110th United States Congress Totally Explained

Everything about 110th United States Congress totally explained

United States Capitol (2002)
Term:	January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2009
President of the Senate:	Dick Cheney
President pro tempore of the Senate:	Robert Byrd
Speaker of the House:	Nancy Pelosi
Members:	435 Representatives 100 Senators 5 Territorial Delegates
House Majority:	Democratic
Senate Majority:	Democratic

The One Hundred Tenth United States Congress is the current meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the Senate and the House of Representatives. It is scheduled to meet in Washington, D.C. from January 3, 2007 to January 3, 2009, during the last two years of the second administration of President George W. Bush. The apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the 2000 United States census.
The Democrats control a majority in both chambers for the first time since the end of the 103rd Congress in 1995. No Democratic-held seats fell to the Republicans in the elections to this Congress. Democrat Nancy Pelosi became the first woman Speaker of the House, The House also received the first Muslim and Buddhists in Congress.

Dates of sessions

January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2009 (scheduled)

First session: January 4, 2007 – December 19, 2007
Second session: January 3, 2008 – TBD

Previous: 109th Congress • Next: 111th Congress

Major events

Members debated initiatives such as the Democrats' 100-Hour Plan and the Iraq War troop surge of 2007.

Support for the Iraq War

Following President Bush's 2007 State of the Union address, Congress debated his proposal to create a troop surge to increase security in Iraq. The House of Representatives passed a non-binding measure opposing the surge. The House then passed a $124 billion emergency spending measure to fund the war, which included language that dictated troop levels and withdrawal schedules. President Bush, however, vetoed the bill as promised, making this his 2nd veto while in office. Both houses of Congress passed a bill funding the war without timelines, but with benchmarks for the Iraqi Government and money for other spending projects like disaster relief.

Other events

2007-08-02 — The Republican minority disputed the results of a vote to recommit. This led to an investigation by a Select committee.

December 18 2007 — The Senate set a record for the most cloture votes.

Major legislation

Contents: Enacted • Pending or failed • Vetoed

These are partial lists of prominent enacted legislation and pending bills. ť See also:, Resume of Congressional Activity

Enacted

2007-02-02 — House Page Board Revision Act of 2007,,

2007-05-25 — U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Care, Katrina Recovery, and Iraq Accountability Appropriations Act, 2007, including Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007,,

2007-06-14 — Preserving United States Attorney Independence Act of 2007,,

2007-08-03 — Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007,,

2007-08-05 — Protect America Act of 2007,,

2007-09-14 — Honest Leadership and Open Government Act,,

2007-11-08 — Water Resources Development Act of 2007,, - Veto Overridden

2007-12-19 — Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007,,

2008-05-21 — Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act,,

2008-05-22 — Food and Energy Security Act of 2007 ("2007 Farm Bill"),, - Veto Overridden , via THOMAS

Pending or failed

(In alphabetical order)

America's Climate Security Act of 2007

Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007

Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act

District of Columbia House Voting Rights Act of 2007

Employee Free Choice Act

Employment Non-Discrimination Act

Executive Branch Reform Act

Family and Consumer Choice Act of 2007

Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act of 2007

Habeas Corpus Restoration Act of 2007

Iraq War De-Escalation Act of 2007

Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007

Medicare Prescription Drug Price Negotiation Act of 2007

Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act of 2007

State Children's Health Insurance Program ť See also: Active Legislation, 110th Congress, via senate.gov

Vetoed

Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 ("SCHIP", )

Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act

Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2007

Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008

: an earlier version of National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008

: an earlier version of U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Care, Katrina Recovery, and Iraq Accountability Appropriations Act, 2007

Select committees

House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming

House Select Committee on the Voting Irregularities of August 2, 2007

Hearings

Dismissal of U.S. attorneys controversy hearings - (House and Senate Judiciary Committees)

Party summary

Senate

Membership has changed with one death and one resignation.

Affiliation		Democratic	Independent	Republican	Total	Vacant	Notes
Affiliation					Total		Notes
Members (shading indicates majority caucus)	Begin (2007-01-04)	49	2	49	100	0
	2007-06-04			48	99	1	Craig Thomas (R) died.
	2007-06-25			49	100	0	John Barrasso (R) replaced Thomas.
	2007-12-18			48	99	1	Trent Lott (R) resigned.
	2007-12-31			49	100	0	Roger Wicker (R) replaced Lott.
Latest voting share		51%		49%
Notes			Both caucus with the Democrats.

House of Representatives

Membership has fluctuated many times with six deaths and five resignations. The Democrats have achieved a net gain of three seats as a result of their victories in special elections. See Changes in membership, below.

