104th United States Congress

104th United States Congress
InSapphoWeTrust from Los Angeles, California, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0 · source
Number	104th
Caption	The United States Capitol (1997)
Start	January 3, 1995
End	January 3, 1997
Vice-president	Al Gore (D)
Pro-tempore	Strom Thurmond (R)
Speaker	Newt Gingrich (R)
Senate-majority	Bob Dole (R)
House-majority	Dick Armey (R)
Session1	January 4, 1995 – January 3, 1996
Session2	January 3, 1996 – October 4, 1996

104th United States Congress was the legislative branch of the federal government from January 3, 1995, to January 3, 1997, during the final two years of President Bill Clinton's first term. It is historically significant as the first Congress in four decades where the Republican Party held majorities in both the Senate and the House of Representatives, a result of the 1994 midterm elections known as the "Republican Revolution." This shift in power led to intense legislative battles with the Clinton administration, most notably over the federal budget, which resulted in two government shutdowns.

Major legislation

The legislative agenda was dominated by the Contract with America, a platform championed by House Speaker Newt Gingrich. Key enacted laws included the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act, which overhauled the nation's welfare system, and the Telecommunications Act of 1996, which significantly deregulated the broadcast and telecommunications industries. Other major acts were the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995, the Line Item Veto Act, and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. The Congress also passed the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act and the Defense of Marriage Act.

Leadership

In the Senate, Majority Leader Bob Dole of Kansas led the new Republican majority, with Trent Lott of Mississippi serving as Majority Whip. The Democratic minority was led by Minority Leader Tom Daschle of South Dakota, with Wendell Ford of Kentucky as Whip. President pro tempore was Strom Thurmond of South Carolina. In the House, Newt Gingrich of Georgia was elected Speaker, with Dick Armey of Texas as Majority Leader and Tom DeLay as Majority Whip. The House Minority Leader was Richard Gephardt of Missouri.

Party summary

At the start of the 104th Congress, the Senate consisted of 53 Republicans and 47 Democrats. The House of Representatives comprised 230 Republicans, 204 Democrats, and one independent who caucused with the Democrats. This dramatic shift from the previous 103rd Congress, where Democrats controlled both chambers, defined the political dynamics of the session. The sole independent member was Bernie Sanders, representing Vermont's at-large congressional district.

Major events

Major events included the Oklahoma City bombing in April 1995, which led to the passage of the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act. The protracted conflict over the federal budget between the Clinton administration and the Congressional Republican leadership resulted in two partial government shutdowns in November 1995 and January 1996. The 1996 Summer Olympics were held in Atlanta, and the Congress was in session during the presidential election where Bill Clinton defeated Bob Dole. The Whitewater controversy was also a persistent subject of congressional investigation.

Committee assignments

Committee leadership saw significant changes with the new Republican majority. In the Senate, powerful chairs included Mark O. Hatfield on the Appropriations Committee, William V. Roth Jr. on the Finance Committee, and Jesse Helms on the Foreign Relations Committee. In the House, notable chairs were John Kasich on the Budget Committee, Henry Hyde on the Judiciary Committee, and Bud Shuster on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. The House Government Reform Committee was chaired by William F. Clinger.

Members

The Senate roster included notable figures such as Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts, John McCain of Arizona, and Dianne Feinstein of California. Freshman senators included Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania and Olympia Snowe of Maine. The House membership featured future leaders like Nancy Pelosi of California, John Boehner of Ohio, and Dennis Hastert of Illinois. Notable freshmen representatives included J. C. Watts of Oklahoma and Zach Wamp of Tennessee. The delegation from New York included Charles Rangel and Geraldine Ferraro.

Category:104th United States Congress Category:1995 in American politics Category:1996 in American politics