Hospitalization Act of 1919, Sess. 3, ch. 98,
- March 3, 1919: Fifth Liberty Bond Act, Sess. 3, ch. 100,
- March 4, 1919: Wheat Price Guarantee Act, Sess. 3, ch. 125,
Major resolutions
- April 3, 1918 American's Creed
Constitutional amendments
- December 18, 1917: Approved an amendment to the United States Constitution declaring the production, transport, and sale of alcohol illegal, and submitted it to the state legislatures for ratification
- * Amendment was later ratified on January 16, 1919, becoming the Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution
Leadership
Senate leadership
Presiding
- President: Thomas R. Marshall
- President pro tempore: Willard Saulsbury Jr.
- Majority Whip: J. Hamilton Lewis
- Minority Whip: Charles Curtis
- Republican Conference Chairman: Jacob Harold Gallinger
- * Henry Cabot Lodge
- Democratic Caucus Chairman : Thomas S. Martin
- Republican Conference Secretary: James Wolcott Wadsworth Jr.
- Democratic Conference Secretary|Democratic Caucus Secretary]: William H. King
House leadership
Presiding
Majority (Democratic) leadership
- Majority Leader: Claude Kitchin
- Majority Whip: vacant
- Democratic Caucus Chairman: Edward W. Saunders
- Democratic Campaign Committee Chairman: Scott Ferris
Minority (Republican) leadership
- Minority Leader: James R. Mann
- Minority Whip: Charles M. Hamilton
- Republican Conference Chairman: William S. Greene
- Republican Congressional Committee|Republican Campaign Committee Chairman]: Frank P. Woods
Members
Senate
Because of the 17th Amendment, starting in 1914 U.S. senators were directly elected instead of by the state legislatures. However, this did not affect the terms of U.S. senators whose terms had started before that Amendment took effect, In this Congress, Class 2 meant their term ended with this Congress, requiring reelection in 1918; Class 3 meant their term began in the last Congress, requiring reelection in 1920; and Class 1 meant their term began in this Congress, requiring reelection in 1922.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
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
Non-voting members
Changes in membership
The count below reflects changes from the beginning of the first session of this Congress.Senate
- Replacements: 17
- * Democratic: 3-seat net loss
- * Republican: 3-seat net gain
- Deaths: 10
- Resignations: 1
- Vacancy: 0
- Total seats with changes: 10
| State | Senator | Reason for vacancy | Successor | Date of successor's installation |
| Oregon | Harry Lane | Died May 23, 1917. Successor was appointed. | Charles L. McNary | May 29, 1917 |
| Wisconsin | Paul O. Husting | Died October 21, 1917. Successor was elected. | Irvine Lenroot | April 18, 1918 |
| Nevada | Francis G. Newlands | Died December 24, 1917. Successor was appointed and subsequently elected. | Charles Henderson | January 12, 1918 |
| Idaho | James H. Brady | Died January 13, 1918. Successor appointed and 1918 [United States Senate special election in Idaho|elected] November 5, 1918. | John F. Nugent | January 22, 1918 |
| New Jersey | William Hughes | Died January 30, 1918. Successor appointed February 23, 1918, and elected November 5, 1918. | David Baird Sr. | February 23, 1918 |
| Louisiana | Robert F. Broussard | Died April 12, 1918. Successor was appointed. | Walter Guion | April 22, 1918 |
| Missouri | William J. Stone | Died April 14, 1918. Successor was appointed. | Xenophon P. Wilfley | April 30, 1918 |
| South Carolina | Benjamin Tillman | Died July 3, 1918. Successor was appointed. | Christie Benet | July 6, 1918 |
| New Hampshire | Jacob H. Gallinger | Died August 17, 1918. Successor was appointed. | Irving W. Drew | September 2, 1918 |
| Kentucky | Ollie M. James | Died August 28, 1918. Successor was appointed. | George B. Martin | September 7, 1918 |
| Louisiana | Walter Guion | Interim appointee replaced by elected successor. | Edward Gay | November 6, 1918 |
| Missouri | Xenophon P. Wilfley | Interim appointee replaced by elected successor. | Selden P. Spencer | November 6, 1918 |
| New Hampshire | Irving W. Drew | Interim appointee replaced by elected successor. | George H. Moses | November 6, 1918 |
| Oregon | Charles L. McNary | Interim appointee replaced by elected successor. | Frederick W. Mulkey | November 6, 1918 |
| South Carolina | Christie Benet | Interim appointee replaced by elected successor. | William P. Pollock | November 6, 1918 |
| Oregon | Frederick W. Mulkey | Resigned December 17, 1918, to give successor preferential seniority. Successor was appointed. | Charles L. McNary | December 18, 1918 |
House of Representatives
- replacements: 23
- * Democratic: no net change
- * Republican: no net change
- Deaths: 15
- Resignations: 12
- Contested elections: 3
- Total seats with changes: 31
Committees
Senate
- Additional Accommodations for the Library of Congress
- Agriculture and Forestry
- Appropriations
