107th United States Congress

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107th United States Congress
106th ←
→ 108th
USCapitol.jpg
United States Capitol (2002)

January 3, 2001 – January 3, 2003
Members100 senators
435 representatives
5 non-voting delegates
Senate MajorityDemocratic
(until January 20, 2001)
Republican
(Jan 20, 2001 – Jun 6, 2001)
Democratic
(from June 6, 2001)
Senate PresidentAl Gore (D)[a]
(until January 20, 2001)
Dick Cheney (R)
(from January 20, 2001)
House MajorityRepublican
House SpeakerDennis Hastert (R)
Sessions
1st: January 3, 2001 – December 20, 2001
2nd: January 23, 2002 – November 22, 2002
President George W. Bush signing the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 in the White House East Room on June 7, 2001
President George W. Bush signing the No Child Left Behind Act.
President George W. Bush signs the No Child Left Behind Act into law
President George W. Bush in October 2001, elucidating on the government's rationale behind the USA PATRIOT Act before signing into law.
President George W. Bush, surrounded by leaders of the House and Senate, announces the Joint Resolution to Authorize the Use of United States Armed Forces Against Iraq, October 2, 2002.
Before the signing ceremony of the Sarbanes–Oxley Act, President George W. Bush met with Senator Paul Sarbanes, Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao and other dignitaries in the Blue Room at the White House on July 30, 2002

The 107th 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, 2001 to January 3, 2003, during the final weeks of the Clinton presidency and the first two years of the George W. Bush presidency. The apportionment of seats in this House of Representatives was based on the 1990 United States Census.

The House of Representatives had a Republican majority all the way through, while the Senate saw multiple switches – having began with a brief Democratic majority (due to being a 50–50 split and Vice President Al Gore in his constitutional role as Senate President serving as the tiebreaker), then switching to Republican (after Dick Cheney became Vice President on January 20, 2001 and therefore the tiebreaker). And with George W. Bush being sworn in as President on January 20, this gave the Republicans an overall federal government trifecta for the first time since the 83rd Congress in 1953.

The trifecta was short lived as Senator Jim Jeffords switched from a Republican to an independent who caucused with the Democrats on June 6, 2001, effectively giving the Democrats a 51–49 edge and thus the majority.

The Senate majority then switched back to the Republicans late in the term due to Republican Jim Talent's victory in the 2002 United States Senate special election in Missouri. However, since the body was out of session by then, formal reorganization was delayed until the next Congress.[1]

Major events[]

A rare even split in the United States Senate, the defection of a single Senator, and the inauguration of a new vice president, led to three changes in majorities. Major security events occurred. The September 11 attacks were highly disruptive. Some Senators were targeted by anthrax attacks. The Congress voted to allow the President to invade Iraq.

  • January 3, 2001: 107th Congress officially begins, with the Senate split 50-50. Democrat Al Gore — the outgoing Vice President — briefly gives the Democrats the tie breaker and majority control.
  • January 3, 2001: First Lady Hillary Clinton, wife of President Bill Clinton, became the first presidential spouse to serve in Congress (and briefly holding the titles of both First Lady and Senator).
  • January 20, 2001: George W. Bush became President of the United States.
  • January 20, 2001: Dick Cheney became Vice President, and the Republicans take control of the Senate with his tie breaking vote.
  • May 24, 2001: Senator Jim Jeffords, previously a Republican, declared himself an independent and announced he would join the Democratic caucus, giving the Democrats majority control, effective June 6, 2001.[2]
  • September 11, 2001: September 11 attacks
  • September 20, 2001: George W. Bush reported to a joint session of Congress on the investigation into the September 11 attacks and announces the War on Terrorism
  • October 7, 2001: Operation Enduring Freedom began
  • October 9, 2001: Anthrax attacks were executed against members of the Senate, including Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle.
  • December 2001: Corporate financial scandals, including Enron and MCI
  • June 12, 2002: Prime Minister of Australia John Howard addressed a joint session of Congress. The address was originally scheduled for September 12, 2001, but was interrupted by the September 11 attacks. Already in Washington at the time, he sat in on Congressional sessions on September 12 instead.
  • October 25, 2002: Democratic Senator Paul Wellstone dies in a plane crash, and is replaced by non caucusing independent Dean Barkley for the rest of the term.
  • November 23, 2002: Jim Talent takes Senate seat in Missouri, effectively giving Republicans the majority (though formal reorganization was delayed until the convening of the 108th United States Congress).

