87th United States Congress

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87th United States Congress
86th ←
→ 88th
USCapitol1962.jpg
United States Capitol (1962)

January 3, 1961 – January 3, 1963
Members100 senators
437 representatives
Senate MajorityDemocratic
Senate PresidentRichard Nixon (R)
(until January 20, 1961)
Lyndon B. Johnson (D)
(from January 20, 1961)
House MajorityDemocratic
House SpeakerSam Rayburn (D)
John W. McCormack (D)
Sessions
1st: January 3, 1961 – September 27, 1961
2nd: January 10, 1962 – October 13, 1962

The 87th 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, 1961, to January 3, 1963, during the final weeks of the administration of U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower and the first two years of the administration of U.S. President John Kennedy. The apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the Seventeenth Census of the United States in 1950, along with 2 seats temporarily added in 1959 (one member each from recently admitted states of Alaska and Hawaii).

Both chambers had a Democratic majority (albeit reduced in the House). With President John F. Kennedy being sworn in on January 20, 1961, this gave the Democrats an overall federal government trifecta for the first time since the 81st Congress in 1949.

Major events[]

  • January 3, 1961: President Eisenhower severed diplomatic and consular relations with Cuba.
  • January 20, 1961: Inauguration of President John F. Kennedy.
  • April 17, 1961: Bay of Pigs Invasion of Cuba began; it fails by April 19.
  • May 4, 1961: Freedom Riders began interstate bus rides to test the new U.S. Supreme Court integration decision.
  • May 5, 1961: Alan Shepard became the first American in space aboard Mercury-Redstone 3.
  • May 25, 1961: President Kennedy announced his goal to put a man on the Moon before the end of the decade
  • November 20: 1961: Funeral of Speaker Sam Rayburn, who died on November 16
  • February 3, 1962: Embargo against Cuba was announced
  • February 20, 1962: John Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth
  • March 26, 1962: Supreme Court ruled that federal courts could order state legislatures to reapportion seats (Baker v. Carr)
  • October 1, 1962: James Meredith registered as the first black student at the University of Mississippi, escorted by Federal Marshals.
  • October 14, 1962 - October 28, 1962: Cuban Missile Crisis

Major legislation[]

Senate President Lyndon Johnson (L) and House Speaker Sam Rayburn seated behind President John Kennedy during his first State of the Union address on January 30, 1961.

Constitutional amendments[]

The official Joint Resolution of Congress proposing what became the 24th Amendment as contained in the National Archives
  • March 29, 1961: Twenty-third Amendment ratified, extending the right to vote in the presidential election to citizens residing in the District of Columbia by granting the District electors in the Electoral College, as if it were a state.
  • August 27, 1962: Twenty-fourth Amendment approved by Congress and sent to the states for consideration. It would prohibit both Congress and the states from conditioning the right to vote in federal elections on payment of a poll tax or other types of tax. The amendment was later ratified on January 23, 1964.

Party summary[]

Senate[]

Party
(shading shows control)
Total Vacant
Democratic
(D)
Republican
(R)
End of previous congress 66 34 100 0
Begin 65 35 100 0
End 62 37 991
Final voting share 62.6% 37.4%
Beginning of next congress 65 33 98 2

House of Representatives[]

Party
(shading shows control)
Total Vacant
Democratic
(D)
Republican
(R)
End of previous congress 281 151 432 5
Begin 263 174 437 0
End 260 4343
Final voting share 59.9% 40.1%
Beginning of next congress 258 176 434 1

Leadership[]

Senate President
Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon (R)
Until January 20, 1961
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon B. Johnson (D)
From January 20, 1961
Senate President pro tempore
Carl Hayden
Carl Hayden (D)

Senate[]

  • President: Richard Nixon (R), until January 20, 1961
    • Lyndon B. Johnson (D), from January 20, 1961
  • President pro tempore: Carl Hayden (D)

Majority (Democratic) leadership[]

  • Majority Leader: Mike Mansfield
  • Majority Whip: Hubert Humphrey
  • Democratic Caucus Secretary: George Smathers

Minority (Republican) leadership[]

  • Minority Leader: Everett Dirksen
  • Minority Whip: Thomas Kuchel
  • Republican Conference Chairman: Leverett Saltonstall
  • Republican Conference Secretary: Milton Young
  • National Senatorial Committee Chair: Barry Goldwater
  • Policy Committee Chairman: Styles Bridges (until November 26, 1961)
    • Bourke B. Hickenlooper (from January 3, 1962)

House of Representatives[]

House Speaker
Sam Rayburn
Sam Rayburn (D)
Until November 16, 1961
(1st session)
John William McCormack
John W. McCormack (D)
From January 10, 1962
(2nd session)
  • Speaker: Sam Rayburn (D), until November 16, 1961
    • John W. McCormack (D), from January 10, 1962

Majority (Democratic) leadership[]

