99th United States Congress
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| 99th United States Congress | |
|---|---|
| Number | 99th |
| Caption | The United States Capitol in 1987 |
| Start | January 3, 1985 |
| End | January 3, 1987 |
| Vice-president | George H. W. Bush (R) |
| Pro-tempore | Strom Thurmond (R) |
| Speaker | Tip O'Neill (D) |
| Senate-majority | Republican |
| House-majority | Democratic |
| Sessionnumber1 | 1st |
| Sessionstart1 | January 3, 1985 |
| Sessionend1 | December 20, 1985 |
| Sessionnumber2 | 2nd |
| Sessionstart2 | January 21, 1986 |
| Sessionend2 | October 18, 1986 |
99th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the Federal government of the United States, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It convened in Washington, D.C. from January 3, 1985, to January 3, 1987, during the fifth and sixth years of Ronald Reagan's presidency. The apportionment of seats was based on the 1980 United States Census, and Republicans maintained control of the Senate while Democrats held a majority in the House.
Major legislation
The legislative agenda was heavily influenced by the domestic priorities of the Reagan administration and the ongoing Cold War. Key enactments included the landmark Gramm–Rudman–Hollings Balanced Budget Act, which aimed to reduce the federal deficit through automatic spending cuts. Significant tax reform was achieved with the passage of the Tax Reform Act of 1986, a major overhaul of the Internal Revenue Code. In foreign policy, Congress passed the Goldwater–Nichols Act, which reorganized the command structure of the United States Department of Defense. Other notable laws included the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (COBRA), the False Claims Amendments Act of 1986, and the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986.
Leadership
In the Senate, leadership was provided by Vice President George H. W. Bush as the presiding officer. The President pro tempore was Strom Thurmond of South Carolina. The Senate Majority Leader was Bob Dole from Kansas, with Alan Simpson of Wyoming serving as Majority Whip. The Senate Minority Leader was Robert Byrd of West Virginia, and the Minority Whip was Alan Cranston of California. In the House, Speaker Tip O'Neill of Massachusetts led the Democratic majority, with Jim Wright of Texas as Majority Leader. The House Minority Leader was Bob Michel of Illinois.
Party summary
The Senate consisted of 53 Republicans and 47 Democrats. The House of Representatives comprised 253 Democrats and 182 Republicans. This partisan division created a politically divided government, with a Republican president and Senate facing a Democratic House, which shaped the dynamics of legislative compromise and conflict during the session.
Major events
The period was marked by significant international and domestic events. President Ronald Reagan and Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev held their first summit in Geneva in November 1985. The Space Shuttle Challenger disaster occurred on January 28, 1986, leading to a temporary halt of the NASA Space Shuttle program. The Reagan administration was also embroiled in the emerging Iran–Contra affair, which began to unfold publicly in late 1986. Congress passed sweeping sanctions against the apartheid government of South Africa with the Comprehensive Anti-Apartheid Act of 1986, which was enacted over President Reagan's veto.
Members
The Senate included notable figures such as Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts, John Glenn of Ohio, and freshman senator Al Gore of Tennessee. Prominent members of the House included future Speaker Newt Gingrich of Georgia, Dick Cheney of Wyoming, and Barney Frank of Massachusetts. The delegation also included the first governor to serve in the Senate, Frank Murkowski.
Committees
Significant Senate committees were chaired by powerful Republicans, including the Committee on Finance under Bob Packwood of Oregon and the Committee on Foreign Relations led by Richard Lugar of Indiana. In the House, key panels were led by Democrats such as Dan Rostenkowski of Illinois on the Ways and Means Committee and Dante Fascell of Florida on the Foreign Affairs Committee. The Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence was chaired by Lee H. Hamilton of Indiana.