Major legislation[]

Party summary[]

Senate[]

Party
(Shading indicates party control)
Total
Democratic
(D)
Independent
(I)
Independence
(IMN)
Republican
(R)
Vacant
caucused with
Democrats
End of
previous Congress
46 0 0 54 100 0
Begin[c] 50 0 0 50 100 0
January 20, 2001[d] 50 50
June 6, 2001[e] 50 1 49
October 25, 2002[f] 49 99 1
November 4, 2002[f] 1 100 0
November 23, 2002[g] 48 1 50
November 30, 2002[h] 49 99 1
December 2, 2002[h] 50 100 0
Final voting share 49% 1% 50%
Beginning of the
next Congress
48 1 0 51 100 0

House of Representatives[]

  Party
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
Total  
Democratic Independent Republican Vacant
caucused with
Democrats
caucused with
Republicans
End of previous Congress 208 1 1 222 432 3
Begin 211 1 1 221 434 1
January 31, 2001 220 433 2
March 30, 2001 210 432 3
May 15, 2001 221 433 2
May 28, 2001 209 432 3
June 5, 2001 210 433 2
June 19, 2001 222 434 1
August 5, 2001 221 433 2
August 16, 2001 220 432 3
September 6, 2001 219 431 4
October 16, 2001 211 220 433 2
November 20, 2001 221 434 1
December 18, 2001 222 435 0
July 24, 2002 210 434 1
August 1, 2002 0 223
September 9, 2002 209 433 2
September 28, 2002 208 432 3
November 30, 2002 209 433 2
Final voting share 48.5% 51.5%  
Beginning of the next Congress 205 1 0 229 435 0

Leadership[]

Senate[]

Senate President
Al Gore
Al Gore (D)
(until January 20, 2001)
Dick Cheney
Dick Cheney (R)
(from January 20, 2001)
Senate President pro tempore
Robert Byrd
Robert Byrd (D)
(until January 20, 2001)
(from June 6, 2001)
Strom Thurmond
Strom Thurmond (R)
(January 20 – June 6, 2001)
  • President: Al Gore (D), until January 20, 2001
    • Dick Cheney (R), from January 20, 2001
  • President pro tempore: Robert Byrd (D), until January 20, 2001
    • Strom Thurmond (R), January 20 – June 6, 2001
    • Robert Byrd (D), from June 6, 2001
  • President pro tempore emeritus: Strom Thurmond (R), from June 6, 2001

Republican leadership[]

  • Minority Leader: Trent Lott (R), until January 20, 2001, and from June 6, 2001
    • Majority leader January 20 – June 6, 2001
  • Minority Whip: Don Nickles (R), until January 20, 2001, and from June 6, 2001
    • Majority whip January 20 – June 6, 2001
  • Republican Conference Chairman: Rick Santorum
  • Republican Conference Secretary: Kay Bailey Hutchison
  • Republican Campaign Committee Chair: Bill Frist
  • Republican Policy Committee Chairman: Larry Craig

Democratic leadership[]

  • Majority Leader: Tom Daschle (D), until January 20, 2001, and from June 6, 2001
    • Minority leader January 20 – June 6, 2001
  • Majority Whip: Harry Reid (D), until January 20, 2001, and from June 6, 2001
    • Minority whip January 20 – June 6, 2001
  • Democratic Policy Committee Chairman: Byron Dorgan
  • Democratic Conference Secretary: Barbara Mikulski
  • Democratic Campaign Committee Chairman: Patty Murray
  • Democratic Chief Deputy Whip: John Breaux

House of Representatives[]

Speaker of the House
Dennis Hastert
Dennis Hastert (R)
  • Speaker: Dennis Hastert (R)

Majority (Republican) leadership[]

  • Majority Leader: Dick Armey
  • Majority Whip: Tom DeLay
  • Chief Deputy Whip: Roy Blunt
  • Republican Conference Chairman: J. C. Watts
  • Republican Conference Vice-Chairman: Deborah Pryce
  • Republican Conference Secretary: Barbara Cubin
  • Policy Committee Chairman: Christopher Cox
  • Republican Campaign Committee Chairman: Thomas M. Davis
  • House Rules Committee Chairman: David Dreier

Minority (Democratic) leadership[]

