76th United States Congress

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

76th United States Congress
75th ←
→ 77th
USCapitol1956.jpg
United States Capitol (1956)
January 3, 1939 – January 3, 1941
Members96 senators
435 representatives
5 non-voting delegates
Senate MajorityDemocratic
Senate PresidentJohn N. Garner (D)
House MajorityDemocratic
House SpeakerWilliam B. Bankhead (D)
(until September 15, 1940)
Sam Rayburn (D)
(from September 16, 1940)
Sessions
1st: January 3, 1939 – August 5, 1939
2nd: September 21, 1939 – November 3, 1939
3rd: January 3, 1940 – January 3, 1941

The 76th 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, DC from January 3, 1939, to January 3, 1941, during the seventh and eighth years of Franklin D. Roosevelt's presidency. The apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the Fifteenth Census of the United States in 1930.

Both chambers had a Democratic majority - holding a supermajority in the Senate, but a greatly reduced majority in the House, thus losing the supermajority there. With President Roosevelt, the Democrats maintained an overall federal government trifecta.

The 76th is also the most recent Congress to have held a third session.

Chaplain of the United States Senate ZeBarney Thorne Phillips delivering prayer to open the session

Major events[]

President Roosevelt signing the Selective Training and Service Act of 1940, September 16, 1940.
Main articles: 1939 in the United States, 1940 in the United States, and 1941 in the United States
  • April 9, 1939: African-American singer Marian Anderson performs before 75,000 people at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., after having been denied the use both of Constitution Hall by the Daughters of the American Revolution, and of a public high school by the federally controlled District of Columbia.
  • August 2, 1939: Albert Einstein wrote to President Franklin Roosevelt about developing the atomic bomb using uranium. This led to the creation of the Manhattan Project.
  • September 5, 1939: World War II: The United States declares its neutrality in the war.
  • November 4, 1939: World War II: President Roosevelt ordered the United States Customs Service to implement the Neutrality Act of 1939, allowing cash-and-carry purchases of weapons to non-belligerent nations.
  • November 15, 1939: President Roosevelt laid the cornerstone of the Jefferson Memorial.
  • April 1, 1940: April Fools' Day was also the census date for the 16th U.S. Census.
  • May 16, 1940: World War II: President Roosevelt, addressed a joint session of Congress, asking for an extraordinary credit of approximately $900 million to finance construction of at least 50,000 airplanes per year.
  • June 5, 1940: World War II: The United States Senate passes bill S4025 which allows the Department of Defense to sell outdated equipment to belligerents in wartime. In practice this allows the Roosevelt administration to sell certain navy vessels to Great Britain. The vote is watched closely by both the United Kingdom and Nazi Germany. The Nazis hope that the bill does not pass, the British hope that it will. The bill passes 67-18 in the United States Senate.[1]
  • June 10, 1940: World War II: President Roosevelt denounced Italy's actions with his "Stab in the Back" speech during the graduation ceremonies of the University of Virginia.
  • July 10, 1940: World War II: The United States Senate votes to confirm Frank Knox as Secretary of the Navy. The British hope he will be confirmed as he was openly sympathetic to them. Islationist Senators such as Burton K. Wheeler and Ellison D. Smith vote against the confirmation.[2]
  • August 4, 1940: World War II: Gen. John J. Pershing, in a nationwide radio broadcast, urges all-out aid to Britain in order to defend the Americas, while Charles Lindbergh speaks to an isolationist rally at Soldier Field in Chicago.
  • September, 1940: The Army's 45th Infantry Division (previously a National Guard Division in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Oklahoma), was activated and ordered into federal service for 1 year, to engage in a training program in Ft. Sill and Louisiana, prior to serving in World War II.
  • September 2, 1940: World War II: An agreement between America and Great Britain was announced to the effect that 50 U.S. destroyers needed for escort work would be transferred to Great Britain. In return, America gained 99-year leases on British bases in the North Atlantic, West Indies and Bermuda.
  • September 26, 1940: World War II: The United States imposed a total embargo on all scrap metal shipments to Japan.
  • October 16, 1940: The draft registration of approximately 16 million men began in the United States.
  • October 29, 1940: The Selective Service System lottery was held in Washington, D.C.
  • November 5, 1940: U.S. presidential election, 1940: Democratic incumbent Franklin D. Roosevelt defeated Republican challenger Wendell Willkie and became the United States's first and only third-term president.
  • November 12, 1940: Case of Hansberry v. Lee, 311 U.S. 32 (1940), decided, allowing a racially restrictive covenant to be lifted.
  • December 17, 1940: President Roosevelt, at his regular press conference, first outlined his plan to send aid to Great Britain that will become known as Lend-Lease.
  • December 29, 1940: Franklin D. Roosevelt, in a fireside chat to the nation, declared that the United States must become "the great arsenal of democracy."
  • January 13, 1941: All persons born in Puerto Rico after this day were declared U.S. citizens by birth, through federal law 8 U.S.C. § 1402.
  • January 20, 1941: Chief Justice Charles Evans Hughes swore in President Roosevelt for a third term.
  • January 27, 1941: World War II: U.S. Ambassador to Japan Joseph C. Grew passed on to Washington a rumor overheard at a diplomatic reception about a planned surprise attack upon Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
  • February 4, 1941: World War II: The United Service Organization (USO) was created to entertain American troops.

