95th United States Congress

95th United States Congress
Number	95th
Caption	The United States Capitol (1962)
Start	January 3, 1977
End	January 3, 1979
Vice-president	Nelson Rockefeller (R), until Jan 20, 1977, Walter Mondale (D), from Jan 20, 1977
Pro-tempore	James Eastland (D)
Speaker	Tip O'Neill (D)
Senate-majority	Democratic
House-majority	Democratic
Sessionnumber1	1st
Sessionstart1	January 4, 1977
Sessionend1	December 15, 1977
Sessionnumber2	2nd
Sessionstart2	January 19, 1978
Sessionend2	October 15, 1978

95th United States Congress convened in Washington, D.C. from January 3, 1977, to January 3, 1979, during the final weeks of the Gerald Ford administration and the first two years of the Jimmy Carter presidency. Dominated by the Democratic Party, it grappled with significant energy policy challenges, economic stagnation, and major foreign policy initiatives. This Congress also saw the ratification of the Panama Canal Treaty and the passage of landmark ethics legislation.

Major legislation

Key enactments included the Department of Energy Organization Act, which created the United States Department of Energy to centralize federal energy policy. The Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act established environmental standards for coal mining. Significant ethics reforms were passed with the Ethics in Government Act, which created the Office of Government Ethics and established requirements for financial disclosure. Other major laws were the Community Reinvestment Act, aimed at reducing discriminatory lending practices, and the Humphrey–Hawkins Full Employment Act, which set economic goals for inflation and unemployment. Congress also passed the Airline Deregulation Act, which phased out the Civil Aeronautics Board's control over fares and routes.

Leadership

In the United States Senate, Robert Byrd of West Virginia served as Majority Leader, with Alan Cranston of California as Majority Whip. The Republican minority was led by Howard Baker of Tennessee as Minority Leader, assisted by Ted Stevens of Alaska as Minority Whip. James Eastland of Mississippi presided as President pro tempore of the United States Senate. In the United States House of Representatives, Tip O'Neill of Massachusetts was the Speaker. The House Democratic leadership included Jim Wright of Texas as Majority Leader and John Brademas of Indiana as Majority Whip. The Republican minority was led by John J. Rhodes of Arizona as Minority Leader.

Major events

The inauguration of President Jimmy Carter on January 20, 1977, marked a shift in executive leadership. A pivotal foreign policy achievement was the Senate's ratification of the Panama Canal Treaty in 1978, following intense debate led by Senators Dennis DeConcini and Howard Baker. The Congress confronted the 1977 energy crisis and severe economic conditions including stagflation. Notable investigations included the Koreagate influence-peddling scandal and hearings on the Bert Lance controversy. The period also saw the enactment of a major tax cut in 1978 and the creation of the Superfund for hazardous waste cleanup.

Party summary

The United States Senate consisted of 61 Democrats, 38 Republicans, and one independent, Harry F. Byrd Jr. of Virginia, who caucused with the Democrats. The United States House of Representatives had a strong Democratic majority with 292 members, compared to 143 Republicans. This substantial majority provided the Democratic Party with significant control over the legislative agenda, though internal divisions between liberals and conservatives, particularly from the South, often complicated the passage of President Jimmy Carter's initiatives.

Members

The Senate roster included notable figures such as Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts, Jacob Javits of New York, and freshman Senator John Danforth of Missouri. The House featured influential members like Dan Rostenkowski of Illinois, who chaired the Ways and Means Committee, and Morris Udall of Arizona. Future Speaker Tom Foley of Washington served as Chairman of the Agriculture Committee. Other prominent Representatives were Barbara Jordan of Texas, Jack Kemp of New York, and Henry Hyde of Illinois. Several members, including Senator S. I. Hayakawa of California, were serving their first term.

Committees

Powerful Senate committees were led by chairs such as Russell B. Long (Finance Committee), William Proxmire (Banking Committee), and Frank Church (Foreign Relations Committee). In the House, key panels included the Ways and Means Committee under Al Ullman of Oregon, the Appropriations Committee chaired by George Mahon of Texas, and the Energy and Commerce Committee led by Harley Staggers of West Virginia. The House Judiciary Committee, chaired by Peter W. Rodino of New Jersey, remained active. Joint committees like the Joint Economic Committee, chaired by Senator Hubert Humphrey and later Lloyd Bentsen, played significant advisory roles.

Category:95th United States Congress