  • Minority Leader: Dick Gephardt
  • Minority Whip: David E. Bonior, until January 15, 2002
    • Nancy Pelosi, from January 15, 2002
  • Chief Deputy Minority Whips: John Lewis, Ed Pastor, Max Sandlin & Maxine Waters
  • Democratic Caucus Chairman: Martin Frost
  • Democratic Caucus Vice Chairman: Bob Menendez
  • Democratic Campaign Committee Chairman: Nita Lowey

Members[]

Skip to House of Representatives, below

Senate[]

Senators are listed by their class. In this Congress, Class 2 meant their term ended with this Congress, facing re-election in 2002; Class 3 meant their term began in the previous Congress, facing re-election in 2004; and Class 1 meant their term began in this Congress, facing re-election in 2006.

House of Representatives[]

Congressional district numbers are linked to articles describing the district itself.

Changes in membership[]

Senate[]

State
(class)
Vacator Reason for change Successor Date of successor's
formal installation[i]
Vermont (1) Jim Jeffords (R) Incumbent changed party and joined the Democratic caucus. Jim Jeffords (I) June 6, 2001
Minnesota (2) Paul Wellstone (D) Incumbent died October 25, 2002.
Successor appointed to serve the remaining two months of the term.
Dean Barkley (IMN) November 4, 2002
Missouri (1) Jean Carnahan (D) Interim appointee lost election to finish the term. Jim Talent (R) November 23, 2002
Texas (2) Phil Gramm (R) Incumbent resigned November 30, 2002 to give successor seniority advantages.[3][4] John Cornyn (R) December 2, 2002
Alaska (3) Frank Murkowski (R) Incumbent resigned December 2, 2002 to become Governor of Alaska.
Successor appointed to fill the vacancy.
Lisa Murkowski (R) December 20, 2002

House of Representatives[]

District Vacator Reason for change Successor Date of successor's
formal installation[i]
California 32nd Vacant Incumbent Julian Dixon (D) had died December 8, 2000, before the beginning of this Congress.
A special election was held June 5, 2001.
Diane Watson (D) June 5, 2001
Pennsylvania 9th Bud Shuster (R) Incumbent resigned, effective January 31, 2001.
A special election was held May 15, 2001.
Bill Shuster (R) May 15, 2001
Virginia 4th Norman Sisisky (D) Incumbent died March 30, 2001.
A special election was held June 19, 2001.
Randy Forbes (R) June 19, 2001
Massachusetts 9th Joe Moakley (D) Incumbent died May 28, 2001.
A special election was held October 16, 2001.
Stephen F. Lynch (D) October 16, 2001
Arkansas 3rd Asa Hutchinson (R) Incumbent resigned August 5, 2001 to head the Drug Enforcement Administration.
A special election was held November 20, 2001.
John Boozman (R) November 20, 2001
South Carolina 2nd Floyd Spence (R) Incumbent died August 16, 2001.
A special election was held December 18, 2001.
Joe Wilson (R) December 18, 2001
Florida 1st Joe Scarborough (R) Incumbent resigned, effective September 6, 2001.
A special election was held October 16, 2001.
Jeff Miller (R) October 16, 2001
Oklahoma 1st Steve Largent (R) Incumbent resigned, effective February 15, 2002, to concentrate on his campaign for governor.
A special election was held January 8, 2002.
John A. Sullivan (R) February 15, 2002
Ohio 17th Jim Traficant (D) Incumbent expelled July 24, 2002 for criminal conviction of 10 counts of bribery, racketeering, and tax evasion. Vacant Not filled for remainder of Congress
Virginia 5th Virgil Goode (I) Incumbent changed party. Virgil Goode (R) August 1, 2002
Ohio 3rd Tony P. Hall (D) Incumbent resigned September 9, 2002 after he was appointed to be the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. Vacant Not filled for remainder of Congress
Hawaii 2nd Patsy Mink (D) Incumbent died September 28, 2002 but was elected posthumously on November 5, 2002. Ed Case (D) November 30, 2002

Committees[]

Lists of committees and their party leaders, for members (House and Senate) of the committees and their assignments, go into the Official Congressional Directory at the bottom of the article and click on the link (1 link), in the directory after the pages of terms of service, you will see the committees of the Senate, House (Standing with Subcommittees, Select and Special) and Joint and after the committee pages, you will see the House/Senate committee assignments in the directory, on the committees section of the House and Senate in the Official Congressional Directory, the committee's members on the first row on the left side shows the chairman of the committee and on the right side shows the ranking member of the committee.

