111th United States Congress

111th United States Congress
michiel1972 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
Congress	111th
Start	January 3, 2009
End	January 3, 2011
President	George W. Bush (until January 20, 2009), Barack Obama (from January 20, 2009)
Pro-tempore	Robert Byrd (until June 28, 2010), Daniel Inouye (from June 28, 2010)
Speaker	Nancy Pelosi
Senate majority	Democratic
House majority	Democratic
Session1	January 6, 2009 – December 24, 2009
Session2	January 5, 2010 – December 22, 2010

111th United States Congress convened from January 3, 2009, to January 3, 2011, during the final days of the George W. Bush administration and the first two years of the Barack Obama presidency. With strengthened Democratic majorities following the 2008 United States elections, this Congress enacted a sweeping legislative agenda in response to the Great Recession. It is historically notable for passing landmark healthcare reform and a major economic stimulus package, operating in a period of intense partisan polarization.

Major legislation

The legislative output was dominated by responses to the financial crisis, including the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, a $787 billion stimulus package signed by President Barack Obama. Other significant economic measures included the Credit CARD Act of 2009, the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, and the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010. Its most historic achievement was the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, often called "Obamacare," alongside the related Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010. Additional major laws included the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009, the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, and the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010.

Leadership

In the United States Senate, the Democratic Caucus of the United States Senate was led by Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada, with Richard Durbin as Assistant Majority Leader. The Republican Conference was led by Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, with Jon Kyl as Minority Whip. The President pro tempore was initially Robert Byrd of West Virginia, succeeded upon his death by Daniel Inouye of Hawaii. In the United States House of Representatives, Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California presided, with Steny Hoyer as Majority Leader and James Clyburn as Majority Whip. The House Republican Conference was led by Minority Leader John Boehner of Ohio, with Eric Cantor as Minority Whip.

Party summary

The Senate began with a Democratic caucus of 58 members, including two independents, Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, who caucused with them. This gave the Democrats a functional supermajority of 60 seats following the resolution of the Minnesota election in favor of Al Franken and the party switch of Arlen Specter from the Republican Party. The Senate Republicans held 40 seats. The House of Representatives had 257 Democrats and 178 Republicans, a significant majority for Nancy Pelosi.

Major events

Key events included the inauguration of Barack Obama on January 20, 2009, and the deepening of the Great Recession which dominated the early session. The Senate witnessed a protracted debate over the Affordable Care Act, including the Senate Christmas Eve session, 2009. The political landscape was reshaped by the rise of the Tea Party movement, influencing the 2010 United States elections which returned control of the House to Republicans. Other notable events included the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, which prompted legislative hearings, and the confirmation of Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court of the United States.

Committee leadership

Powerful Senate committee chairs included Daniel Inouye (Appropriations), Christopher Dodd (Banking), Max Baucus (Finance), and John Kerry (Foreign Relations). In the House, key chairs were David Obey (Appropriations), Henry Waxman (Energy and Commerce), Barney Frank (Financial Services), and John Conyers (Judiciary).

Members

The Senate roster included prominent figures like John McCain of Arizona, Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts (until his death, succeeded by Paul G. Kirk and then Scott Brown), and John Kerry. The House featured future speakers John Boehner and Paul Ryan, alongside influential members such as Charles B. Rangel, John Dingell, and Nancy Pelosi. The freshman class included notable members elected in 2008, such as Representatives Alan Grayson of Florida and Betsy Markey of Colorado.