  • Majority Leader: John W. McCormack until January 10, 1962
    • Carl Albert, from January 10, 1962
  • Majority Whip: Carl Albert, until January 10, 1962
    • Hale Boggs, from January 10, 1962
  • Democratic Caucus Chairman: Francis E. Walter
  • Democratic Caucus Secretary: Leonor Sullivan
  • Democratic Campaign Committee Chairman: Michael J. Kirwan

Minority (Republican) leadership[]

  • Minority Leader: Charles A. Halleck
  • Minority Whip: Leslie C. Arends
  • Republican Conference Chairman: Charles B. Hoeven
  • Policy Committee Chairman: John W. Byrnes
  • Republican Campaign Committee Chairman: Bob Wilson

Caucuses[]

  • House Democratic Caucus
  • Senate Democratic Caucus

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, requiring re-election in 1962; Class 1 meant their term began in the last Congress, requiring re-election in 1964; and Class 2 meant their term began in this Congress, requiring re-election in 1966.

House of Representatives[]

The names of members of the House of Representatives are preceded by their district numbers.

Changes in membership[]

Senate[]

State
(class)
Vacated by Reason for change Successor Date of successor's
formal installation[a]
Texas
(2)
William A. Blakley (D) Lost special election.
Successor elected June 14, 1961.
John Tower (R) June 15, 1961
New Hampshire
(2)
Styles Bridges (R) Died November 26, 1961.
Successor appointed December 7, 1961.
Maurice J. Murphy Jr. (R) December 7, 1961
Kansas
(2)
Andrew Frank Schoeppel (R) Died January 21, 1962.
Successor appointed January 31, 1962, and then elected November 6, 1962.
James B. Pearson (R) January 31, 1962
South Dakota
(3)
Francis H. Case (R) Died June 23, 1962.
Successor appointed July 9, 1962 to finish the term.
Joseph H. Bottum (R) July 9, 1962
Idaho
(2)
Henry Dworshak (R) Died July 23, 1962.
Successor appointed August 6, 1962, and then elected November 6, 1962.
Leonard B. Jordan (R) August 6, 1962
Wyoming
(2)
John J. Hickey (D) Lost special election.
Successor elected November 6, 1962.
Milward Simpson (R) November 6, 1962
Massachusetts
(1)
Benjamin A. Smith II (D) Successor elected November 6, 1962. Ted Kennedy (D) November 7, 1962
New Hampshire
(2)
Maurice J. Murphy Jr. (R) Lost special election.
Successor elected November 6, 1962.
Thomas J. McIntyre (D) November 7, 1962
New Mexico
(1)
Dennis Chávez (D) Died November 18, 1962.
Successor appointed November 30, 1962 to continue the term.
Edwin L. Mechem (R) November 30, 1962
Oklahoma
(2)
Robert S. Kerr (D) Died January 1, 1963. Vacant Not filled this term

House of Representatives[]

District Vacated by Reason for change Successor Date of successor's
formal installation[a]
Arizona 2nd Stewart Udall (D) Resigned January 18, 1961 to become United States Secretary of the Interior. Mo Udall (D) May 2, 1961
Arkansas 6th William F. Norrell (D) Died February 15, 1961. Catherine Dorris Norrell (D) April 18, 1961
Pennsylvania 16th Walter M. Mumma (R) Died February 25, 1961. John C. Kunkel (R) May 16, 1961
Tennessee 1st B. Carroll Reece (R) Died March 19, 1961. Louise Goff Reece (R) May 16, 1961
Louisiana 4th Overton Brooks (D) Died September 16, 1961. Joe Waggonner (D) December 19, 1961
Michigan 1st Thaddeus M. Machrowicz (D) Resigned September 18, 1961 to become judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. Lucien Nedzi (D) November 7, 1961
Texas 20th Paul J. Kilday (D) Resigned September 24, 1961 to become judge of United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces. Henry B. González (D) November 4, 1961
Michigan 14th Louis C. Rabaut (D) Died November 12, 1961. Harold M. Ryan (D) February 13, 1962
Texas 4th Sam Rayburn (D) Died November 16, 1961. Ray Roberts (D) January 30, 1962
Texas 13th Frank N. Ikard (D) Resigned December 15, 1961. Graham B. Purcell Jr. (D) January 27, 1962
New York 6th Lester Holtzman (D) Resigned December 31, 1961 to become judge of the New York Supreme Court. Benjamin Stanley Rosenthal (D) February 20, 1962
South Carolina 2nd John J. Riley (D) Died January 1, 1962. Corinne Boyd Riley (D) April 10, 1962
New Jersey 11th Hugh Joseph Addonizio (D) Resigned June 30, 1962 to become Mayor of Newark, New Jersey. Vacant Not filled this term
California 1st Clement Woodnutt Miller (D) Died October 7, 1962.
Mississippi 3rd Frank Ellis Smith (D) Resigned November 14, 1962.

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 (2 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.

