114th United States Congress

114th United States Congress
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Name	114th United States Congress
Start	January 3, 2015
End	January 3, 2017
Senate control	Republican Party
House control	Republican Party
Vice president	Joe Biden
Speaker	John Boehner / Paul Ryan
Previous	113th United States Congress
Next	115th United States Congress

114th United States Congress was the federal legislature meeting from January 3, 2015, to January 3, 2017, during the presidential term of Barack Obama and contemporaneous with events including the 2016 United States presidential election, the European migrant crisis, and developments related to the Iraq War and War in Afghanistan. The session comprised the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives with both chambers under the control of the Republican Party (United States), occurring alongside policy debates involving the Supreme Court of the United States, the Department of Justice (United States), and international issues such as the Iran nuclear deal negotiations and the Trans-Pacific Partnership talks.

Major events and timeline

The opening of the term followed the 2014 midterm victories that shifted the balance in the United States Senate toward figures like Mitch McConnell and prompted leadership changes in the United States House of Representatives involving John Boehner and Paul Ryan, set against wider political campaigns including the 2016 Republican Party presidential primaries, the 2016 Democratic Party presidential primaries, and the ascent of candidates such as Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. Early in the Congress, high-profile votes included debate over the Every Student Succeeds Act and reactions to international incidents like the Charlie Hebdo shooting and the Paris attacks (November 2015), while later sessions featured intensive consideration of nominations to the Supreme Court of the United States after the death of Antonin Scalia and the nomination of Merrick Garland. Major calendar moments included the 2015 State of the Union address by Barack Obama, budget negotiations tied to the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 and appropriations fights involving the Department of Defense (United States), and the response to terrorist attacks influencing votes on measures connected to the Patriot Act reauthorization debates and counterterrorism policy.

Membership and party composition

The Senate composition reflected Republican gains from the 2014 United States Senate elections with key figures including John McCain, Lindsey Graham, Ted Cruz, and Elizabeth Warren serving during the term; the House majority included Republican representatives such as Kevin McCarthy, Steve Scalise, and Paul Ryan before Ryan became Speaker. The Congress included members from all 50 states including senators from California, Texas, New York, Florida, and Illinois and representatives serving districts contested in the 2016 United States House of Representatives elections. Membership featured long-serving legislators like Patrick Leahy and freshman members elected in 2014 such as Mia Love and Joaquin Castro's colleagues, alongside members participating in caucuses including the Freedom Caucus, the Congressional Black Caucus, and the House Democratic Caucus. Composition changes through resignations, deaths, and appointments affected balance and committee ratios, with notable shifts after special elections and appointments tied to gubernatorial actions in states like Arizona, Louisiana, and Missouri.

Leadership and committee organization

Senate leadership was led by Mitch McConnell as Majority Leader and Harry Reid as Minority Leader until the end of Reid's tenure, with party whips such as John Cornyn and Dick Durbin playing central roles; committee chairs included Republicans overseeing the Senate Finance Committee, the Senate Armed Services Committee, and the Senate Judiciary Committee, while Democrats led ranking member positions including figures like Dianne Feinstein. In the House, leadership transitions involved John Boehner's resignation and Paul Ryan's election as Speaker, with Republican steering by Kevin McCarthy and Democratic leadership by Nancy Pelosi; committees such as the House Ways and Means Committee, the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee were organized under chairs who managed legislative calendars and hearings. Select committees and subcommittees addressed issues through chairs from both parties and coordinated with agencies like the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Homeland Security (United States), while caucuses including the Problem Solvers Caucus and the Tuesday Group influenced procedural strategy.

Legislative activity and major legislation

Major enacted measures included the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, the bipartisan passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act replacing No Child Left Behind Act provisions, and appropriations bills addressing funding for the Department of Defense (United States) and domestic programs; bills considered but not enacted involved the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement implementing legislation and comprehensive immigration reform proposals tied to debates over Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. The Senate processed nominations for executive and judicial appointments, including circuit court confirmations and contentious hearings over the nomination of Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court of the United States, while the House advanced oversight bills and tax-related legislation proposed by the House Ways and Means Committee. High-profile bipartisan efforts addressed infrastructure investments, opioid epidemic responses connected to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and regulatory reform proposals referencing agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency and the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Congressional investigations and oversight

Oversight activity included hearings involving the Department of Justice (United States), the Internal Revenue Service, and the Department of Homeland Security (United States) over topics like surveillance policy connected to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and responses to domestic terrorist incidents; committees held investigations into the implementation of the Affordable Care Act and the administration's diplomacy toward Iran and Cuba. The House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, and the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee conducted depositions and subpoena actions involving executive branch officials and private contractors linked to events such as the 2012 Benghazi attack follow-ups and cybersecurity breaches tied to Office of Personnel Management data. Congressional probes also examined financial regulation enforcement by the Department of the Treasury (United States) and actions by multinational firms subject to oversight by the Federal Trade Commission.

Elections and vacancies

The 2014 midterm results that produced the 114th term were followed by special elections and appointments due to resignations such as those by members accepting cabinet or gubernatorial roles, deaths, or House retirements; consequential contests included special elections in states like Kansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi that altered committee ratios. The 2016 general elections for president, Senate, and House seats—featuring campaigns by Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, Republicans such as Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio, and Democrats like Bernie Sanders—resulted in the subsequent 115th term changes and informed retirements and primary challenges during the 114th. Vacancy procedures involved gubernatorial appointments for Senate seats in accordance with state laws in places such as Oklahoma and Colorado and special election scheduling under statutes from states including California and New Jersey.

Category:United States Congresses