118th United States Congress
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| 118th United States Congress | |
|---|---|
 U.S. House of Representatives · Public domain · source | |
| Name | 118th United States Congress |
| Meeting place | United States Capitol |
| Election | 2022 United States elections |
| Term start | January 3, 2023 |
| Term end | January 3, 2025 |
| Before | 117th United States Congress |
| After | 119th United States Congress |
118th United States Congress was the federal legislative term beginning January 3, 2023, following the 2022 United States House of Representatives elections and the 2022 United States Senate elections, convening in the United States Capitol during the presidency of Joe Biden. It comprised the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives, saw closely watched contests like the Kevin McCarthy speakership battle and consequential votes affecting the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and operated amid international events including the Russian invasion of Ukraine and policy debates tied to the Inflation Reduction Act.
Overview
The 118th convened with a split chamber dynamic shaped by victories in the 2022 United States Senate elections and the 2022 United States House of Representatives elections that left control contested between Democrats and Republicans; notable actors included Chuck Schumer, Mitch McConnell, Hakeem Jeffries, and Kevin McCarthy. Key institutional moments involved the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives election marked by multiple ballots and the January 6-related security and investigatory debates linked to the United States Capitol attack. The term intersected with major policy arenas such as appropriations and debt-limit negotiations tied to the United States federal budget and interactions with foreign policy debates involving Taiwan and NATO allies.
Membership
Senators in the 118th included returning figures like Elizabeth Warren, Ted Cruz, Bernie Sanders, Lisa Murkowski, Ron Wyden, Tim Scott, Cory Booker, and Amy Klobuchar, with class turnover influenced by the 2022 United States Senate elections. House membership featured representatives such as Nancy Pelosi until her retirement, Jim Jordan, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Adam Schiff, James Comer, and freshman members elected in 2022 like Max Miller and Jasmine Crockett. Delegations from states including California, Texas, Florida, New York, and Pennsylvania shaped committee ratios; territories represented included Puerto Rico and Guam via non-voting delegates such as Jenniffer González-Colón.
Leadership and Committees
Senate leadership consisted of Chuck Schumer as Majority Leader and Mitch McConnell as Minority Leader, with committee chairs from the Majority overseeing panels like the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senate Finance Committee, and Senate Armed Services Committee including figures such as Dick Durbin, Ron Wyden, and Jack Reed. House leadership featured Kevin McCarthy assuming the Speakership after prolonged balloting with support and dissent from members including Jim Jordan, Steve Scalise, and Lauren Boebert; the Democratic caucus was led by Hakeem Jeffries as Minority Leader with whip operations involving Katherine Clark and Pete Aguilar. Oversight and Ways and Means panels included chairs such as Jason Smith, Jerry Nadler, and Richard Neal while select committees addressed issues linked to the January 6 United States Capitol attack and border policy coordinated with agencies like the Department of Homeland Security.
Major Legislation and Actions
Major legislative action encompassed budget and appropriations measures to avert shutdowns, debt-ceiling negotiations tied to United States debt ceiling votes, and bills addressing semiconductor policy influenced by the CHIPS and Science Act. The Congress considered or passed provisions affecting appropriations, export controls connected to China policy, measures on military assistance to Ukraine and relations with Israel during the 2023 Israel–Hamas war, and regulatory statutes relating to technology platforms debated alongside actors such as Meta Platforms, Inc. and Twitter, Inc. (X). High-profile probes and subpoena activity involved committees investigating topics connected to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, executive branch personnel, and energy policy contested amid discourse about the Department of Energy.
Political Dynamics and Partisan Composition
Partisan configuration produced narrow margins in the United States Senate requiring bipartisan coalitions on confirmations and filibuster-related procedures involving the Filibuster in the United States Senate; the United States House of Representatives majority shifted control to Republicans with internal fracturing among factions including the House Freedom Caucus and establishment Republicans. Congressional caucuses such as the Congressional Black Caucus, Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and Problem Solvers Caucus influenced cross-party negotiations on infrastructure, immigration, and health matters linked to actors like Gavin Newsom at the state level and interest groups including AFL–CIO and Chamber of Commerce.
Sessions and Procedural Events
The first session opened with the presidential State of the Union preparations engaging liaison between the White House and Congress, and procedural milestones included the multi-ballot Speaker election, multiple cloture motions, and discharge petitions on high-profile bills. Notable procedural events encompassed impeachment inquiries and resolutions, continuing resolutions to fund the federal government, emergency supplemental appropriations for foreign aid, and oversight hearings featuring testimony from officials tied to the Department of Justice and Central Intelligence Agency. The 118th's calendar intersected with special elections such as those prompted by resignations and appointments, and its procedural record reflected evolving norms about motion-to-vacate rules and committee subpoena enforcement.