Affiliation		Democratic	Republican	Total	Vacant	Notes
Affiliation				Total		Notes
Members (shading indicates majority caucus)	Begin (2007-01-03)	233	202	435	0
	2007-02-13	233	201	434	1	Charlie Norwood (R) died.
	2007-04-22	232		433	2	Juanita Millender-McDonald (D) died.
	2007-07-01	231		432	3	Marty Meehan (D) resigned.
	2007-07-25	231	202	433	2	Paul Broun (R) took Norwood's seat.
	2007-09-04	232	202	434	1	Laura Richardson (D) took Millender-McDonald's seat.
	2007-09-05		201	433	2	Paul Gilmor (R) died.
	2007-10-06		200	432	3	Jo Ann Davis (R) died.
	2007-10-18	233	200	433	2	Niki Tsongas (D) took Meehan's seat.
	2007-11-26		199	432	3	Dennis Hastert (R) resigned.
	2007-12-13		201	434	1	Bob Latta (R) took Gillmor's seat. Rob Wittman (R) took Davis's seat.
	2007-12-15	232	201	433	2	Julia Carson (D) died.
	2007-12-31		200	432	3	Roger Wicker (R) resigned.
	2008-01-14		199	431	4	Bobby Jindal (R) resigned.
	2008-02-02		198	430	5	Richard Baker (R) resigned.
	2008-02-11	231		429	6	Tom Lantos (D) died.
	2008-03-11	232		430	5	Bill Foster (D) took Hastert's seat.
	2008-03-13	233		431	4	André Carson (D) took J. Carson's seat.
	2008-04-10	234		432	3	Jackie Speier (D) took Lantos's seat.
	2008-05-06	235		433	2	Don Cazayoux (D) took Baker's seat.
	2008-05-07	235	199	434	1	Steve Scalise (R) took Jindal's seat.
	2008-05-20	236	199	435	0	Travis Childers (D) took Wicker's seat.
Latest voting share		54.3%	45.7%
Non-voting members		4	1	5	0

Leadership

Contents: Senate:	Majority (Democratic) leadership • Minority (Republican) leadership
House of Representatives:	Majority (Democratic) leadership • Minority (Republican) leadership

Senate

President of the Senate: Dick Cheney (R)

President pro tempore: Robert Byrd (D)

President pro tempore emeritus: Ted Stevens (R)

Majority (Democratic) leadership

Majority Leader and Democratic Conference Chairman: Harry Reid

Assistant Majority Leader (Majority Whip): Richard Durbin

Chief Deputy Whip: Barbara Boxer

Deputy Whips: Thomas Carper, Bill Nelson, Russell D. Feingold

Democratic Conference Vice Chairman: Charles Schumer

Democratic Campaign Committee Chairman: Charles Schumer

Democratic Conference Secretary: Patty Murray

Democratic Policy Committee Chairman: Byron Dorgan

Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee Chair: Debbie Stabenow

Democratic Committee Outreach Chairman: Jeff Bingaman

Democratic Rural Outreach Chair: Blanche Lincoln

Minority (Republican) leadership

Minority Leader: Mitch McConnell

Assistant Minority Leader (Minority Whip): Jon Kyl, 2007-12-18-present

Trent Lott, 2007-01-03-2007-12-18

Counselor to the Minority Leader: Robert Bennett

Republican Conference Chairman: Lamar Alexander, 2007-12-18-present

Jon Kyl, 2007-01-03-2007-12-18

Republican Policy Committee Chairman: Kay Bailey Hutchison

Republican Conference Vice Chair: John Cornyn

National Republican Senatorial Committeee Chair: John Ensign

House of Representatives

Speaker: Nancy Pelosi (D)

Assistant to the Speaker: Xavier Becerra

Majority (Democratic) leadership

Majority Leader: Steny Hoyer

Majority Whip: James Clyburn

Senior Chief Deputy Majority Whip: John Lewis

Chief Deputy Majority Whips: Debbie Wasserman Schultz, G.K. Butterfield, Joseph Crowley, Diana DeGette, Ed Pastor, Jan Schakowsky, John S. Tanner, and Maxine Waters

Democratic Caucus Chairman: Rahm Emanuel

Democratic Caucus Vice-Chairman: John Larson

Democratic Campaign Committee Chairman: Chris Van Hollen

Democratic Steering/Policy Committee Co-Chairs: Rosa DeLauro for Steering and George Miller for Policy

Minority (Republican) leadership

Minority Leader: John Boehner

Minority Whip: Roy Blunt

Chief Deputy Minority Whip: Eric Cantor

Republican Conference Chair: Adam Putnam

Republican Policy Committee Chairman: Thad McCotter

Republican Conference Vice-Chair: Kay Granger

Republican Conference Secretary: John Carter

Republican Campaign Committee Chairman: Tom Cole

Members

See Current members of the United States Congress, for demographics, hometown, senatorial class, when first took office, when current term expires, prior background, and education.

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