Senate[]

  • Aging: (Chairman: Pat McNamara; Ranking Member: )
  • Aeronautical and Space Sciences (Chairman: Robert S. Kerr; Ranking Member: )
  • Agriculture and Forestry (Chairman: Allen J. Ellender; Ranking Member: )
  • Appropriations (Chairman: Carl Hayden; Ranking Member: )
  • Armed Services (Chairman: Richard B. Russell; Ranking Member: )
  • Banking and Currency (Chairman: A. Willis Robertson; Ranking Member: )
  • District of Columbia (Chairman: Alan Bible; Ranking Member: )
  • Finance (Chairman: Harry F. Byrd; Ranking Member: )
  • Foreign Relations (Chairman: J. William Fulbright; Ranking Member: )
  • Government Operations (Chairman: John L. McClellan; Ranking Member: )
  • Interior and Insular Affairs (Chairman: Clinton P. Anderson; Ranking Member: )
  • Interstate and Foreign Commerce (Chairman: Warren G. Magnuson; Ranking Member: )
  • Judiciary (Chairman: James O. Eastland; Ranking Member: )
  • Labor and Public Welfare (Chairman: J. Lister Hill; Ranking Member: )
  • (Special)
  • (Select)
  • Post Office and Civil Service (Chairman: Olin D. Johnston; Ranking Member: )
  • Public Works (Chairman: Dennis Chavez; Ranking Member: )
  • Rules and Administration (Chairman: Mike Mansfield; Ranking Member: )
  • Small Business (Select) (Chairman: John J. Sparkman; Ranking Member: )
  • Subcommittee on Internal Security
  • Whole

House of Representatives[]

  • Agriculture (Chairman: Harold D. Cooley; Ranking Member: )
  • Appropriations (Chairman: Clarence Cannon; Ranking Member: )
  • Armed Services (Chairman: Carl Vinson; Ranking Member: )
  • Banking and Currency (Chairman: Brent Spence; Ranking Member: )
  • District of Columbia (Chairman: John L. McMillan; Ranking Member: )
  • Education and Labor (Chairman: Adam Clayton Powell; Ranking Member: )
  • (Select) (Chairman: N/A; Ranking Member: N/A)
  • Foreign Affairs (Chairman: Thomas E. Morgan; Ranking Member: )
  • Government Operations (Chairman: William L. Dawson; Ranking Member: )
  • House Administration (Chairman: Omar Burleson; Ranking Member: )
  • Interior and Insular Affairs (Chairman: Wayne N. Aspinall; Ranking Member: )
  • Interstate and Foreign Commerce (Chairman: Oren Harris; Ranking Member: )
  • Judiciary (Chairman: Emanuel Celler; Ranking Member: )
  • Merchant Marine and Fisheries (Chairman: Herbert C. Bonner; Ranking Member: )
  • Post Office and Civil Service (Chairman: Tom J. Murray; Ranking Member: )
  • Public Works (Chairman: Charles A. Buckley; Ranking Member: )
  • Rules (Chairman: Howard W. Smith; Ranking Member: )
  • Science and Astronautics (Chairman: Overton Brooks then George P. Miller; Ranking Member: )
  • (Select) (Chairman: Wright Patman; Ranking Member: )
  • Standards of Official Conduct
  • Un-American Activities (Chairman: Francis E. Walter; Ranking Member: )
  • Veterans' Affairs (Chairman: Olin E. Teague; Vice Chairman: Rep. )
  • Ways and Means (Chairman: Wilbur D. Mills; Vice Chairman: Rep. )
  • Whole

Joint committees[]

  • Atomic Energy (Chairman: Rep. Chet Holifield; Vice Chairman: Sen. )
  • Conditions of Indian Tribes (Special)
  • (Chairman: Sen. A. Willis Robertson; Vice Chairman: Rep. )
  • Economic (Chairman: Rep. Wright Patman; Vice Chairman: Sen. )
  • (Chairman: Vacant; Vice Chairman: Vacant)
  • The Library (Chairman: Rep. Omar Burleson; Vice Chairman: Sen. )
  • Printing (Chairman: Rep. Carl Hayden; Vice Chairman: Sen. )
  • (Chairman: Sen. Harry F. Byrd; Vice Chairman: Rep. )
  • Taxation (Chairman: Rep. Wilbur D. Mills; Vice Chairman: Sen. )

Employees[]

Legislative branch agency directors[]

  • Architect of the Capitol: J. George Stewart
  • Attending Physician of the United States Congress: George Calver
  • Comptroller General of the United States: Joseph Campbell
  • Librarian of Congress: Lawrence Quincy Mumford
  • Public Printer of the United States: Raymond Blattenberger, until 1961
    • James L. Harrison, from 1961

Senate[]

House of Representatives[]

  • Chaplain: Bernard Braskamp (Presbyterian)
  • Clerk: Ralph R. Roberts
  • Doorkeeper: William Mosley "Fishbait" Miller
  • Parliamentarian: Lewis Deschler
  • Postmaster:
  • Reading Clerk: (D) and (R)
  • Sergeant at Arms:

See also[]

Notes[]

  1. ^ a b When seated or oath administered, not necessarily when service began.

References[]

  • Martis, Kenneth C. (1989). The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
  • Martis, Kenneth C. (1982). The Historical Atlas of United States Congressional Districts. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.

External links[]

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