77th United States Congress

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77th United States Congress
76th ←
→ 78th
USCapitol1956.jpg
United States Capitol (1956)
January 3, 1941 – January 3, 1943
Members96 senators
435 representatives
4 non-voting delegates
Senate MajorityDemocratic
Senate PresidentJohn N. Garner (D)
(until January 20, 1941)
Henry A. Wallace (D)
(from January 20, 1941)
House MajorityDemocratic
House SpeakerSam Rayburn (D)
Sessions
1st: January 3, 1941 – January 2, 1942
2nd: January 5, 1942 – December 16, 1942

The 77th 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, 1941, to January 3, 1943, during the ninth and tenth years of Franklin D. Roosevelt's presidency. The apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the Sixteenth Census of the United States in 1940.

Both chambers maintained a Democratic majority - with the Senate being a supermajority. With the reelection of President Franklin D. Roosevelt to a then record third term, the Democrats maintained an overall federal government trifecta.

This was the first Congress to have more than one Senate President (the Vice President of the United States), John Garner and Henry Wallace, due to the passage of the 20th amendment in 1933.

President Franklin Roosevelt signing the Lend-Lease Act, March 11, 1941.
President Roosevelt delivering the "Infamy Speech" to Congress, requesting a declaration of war, December 8, 1941. Behind him are Vice President Henry Wallace (left) and House Speaker Sam Rayburn. To the right, in uniform in front of Rayburn, is Roosevelt's son James, who escorted his father to the Capitol.
President Roosevelt signing the declaration of war against Japan, December 8, 1941

Major events[]

Main articles: 1941 in the United States, 1942 in the United States, and 1943 in the United States
  • January 20, 1941: President Franklin D. Roosevelt began his third term.
  • December 7, 1941: Attack on Pearl Harbor
  • December 8, 1941: Joint Session of Congress met to hear President Roosevelt deliver his "Day of Infamy" speech
  • December 26, 1941: Joint session of the United States Congress met in the Senate chamber for an address by British Prime Minister Winston Churchill.

Major legislation and resolutions[]

Main article: List of United States federal legislation § 77th United States Congress
  • March 11, 1941: Lend Lease Act, Pub.L. 77–11, Sess. 1, ch. 11, 55 Stat. 31
  • August 18, 1941: Flood Control Act of 1941, Pub.L. 77–228, Sess. 1, ch. 377, 55 Stat. 638
  • December 8, 1941: Resolution— War between United States and Japan, Pub.L. 77–328, Sess. 1, ch. 561, 55 Stat. 795
  • December 11, 1941: Resolution— War between United States and Germany, Pub.L. 77–331, Sess. 1, ch. 564, 55 Stat. 796
  • December 11, 1941: Resolution— War between United States and Italy, Pub.L. 77–332, Sess. 1, ch. 565, 55 Stat. 797
  • January 27, 1942: Air Raid Attack Act of 1942, Pub.L. 77–415, Sess. 2, ch. 20, 56 Stat. 19
  • January 30, 1942: Emergency Price Control Act of 1942, Pub.L. 77–421, Sess. 2, ch. 26, 56 Stat. 23
  • June 5, 1942: Resolution— War between United States and Bulgaria, Pub.L. 77–563, Sess. 2, ch. 323, 56 Stat. 307
  • June 5, 1942: Resolution— War between United States and Hungary, Pub.L. 77–564, Sess. 2, ch. 324, 56 Stat. 307
  • June 5, 1942: Resolution— War between United States and Romania, Pub.L. 77–565, Sess. 2, ch. 325, 56 Stat. 307
  • June 22, 1942: Resolution— United States Flag Code, including recognition of the Pledge of Allegiance, Pub.L. 77–623, Sess. 2, ch. 435, 56 Stat. 377
  • October 2, 1942: Stabilization Act of 1942, Pub.L. 77–729, Sess. 2, ch. 578, 56 Stat. 765

Select committees[]

  • Truman Committee (officially the United States Senate Special Committee to Investigate the National Defense Program)

Leadership[]

Senate[]

  • President: John Nance Garner (D), until January 20, 1941
    • Henry A. Wallace (D), from January 20, 1941
  • President pro tempore: Pat Harrison (D), until June 22, 1941
    • Carter Glass (D), from July 10, 1941

Majority (Democratic) leadership[]

  • Majority leader: Alben W. Barkley
  • Majority Whip: Lister Hill
  • Democratic Caucus Secretary: Joshua B. Lee

Minority (Republican) leadership[]

  • Minority leader: Charles L. McNary
  • Republican Conference Secretary: Wallace H. White Jr.
  • National Senatorial Committee Chair: John G. Townsend Jr.