Hearings[]

  • January 23, 1941: Aviator Charles Lindbergh testified before the Congress and recommends that the United States negotiate a neutrality pact with Adolf Hitler.

Major legislation[]

Main article: List of United States federal legislation, 1901–2001 § 76th United States Congress
  • April 3, 1939: Reorganization Act of 1939, Pub.L. 76–19, 53 Stat. 561
  • August 2, 1939: Hatch Act of 1939 ("Hatch Political Activity Act", "An Act to Prevent Pernicious Political Activities"), ch. 410, 53 Stat. 1147
  • November 4, 1939: Neutrality Act of 1939, ("Cash and Carry Act"), ch. 2, 54 Stat. 4
  • June 29, 1940: Alien Registration Act (Smith Act), 3d sess. ch. 439, 54 Stat. 670
  • August 22, 1940: , ch. 686, Pub.L. 76–768, 54 Stat. 789 (including Investment Company Act of 1940, Investment Advisers Act of 1940)
  • September 16, 1940: Selective Training and Service Act of 1940, Pub.L. 76–783

Party summary[]

Senate[]

Party
(shading shows control) 		Total Vacant
Democratic
(D) 		Farmer–
Labor
(FL)		Wisconsin
Progressive
(P)		Republican
(R)		Independent
(I)
End of previous congress 74 2 1 18 1 96 0
Begin 69 2 1 23 1 96 0
End 68 1 25
Final voting share 70.8% 1.0% 1.0% 26.0% 1.0%
Beginning of next congress 66 0 1 27 1 95 1

House of Representatives[]

House seats by party holding plurality in state
  80+% to 100% Democratic
  80+% to 100% Republican
  60+% to 80% Democratic
  60+% to 80% Republican
  Up to 60% Democratic
  Up to 60% Republican
Party
(shading shows control) 		Total Vacant
Democratic
(D) 		Farmer–
Labor
(FL)		American
Labor
(AL)		Wisconsin
Progressive
(WP)		Republican
(R)		Other
(O)
End of previous congress 324 5 0 7 89 1[a] 426 9
Begin 260 1 1 2 169 1 434 1
End 256 167 4287
Final voting share 59.8% 0.2% 0.2% 0.5% 39.0% 0.2%
Beginning of next congress 268 1 1 3 162 0 435 0

Leadership[]

Senate[]

  • President: John N. Garner (D)
  • President pro tempore: Key Pittman (D), until November 10, 1940 (died)
    • William H. King (D), from November 19, 1940

Majority (Democratic) leadership[]

  • Majority Leader: Alben W. Barkley
  • Majority Whip: Sherman Minton
  • Democratic Caucus Secretary: Joshua B. Lee

Minority (Republican) leadership[]

  • Minority Leader: Charles McNary
  • Republican Conference Secretary: Frederick Hale
  • National Senatorial Committee Chair: John G. Townsend Jr.