Joint committees[]

  • Economic (Chair: Rep. Jim Saxton, Vice Chair: Sen. Jack Reed)
  • Taxation (Chair: Rep. Bill Thomas, Vice Chair: Sen. Max Baucus)
  • The Library (Chair: Rep. Vernon J. Ehlers, Vice Chair: Sen. Chris Dodd)
  • Printing (Chair: Sen. Mark Dayton, Vice Chair: Rep. Robert W. Ney)

Caucuses[]

Employees[]

Legislative branch agency directors[]

  • Architect of the Capitol: Alan M. Hantman
  • Attending Physician of the United States Congress: John F. Eisold
  • Comptroller General of the United States: David M. Walker
  • Director of the Congressional Budget Office: Dan Crippen
  • Librarian of Congress: James H. Billington
  • Public Printer of the United States: , until 2002
    • , from 2002

Senate[]

  • Chaplain: Lloyd John Ogilvie (Presbyterian)
  • Curator: Diane K. Skvarla
  • Historian: Richard A. Baker
  • Parliamentarian: Bob Dove, until May 2001
    • Alan Frumin, May 2001 - end
  • Secretary: , until July 11, 2001
    • , July 12, 2001 - end
  • Librarian:
  • Sergeant at Arms: , until August 2, 2001
    • Alfonso E. Lenhardt, September 4, 2001 - end
  • / :
    • Martin P. Paone (Democrats)
    • Elizabeth B. Letchworth (Republicans)
    • David J. Schiappa (Republicans)

House of Representatives[]

  • Chaplain: Daniel P. Coughlin (Roman Catholic)
  • Chief Administrative Officer:
  • Clerk: Jeff Trandahl
  • Parliamentarian:
  • Reading Clerks:
  • Sergeant at Arms: Wilson Livingood
  • :

See also[]

  • 2000 United States elections (elections leading to this Congress)
    • 2000 United States presidential election
    • 2000 United States Senate elections
    • 2000 United States House of Representatives elections
  • 2002 United States elections (elections during this Congress, leading to the next Congress)
    • 2002 United States Senate elections
    • 2002 United States House of Representatives elections

Notes[]

  1. ^ U.S. Vice President Al Gore's term as President of the Senate ended at noon on January 20, 2001, when Dick Cheney's term began.
  2. ^ When the Congress began, the Senate was divided 50–50. Because the Vice President's tie-breaking vote would change control from Democrats to Republicans on January 20, the Senate elected Byrd to serve until noon and Thurmond to serve from noon on January 20. Control changed again from June 6, 2001, when Jim Jeffords left the Republican Party and Byrd was once again elected President pro tempore.
  3. ^ Al Gore (D) was U.S. Vice President until January 20, 2001 with the tie-breaking vote.
  4. ^ Dick Cheney (R) became U.S. Vice President January 20, 2001 with the tie-breaking vote.
  5. ^ In Vermont, James Jeffords switched June 6, 2001 from Republican to Independent and caucused with Democrats.
  6. ^ Jump up to: a b In Minnesota, Paul Wellstone (D) died October 25, 2002. Dean Barkley (IMN), who didn't caucus with either party, was appointed November 4, 2002 to Wellstone's seat.
  7. ^ In the November 5, 2002 Missouri special election, Jim Talent (R) took Jean Carnahan (D)'s seat and became senator November 23, 2002, but there was no reorganization because Senate was out of session.[1]
  8. ^ Jump up to: a b In Texas, Phil Gramm (R) resigned November 30, 2002 to give his successor advantageous office space. Senator-elect John Cornyn (R) was appointed December 2, 2002 to finish Gramm's term.
  9. ^ Jump up to: a b When seated or oath administered, not necessarily when service began.

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b "Party Division in the Senate, 1789-Present" – via Senate.gov.
  2. ^ "Leaving Republican Party: Jeffords' 2001 speech". Burlington Free Press. August 18, 2014. Retrieved January 10, 2019.
  3. ^ Associated Press (November 21, 2002). "Cornyn Gets Early Start in Senate". The Edwardsville Intelligencer. Retrieved November 3, 2020.
  4. ^ "SENATORS OF THE UNITED STATES > 1789-present > A chronological list of senators since the First Congress in 1789" (PDF). United States Senate – via Senate.gov.

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress website http://bioguide.congress.gov.

External links[]

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