House of Representatives[]

  • Speaker: Sam Rayburn (D)

Majority (Democratic) leadership[]

  • Majority leader: John William McCormack
  • Democratic Whip: Patrick J. Boland, until May 18, 1942
    • Robert Ramspeck
  • Democratic Caucus Chairman: Richard M. Duncan
  • 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

Party summary[]

Senate[]

Senate composition by state
  2 Democrats
  2 Republicans
  1 Democrat and 1 Republican
  1 Republican and 1 Independent
  1 Republican and 1 Progressive
Party
(shading shows control) 		Total Vacant
Democratic
(D) 		Farmer–
Labor
(FL)		Wisconsin
Progressive
(P)		Republican
(R)		Independent
(I)
End of previous congress 68 1 1 25 1 96 0
Begin 66 0 1 28 1 96 0
End 64 30
Final voting share 66.7% 0.0% 1.0% 31.3% 1.0%
Beginning of next congress 57 0 1 38 0 96 0

House of Representatives[]

Party
(shading shows control) 		Total Vacant
Democratic
(D) 		Farmer–
Labor
(FL)		American
Labor
(AL)		Wisconsin
Progressive
(P)		Republican
(R)		Other
End of previous congress 256 1 1 2 167 1 428 7
Begin 268 1 1 3 162 0 435 0
End 254 165 42411
Final voting share 59.9% 0.2% 0.2% 0.7% 38.9% 0.0%
Beginning of next congress 222 1 1 2 208 0 434 1

Members[]

Senate[]

Senators are 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 2 meant their term ended with this Congress, requiring reelection in 1942; Class 3 meant their term began in the last Congress, requiring reelection in 1944; and Class 1 meant their term began in this Congress, requiring reelection in 1946.

House of Representatives[]

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[a]
West Virginia
(2) 		Matthew M. Neely (D) Resigned January 12, 1941, after being elected Governor of West Virginia.
Successor was appointed to serve until a special election, which he subsequently lost. In addition, successor took oath of office after the Senate resolved a challenge to the appointment. 		Joseph Rosier (D) January 13, 1941
Arkansas
(2) 		John E. Miller (D) Resigned March 31, 1941, after being appointed judge for the US District Court for the Western District of Arkansas.
Successor was appointed to finish the term. 		G. Lloyd Spencer (D) April 1, 1941
Texas
(2) 		Morris Sheppard (D) Died April 9, 1941.
Successor was appointed to serve until a special election. 		Andrew Jackson Houston (D) April 21, 1941
Mississippi
(2) 		Pat Harrison (D) Died June 22, 1941.
Successor was appointed to serve until a special election. 		James Eastland (D) June 30, 1941
Texas
(2) 		Andrew Jackson Houston (D) Died June 26, 1941.
Successor was elected to finish term. 		W. Lee O'Daniel (D) August 4, 1941
South Carolina
(2) 		James F. Byrnes (D) Resigned July 17, 1941, after being appointed Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.
Successor was appointed to serve until a special election. 		Alva M. Lumpkin (D) July 22, 1941
South Carolina
(2) 		Alva M. Lumpkin (D) Died August 1, 1941.
Successor was appointed to serve until a special election. 		Roger C. Peace (D) August 5, 1941
Mississippi
(2) 		James Eastland (D) Appointee did not seek election to finish term.
Successor was elected September 28, 1941, to finish term. 		Wall Doxey (D) September 29, 1941
South Carolina
(2) 		Roger C. Peace (D) Appointee did not seek election to finish term.
Successor was elected November 4, 1941, to finish term. 		Burnet R. Maybank (D) November 5, 1941
Colorado
(3) 		Alva B. Adams (D) Died December 1, 1941.
Successor was appointed to serve until the November 3, 1942, special election, which he won. 		Eugene Millikin (R) December 20, 1941
West Virginia
(2) 		Joseph Rosier (D) Appointee lost election November 17, 1942, to finish the term.
Successor was elected to finish term. 		Hugh Shott (R) November 18, 1942
Minnesota
(2) 		Joseph H. Ball (R) Appointee did not seek election to finish term.
Successor was elected November 17, 1942, to finish term. 		Arthur E. Nelson (R) November 18, 1942
Nevada
(1) 		Berkeley L. Bunker (D) Appointee lost election December 7, 1942, to finish the term.
Successor was elected to finish term. 		James G. Scrugham (D) December 7, 1942

