113th United States Congress

113th United States Congress
Martin Falbisoner · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
Number	113th
Start	January 3, 2013
End	January 3, 2015
Vice president	Joe Biden (D)
Pro tem	Patrick Leahy (D)
Speaker	John Boehner (R)
Senate majority	Democratic
House majority	Republican
Sessionnumber1	1st
Sessionstart1	January 3, 2013
Sessionend1	January 3, 2014
Sessionnumber2	2nd
Sessionstart2	January 3, 2014
Sessionend2	January 3, 2015

113th 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 convened in Washington, D.C. from January 3, 2013, to January 3, 2015, during the final two years of Barack Obama's first term as President of the United States. The Democratic Party maintained a majority in the Senate, while the Republican Party retained control of the House of Representatives, leading to significant legislative gridlock. Key issues addressed included the Affordable Care Act, federal budget disputes, and responses to events like the Boston Marathon bombing.

Major legislation

The legislative output was marked by partisan division, though several significant bills were enacted. Key laws included the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013, negotiated by Senate Budget Committee Chair Patty Murray and House Budget Committee Chair Paul Ryan, which set spending levels and temporarily avoided another debt-ceiling crisis. The Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014 authorized infrastructure projects for the United States Army Corps of Engineers. Other notable enactments were the Farm Bill of 2014, formally the Agricultural Act of 2014, and the Cromnibus spending bill for fiscal year 2015. Attempts to pass comprehensive immigration reform, such as the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act of 2013, passed the Senate but stalled in the House of Representatives.

Leadership

Senate leadership included Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky; the President pro tempore was Patrick Leahy of Vermont. The House of Representatives was led by Speaker John Boehner of Ohio, with Majority Leader Eric Cantor of Virginia and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of California. Vice President Joe Biden served as the constitutional president of the Senate. Key committee chairs included Appropriations Chair Barbara Mikulski and Ways and Means Chair Dave Camp.

Party summary

In the Senate, the Democratic caucus held 53 seats, the Republican caucus held 45 seats, and there were two independents, Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Angus King of Maine, who caucused with the Democrats. This gave the Democratic majority effective control of 55 seats. The House of Representatives comprised 234 Republicans, 201 Democrats, and no vacancies at the start of the term. This partisan divide, with a Republican majority in the House and a Democratic majority in the Senate, characterized the intense partisan dynamics of the session.

Major events

Significant events included the United States federal government shutdown of 2013, a 16-day closure stemming from a budgetary impasse and Republican efforts to defund the Affordable Care Act. The Boston Marathon bombing in April 2013 led to congressional hearings on homeland security. Landmark Supreme Court rulings during this period, such as Shelby County v. Holder and Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc., prompted legislative reactions. The Death of Hugo Chávez and the Death of Nelson Mandela were marked by congressional resolutions. Political shifts included the primary defeat of House Majority Leader Eric Cantor by David Brat.

Committee assignments

Key Senate committees were chaired by Democrats, including the Senate Finance Committee under Max Baucus (later Ron Wyden), the Senate Armed Services Committee under Carl Levin, and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee under Robert Menendez. Important House committees under Republican leadership included the House Energy and Commerce Committee chaired by Fred Upton, the House Judiciary Committee under Bob Goodlatte, and the House Financial Services Committee chaired by Jeb Hensarling. The Select Committee on Benghazi was also established, chaired by Trey Gowdy.

Members

The Senate included notable freshmen such as Ted Cruz of Texas, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, and Deb Fischer of Nebraska. The House freshman class featured high-profile members like Cory Booker of New Jersey upon his special election to the Senate. Other prominent senators serving included John McCain of Arizona, Dianne Feinstein of California, and Chuck Schumer of New York. The House delegation included future Speaker of the House Paul Ryan and prominent figures like John Lewis of Georgia and Kevin McCarthy of California.

Category:113th United States Congress Category:2013 in American politics Category:2014 in American politics