112th United States Congress
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| 112th United States Congress | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Number | 112th |
| Caption | Top row: Daniel Inouye, Harry Reid, Mitch McConnell, John Boehner. Bottom row: Joe Biden, Barack Obama, John Roberts, Nancy Pelosi. |
| Start | January 3, 2011 |
| End | January 3, 2013 |
| Vice president | Joe Biden (D) |
| Pro tempore | Daniel Inouye (D) |
| Speaker | John Boehner (R) |
| Majority leader | Harry Reid (D) (Senate), Eric Cantor (R) (House) |
| Minority leader | Mitch McConnell (R) (Senate), Nancy Pelosi (D) (House) |
| Members | 100 senators, 435 representatives, 6 non-voting delegates |
| Sessionstart1 | January 5, 2011 |
| Sessionend1 | January 3, 2012 |
| Sessionstart2 | January 3, 2012 |
| Sessionend2 | January 3, 2013 |
112th United States Congress convened from January 3, 2011, to January 3, 2013, during the final two years of Barack Obama's first term as President. It was defined by intense partisan conflict, most notably a protracted standoff over the federal debt ceiling that resulted in the first-ever downgrade of the United States' credit rating by Standard & Poor's. The Republican Party, having regained control of the House of Representatives in the 2010 midterm elections, frequently clashed with the Democratic Party-controlled Senate and the White House over fiscal policy and the Affordable Care Act.
Major legislation
Key enacted laws included the Budget Control Act of 2011, which ended the debt ceiling crisis and established the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction (the "Supercommittee"). The Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 extended a payroll tax cut and unemployment benefits. Other significant acts were the STOCK Act, aimed at preventing insider trading by members of Congress, and the FDA Safety and Innovation Act. The Congress also passed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012, which contained controversial provisions regarding the detention of terrorist suspects. Major legislation that failed included various proposals from the Supercommittee and repeated attempts by the House of Representatives to repeal the Affordable Care Act.
Leadership
John Boehner of Ohio served as Speaker, with Eric Cantor of Virginia as House Majority Leader and Nancy Pelosi of California as House Minority Leader. In the Senate, Harry Reid of Nevada was the Senate Majority Leader, while Mitch McConnell of Kentucky served as Senate Minority Leader. The President pro tempore was Senator Daniel Inouye of Hawaii. Vice President Joe Biden served as the presiding officer of the Senate.
Party summary
In the Senate, the Democratic Party held a 51-47 majority, with two independents (Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Joe Lieberman of Connecticut) who caucused with them. The Republican Party controlled the House of Representatives with 242 seats to the Democrats' 193. This divided government was a direct result of the 2010 United States elections, which saw significant Republican gains, often associated with the Tea Party movement.
Major events
The Congress was marked by several high-stakes fiscal confrontations. The most significant was the United States debt-ceiling crisis of 2011, which culminated in the passage of the Budget Control Act of 2011 just hours before a potential default. The subsequent failure of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction triggered automatic sequestration cuts. Other notable events included the conclusion of the Iraq War, the raid that killed Osama bin Laden, and the Supreme Court's ruling in National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius, which upheld the core of the Affordable Care Act. The 2012 presidential election occurred during its second session.
Committee leadership
Notable Senate committee chairs included Kent Conrad (Budget), Carl Levin (Armed Services), Max Baucus (Finance), and Patrick Leahy (Judiciary). Key House chairs were Paul Ryan (Budget), Dave Camp (Ways and Means), Harold Rogers (Appropriations), and Fred Upton (Energy and Commerce). The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, chaired by Darrell Issa, was highly active in investigations of the Obama administration.
Members
The Senate included prominent figures such as John McCain of Arizona, John Kerry of Massachusetts, and freshman Senator Marco Rubio of Florida. The House freshman class, heavily influenced by the Tea Party movement, included members like Allen West of Florida and Justin Amash of Michigan. Notable departures during or at the end of the Congress included Senator Daniel Inouye, who died in office, and long-serving representatives like Barney Frank of Massachusetts and David Dreier of California who retired. The congressional membership was sworn in by Chief Justice John Roberts.