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[a]
Oklahoma 7th Sam C. Massingale (D) Died January 17, 1941 Victor Wickersham (D) April 1, 1941
New York 17th Kenneth F. Simpson (R) Died January 25, 1941 Joseph C. Baldwin (R) March 11, 1941
Alabama 7th Walter W. Bankhead (D) Resigned February 1, 1941 Carter Manasco (D) June 24, 1941
Maryland 6th William D. Byron (D) Died February 27, 1941 Katharine Byron (D) May 27, 1941
Virginia 2nd Colgate Darden (D) Resigned March 1, 1941, to run for Governor of Virginia Winder R. Harris (D) April 8, 1941
New York 42nd Pius L. Schwert (D) Died March 11, 1941 John C. Butler (R) April 22, 1941
North Carolina 5th Alonzo D. Folger (D) Died April 30, 1941 John H. Folger (D) June 14, 1941
New York 14th Morris M. Edelstein (D) Died June 4, 1941 Arthur G. Klein (D) July 29, 1941
Wisconsin 1st Stephen Bolles (R) Died July 8, 1941 Lawrence H. Smith (R) August 29, 1941
Pennsylvania 15th Albert G. Rutherford (R) Died August 10, 1941 Wilson D. Gillette (R) November 4, 1941
Colorado 4th Edward T. Taylor (D) Died September 3, 1941 Robert F. Rockwell (R) December 9, 1941
Mississippi 2nd Wall Doxey (D) Resigned September 28, 1941, after being elected to the US Senate Jamie L. Whitten (D) November 4, 1941
California 17th Lee E. Geyer (D) Died October 11, 1941 Cecil R. King (D) August 25, 1942
Massachusetts 7th Lawrence J. Connery (D) Died October 19, 1941 Thomas J. Lane (D) December 30, 1941
Connecticut 5th J. Joseph Smith (D) Resigned November 4, 1941, after being appointed judge for the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut Joseph E. Talbot (R) January 20, 1942
Pennsylvania 12th J. Harold Flannery (D) Resigned January 3, 1942, after becoming judge of common pleas for Luzerne County, PA Thomas B. Miller (R) May 19, 1942
Pennsylvania 33rd Joseph A. McArdle (D) Resigned January 5, 1942, after being elected to the Pittsburgh City Council Elmer J. Holland (D) May 19, 1942
Pennsylvania 11th Patrick J. Boland (D) Died May 18, 1942 Veronica G. Boland (D) November 3, 1942
Washington 5th Arthur D. Healey (D) Resigned August 1, 1942, after being appointed judge for the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington Vacant until the next Congress
Massachusetts 8th Charles H. Leavy (D) Resigned August 3, 1942, after being appointed judge for the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts Vacant until the next Congress
Ohio 15th Robert T. Secrest (D) Resigned August 3, 1942, after accepting a commission in the U.S. Navy Vacant until the next Congress
Ohio 13th Albert D. Baumhart Jr. (R) Resigned September 2, 1942, after accepting a commission in the U.S. Navy Vacant until the next Congress
Iowa 9th Vincent F. Harrington (D) Resigned September 5, 1942, after accepting a commission as major in the United States Army Harry E. Narey (R) November 3, 1942
California 3rd Frank H. Buck (D) Died September 17, 1942 Vacant until the next Congress
Maryland 2nd William Purington Cole Jr. (D) Resigned October 26, 1942, after being appointed judge for the U.S. Customs Court Vacant until the next Congress
Pennsylvania 25th Charles I. Faddis (D) Resigned December 4, 1942, to enter the US Army Vacant until the next Congress
Illinois 4th Harry P. Beam (D) Resigned December 6, 1942, after being elected judge for the municipal court of Chicago Vacant until the next Congress
Illinois 6th A. F. Maciejewski (D) Resigned December 6, 1942 Vacant until the next Congress
Missouri 6th Philip A. Bennett (R) Died December 7, 1942 Vacant until the next Congress
Nevada at-large James G. Scrugham (D) Resigned December 7, 1942, after being elected to the U.S. Senate 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.

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