House of Representatives[]

  • Speaker: William B. Bankhead (D), until September 15, 1940 (died)
    • Sam Rayburn (D), from September 16, 1940

Majority (Democratic) leadership[]

  • Majority Leader: Sam Rayburn, until September 16, 1940
    • John W. McCormack, from September 16, 1940
  • Democratic Whip: Patrick J. Boland
  • Democratic Caucus Chairman: John W. McCormack, until September 16, 1940
  • Democratic Campaign Committee Chairman: Patrick H. Drewry

Minority (Republican) leadership[]

  • Minority Leader: Joseph William Martin Jr.
  • Republican Whip: Harry Lane Englebright
  • Republican Conference Chairman: Roy O. Woodruff
  • Republican Campaign Committee Chairman: J. William Ditter

Members[]

Senate[]

Senators were 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 1 meant their term ended with this Congress, requiring reelection in 1940; Class 2 meant their term began in the last Congress, requiring reelection in 1942; and Class 3 meant their term began in this Congress, requiring reelection in 1944.

House of Representatives[]

The names of members are preceded by their district numbers.

Changes in membership[]

The count below reflects changes from the beginning of this Congress.

Senate[]

See also: List of special elections to the United States Senate
State
(class) 		Vacated by Reason for change Successor Date of successor's
formal installation[b]
Illinois
(2) 		J. Hamilton Lewis (D) Died April 9, 1939.
Successor appointed April 14, 1939, to continue the term. 		James M. Slattery (D) April 14, 1939
Kentucky
(2) 		M. M. Logan (D) Died October 3, 1939.
Successor appointed October 10, 1939, to continue the term.
Successor elected November 5, 1940, to finish the term. 		Happy Chandler (D) October 10, 1939
Idaho
(2) 		William E. Borah (R) Died January 19, 1940.
Successor appointed January 27, 1940, to continue the term.
Successor elected November 5, 1940, to finish the term. 		John W. Thomas (R) January 27, 1940
Vermont
(3) 		Ernest W. Gibson (R) Died June 20, 1940.
Successor appointed June 24, 1940, to continue the term. 		Ernest W. Gibson Jr. (R) June 24, 1940
Minnesota
(2) 		Ernest Lundeen (FL) Died August 31, 1940.
Successor appointed October 14, 1940, to continue the term.
Successor lost election to finish the term. 		Joseph H. Ball (R) October 14, 1940
Nevada
(1) 		Key Pittman (D) Died November 10, 1940.
Successor appointed November 27, 1940, to continue finish the term, also appointed to serve in the next term. 		Berkeley L. Bunker (D) November 27, 1940
Illinois
(2) 		James M. Slattery (D) Interim appointee lost election November 21, 1940, to finish the term. Charles W. Brooks (R) November 22, 1940
Washington
(1) 		Lewis B. Schwellenbach (D) Resigned December 16, 1940, to become judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington.
Successor appointed December 19, 1940, to finish the term. 		Monrad Wallgren (D) December 19, 1940

House of Representatives[]