- United States Senate [Committee to Audit and Control the Contingent Expenses of the Senate|Audit and Control the Contingent Expenses of the Senate]
- Banking and Currency
- Canadian Relations
- Census
- Civil Service and Retrenchment
- Claims
- Coast and Insular Survey
- Coast Defenses
- Commerce
- Conservation of National Resources
- Corporations Organized in the District of Columbia
- Cuban Relations
- Disposition of Useless Papers in the Executive Departments
- District of Columbia
- Education and Labor|Education and Labor]
- Engrossed Bills
- Enrolled Bills
- Establish a University in the United States
- Examine the Several Branches in the Civil Service
- Expenditures in the Department of Agriculture
- Expenditures in the Department of Commerce
- Expenditures in the Interior Department
- Expenditures in the Department of Justice
- Expenditures in the Department of Labor
- Expenditures in the Navy Department
- Expenditures in the Post Office Department
- Expenditures in the State Department
- Expenditures in the Treasury Department
- Expenditures in the War Department
- Finance
- Fisheries
- Five Civilized Tribes of Indians
- Foreign Relations
- Forest Reservations and the Protection of Game
- Geological Survey
- Immigration
- Indian Affairs
- Indian Depredations
- Industrial Expositions
- Interoceanic Canals
- Interstate Commerce
- Investigate Trespassers upon Indian Lands
- Irrigation and Reclamation
- Judiciary
- Library
- Manufactures
- Military Affairs
- Mines and Mining
- Mississippi River and its Tributaries
- National Banks
- Naval Affairs
- Pacific Islands and Puerto Rico
- Pacific Railroads
- Patents
- Pensions
- Philippines
- Post Office and Post Roads
- Printing
- Private Land Claims
- Privileges and Elections
- Public Buildings and Grounds
- Public Health and National Quarantine
- Public Lands
- Railroads
- Revolutionary Claims
- Rules
- Standards, Weights and Measures
- Tariff Regulation
- Territories
- Transportation and Sale of Meat Products
- Transportation Routes to the Seaboard
- University of the United States
- Washington Railway and Electrical Company
- Whole
- Woman Suffrage
House of Representatives
- Accounts
- Agriculture
- Alcoholic Liquor Traffic
- Appropriations
- Banking and Currency
- Census
- Claims
- Coinage, Weights and Measures
- Disposition of Executive Papers
- District of Columbia
- Education
- Election of the President, Vice President and Representatives in Congress
- Elections No.#1
- Elections No.#2
- Elections No.#3
- Enrolled Bills
- Agriculture Department|Expenditures in the Agriculture Department]
- Commerce Department|Expenditures in the Commerce Department]
- Expenditures in the Interior Department
- Expenditures in the Justice Department
- Expenditures in the Labor Department
- Expenditures in the Navy Department
- Expenditures in the Post Office Department
- Expenditures in the State Department
- Expenditures in the Treasury Department
- Expenditures in the War Department
- Expenditures on Public Buildings
- Flood Control
- Foreign Affairs
- Immigration and Naturalization|Immigration and Naturalization]
- Indian Affairs
- Industrial Arts and Expositions
- Insular Affairs
- Interstate and Foreign Commerce
- Invalid Pensions
- Interstate Commerce between the States of Illinois and Missouri|Investigate Conditions Interfering with Interstate Commerce between the States of Illinois and Missouri]
- Irrigation of Arid Lands
- Judiciary
- Labor
- Library
- Merchant Marine and Fisheries
- Mileage
- Military Affairs
- Mines and Mining
- Naval Affairs
- Patents
- Pensions
- Post Office and Post Roads
- Printing
- Public Buildings and Grounds
- Public Lands
- Railways and Canals
- Reform in the Civil Service
- Revision of Laws
- Rivers and Harbors
- Roads
- Rules
- Standards of Official Conduct
- Territories
- War Claims
- Water Power
- Ways and Means
- Woman Suffrage
- Whole (United States House of Representatives)|Whole]
Joint committees
- Conditions of Indian Tribes
- Disposition of Executive Papers
- Interstate Commerce
- The Library
- Postal Salaries
- Printing
- Reclassification of Salaries
Caucuses
Employees
Legislative branch agency">List of federal agencies in the United States#United States Congress">Legislative branch agency directors
- Architect of the Capitol: Elliott Woods
- Librarian of Congress: Herbert Putnam
- Public Printer of the United States: Cornelius Ford
Senate
- Chaplain: F.J. Prettyman
- Secretary: James M. Baker
- Librarian: Edward C. Goodwin
- Sergeant at Arms: Charles P. Higgins
House of Representatives
- Chaplain: Henry N. Couden
- Clerk: South Trimble
- Doorkeeper: Joseph J. Sinnott
- Postmaster: William M. Dunbar
- Clerk at the Speaker's Table: Bennett C. Clark
- * Clarence A. Cannon
- Clerk of the United States House of Representatives|Reading Clerks]: Patrick Joseph Haltigan and H. Martin Williams
- Sergeant at Arms: Robert B. Gordon