See also: List of special elections to the United States House of Representatives
District Vacated by Reason for change Successor Date of successor's
formal installation[b]
Maryland 5th Vacant Rep. Stephen W. Gambrill died in previous Congress Lansdale Sasscer (D) February 3, 1939
Arkansas 4th William B. Cravens (D) Died January 13, 1939 William F. Cravens (D) September 12, 1939
Pennsylvania 4th J. Burrwood Daly (D) Died March 12, 1939 John E. Sheridan (D) November 7, 1939
Tennessee 6th Clarence W. Turner (D) Died March 23, 1939 W. Wirt Courtney (D) May 11, 1939
Maryland 1st Thomas A. Goldsborough (D) Resigned April 5, 1939, after being appointed associate justice of the District Court of the United States for the District of Columbia David J. Ward (D) June 8, 1939
New York 34th Bert Lord (R) Died May 24, 1939 Edwin A. Hall (R) November 7, 1939
Georgia 4th Emmett M. Owen (D) Died June 21, 1939 A. Sidney Camp (D) August 1, 1939
Wisconsin 3rd Harry W. Griswold (R) Died July 4, 1939 Vacant until the next Congress
Tennessee 3rd Sam D. McReynolds (D) Died July 11, 1939 Estes Kefauver (D) September 13, 1939
California 18th Thomas M. Eaton (R) Died September 16, 1939 Vacant until the next Congress
South Carolina 1st Thomas S. McMillan (D) Died September 29, 1939 Clara G. McMillan (D) November 7, 1939
Ohio 22nd Chester C. Bolton (R) Died October 29, 1939 Frances P. Bolton (R) February 27, 1940
Tennessee 2nd J. Will Taylor (R) Died November 14, 1939 John Jennings Jr. (R) December 30, 1939
Puerto Rico at-large Santiago Iglesias (Coalitionist) Died December 5, 1939 Bolívar Pagán (Socialist) December 26, 1939
Colorado 3rd John A. Martin (D) Died December 23, 1939 William E. Burney (D) November 5, 1940
Michigan 5th Carl E. Mapes (R) Died December 12, 1939 Bartel J. Jonkman (R) February 19, 1940
New York 14th William I. Sirovich (D) Died December 17, 1939 Morris M. Edelstein (D) February 6, 1940
Ohio 17th William A. Ashbrook (D) Died January 1, 1940 J. Harry McGregor (R) February 27, 1940
Nebraska 1st George H. Heinke (R) Died January 2, 1940 John H. Sweet (R) April 19, 1940
Tennessee 9th Clift Chandler (D) Resigned January 2, 1940, after being elected Mayor of Memphis Clifford Davis (D) February 15, 1940
New York 31st Wallace E. Pierce (R) Died January 3, 1940 Clarence E. Kilburn (R) February 13, 1940
New York 22nd Edward W. Curley (D) Died January 6, 1940 Walter A. Lynch (D) February 20, 1940
Iowa 6th Cassius C. Dowell (R) Died February 4, 1940 Robert K. Goodwin (R) March 5, 1940
Maine 2nd Clyde Smith (R) Died April 8, 1940 Margaret Chase Smith (R) June 3, 1940
Georgia 8th W. Benjamin Gibbs (D) Died August 7, 1940 Florence Reville Gibbs (D) October 1, 1940
New Jersey 8th George N. Seger (R) Died August 26, 1940 Vacant until the next Congress
Alabama 7th William B. Bankhead (D) Died September 15, 1940 Zadoc L. Weatherford (D) November 5, 1940
North Carolina 1st Lindsay C. Warren (D) Resigned October 31, 1940, after being appointed Comptroller General of the United States Herbert C. Bonner (D) November 5, 1940
Texas 18th John Marvin Jones (D) Resigned November 20, 1940, to become judge of the United States Court of Claims Vacant until the next Congress
Louisiana 2nd Paul H. Maloney (D) Resigned December 15, 1940, to become Collector of Internal Revenue for New Orleans District Vacant until the next Congress
Washington 2nd Monrad Wallgren (D) Resigned December 19, 1940, after being appointed to the US Senate having already been elected. Vacant until the next Congress
Missouri 11th Thomas C. Hennings Jr. (D) Resigned December 31, 1940, to become candidate for Circuit attorney of St. Louis Vacant until the next Congress

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 (4 links), 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.

Retrieved from ""