Definitions

Majority Deputy Whip Team

109th United States Congress

109th United States Congress

United States Capitol (2002)
Session: January 3, 2005 –
January 3, 2007
President of the Senate: Dick Cheney
President pro tempore of the Senate: Ted Stevens
Speaker of the House: Dennis Hastert
Members: 435 Representatives
100 Senators
5 Territorial Representatives
House Majority: Republican
Senate Majority: Republican

The 109th United States Congress was the legislative branch of the United States, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives, from January 3, 2005 to January 3, 2007, during the first two years of the second administration of U.S. President George W. Bush.

House members were elected in the 2004 general election on 2004-11-04. Senators were elected in three classes in the 2000 general election on 2000-11-07, 2002 general election on 2002-11-05, or 2004 general election on 2004-11-04. The apportionment of seats in this House of Representatives was based on the Twenty-second Census of the United States in 2000. Both chambers had a Republican majority, the same party as President Bush.

Dates of sessions

January 3, 2005–January 3, 2007

  • First session: January 4, 2005–December 22, 2005
  • Second session: January 3, 2006–December 9, 2006

Previous: 108th Congress • Next: 110th Congress

Major events

Prominent events included the filibuster "nuclear option" scare, the alleged failure of the federal government to help in Hurricane Katrina disaster relief, the Tom DeLay corruption investigation, the CIA leak scandal, the rising unpopularity of the Iraq War, the 2006 immigration reform protests and government involvement in the Terri Schiavo case.

In addition to the DeLay indictment, this Congress also had a number of scandals: Bob Ney, Randy "Duke" Cunningham, William J. Jefferson, Mark Foley scandal, and the Jack Abramoff scandals.

This Congress met for 242 days, the fewest since World War II and 12 days fewer than the 80th Congress. As the Congress neared its conclusion, some commentators labelled this the "Do Nothing Congress," a pejorative originally given to the 80th United States Congress by President Harry Truman.

The President vetoed only one bill, his first veto, the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2005.

Major legislation

Enacted

Proposed, but not enacted

Hearings

Party summary

Senate

The party summary for the Senate remained the same during the entire 109th Congress. On 2006-01-16, Democrat Jon Corzine resigned, but Democrat Bob Menendez was appointed and took Corzine's seat the next day.

Affiliation Party
(shading indicates
majority caucus)
Total
     
Republican Democratic Independent
Members 55 44 1 100
Voting share 55% 45%
Notes Caucused with
the Democrats
State ranked in partisan order Percentage
Republicans
Percentage
Democrats
Republican/
Democrat
Republican
seat plurality
Alabama 100% 0% 2/0 2
Alaska 100% 0% 2/0 2
Arizona 100% 0% 2/0 2
Georgia 100% 0% 2/0 2
Idaho 100% 0% 2/0 2
Kansas 100% 0% 2/0 2
Kentucky 100% 0% 2/0 2
Maine 100% 0% 2/0 2
Mississippi 100% 0% 2/0 2
Missouri 100% 0% 2/0 2
New Hampshire 100% 0% 2/0 2
North Carolina 100% 0% 2/0 2
Ohio 100% 0% 2/0 2
Oklahoma 100% 0% 2/0 2
Pennsylvania 100% 0% 2/0 2
South Carolina 100% 0% 2/0 2
Tennessee 100% 0% 2/0 2
Texas 100% 0% 2/0 2
Utah 100% 0% 2/0 2
Virginia 100% 0% 2/0 2
Wyoming 100% 0% 2/0 2
United States 55% 44% 55/44 11
Colorado 50% 50% 1/1 0
Florida 50% 50% 1/1 0
Indiana 50% 50% 1/1 0
Iowa 50% 50% 1/1 0
Louisiana 50% 50% 1/1 0
Minnesota 50% 50% 1/1 0
Montana 50% 50% 1/1 0
Nebraska 50% 50% 1/1 0
Nevada 50% 50% 1/1 0
New Mexico 50% 50% 1/1 0
Oregon 50% 50% 1/1 0
Rhode Island 50% 50% 1/1 0
South Dakota 50% 50% 1/1 0
Vermont 0% 50% 0/1
(1 independent)
-1
Arkansas 0% 100% 0/2 -2
California 0% 100% 0/2 -2
Connecticut 0% 100% 0/2 -2
Delaware 0% 100% 0/2 -2
Hawaii 0% 100% 0/2 -2
Illinois 0% 100% 0/2 -2
Maryland 0% 100% 0/2 -2
Massachusetts 0% 100% 0/2 -2
Michigan 0% 100% 0/2 -2
New Jersey 0% 100% 0/2 -2
New York 0% 100% 0/2 -2
North Dakota 0% 100% 0/2 -2
Washington 0% 100% 0/2 -2
West Virginia 0% 100% 0/2 -2
Wisconsin 0% 100% 0/2 -2

House of Representatives

Due to resignations and special elections, Republicans lost a net of three seats; Democrats gained one seat; three seats were left vacant; and one seat which was vacant at the beginning of the Congress was filled. All seats were filled though special elections. (See Changes in membership, below.)

Affiliation Party
(shading indicates majority caucus)
Total

       

Republican Democratic Independent Vacant
Begin (2005-01-03) 232 201 1 434 1

2005-03-10 202 435 0

2005-04-29 231 434 1

2005-08-02 230 433 2

2005-09-06 231 434 1

2005-12-01 230 433 2

2005-12-07 231 434 1

2006-01-16 201 433 2

2006-06-09 230 432 3

2006-06-13 231 433 2

2006-09-29 230 432 3

2006-11-03 229 431 4

2006-11-13 230 202 433 2

2006-12-31 229 432 3

Latest voting share 53% 47%

Notes Caucused with the Democrats

Non-voting members 1 4 0 5 0

State ranked in partisan order Percentage
Republicans
Percentage
Democrats
Republican/
Democrat
Republican
seat plurality
Nebraska 100% 0% 3/0 3
Idaho 100% 0% 2/0 2
New Hampshire 100% 0% 2/0 2
Alaska 100% 0% 1/0 1
Delaware 100% 0% 1/0 1
Montana 100% 0% 1/0 1
Wyoming 100% 0% 1/0 1
Kentucky 83% 17% 5/1 4
Iowa 80% 20% 4/1 3
Oklahoma 80% 20% 4/1 3
Indiana 78% 22% 7/2 5
Arizona 75% 25% 6/2 4
Kansas 75% 25% 3/1 2
Virginia 73% 27% 8/3 5
Florida 72% 28% 18/7 11
Alabama 71% 29% 5/2 3
Louisiana 71% 29% 5/2 3
Ohio 67% 33% 12/6 6
South Carolina 67% 33% 4/2 2
Nevada 67% 33% 2/1 1
New Mexico 67% 33% 2/1 1
Utah 67% 33% 2/1 1
Texas 65% 35% 20/11
(1 vacancy)
9
Pennsylvania 63% 37% 12/7 5
Michigan 60% 40% 9/6 3
Connecticut 60% 40% 3/2 1
Colorado 57% 43% 4/3 1
Missouri 56% 44% 5/4 1
Georgia 54% 46% 7/6 1
North Carolina 54% 46% 7/6 1
United States 53% 47% 231/201 30
Minnesota 50% 50% 4/4 0
Wisconsin 50% 50% 4/4 0
Mississippi 50% 50% 2/2 0
New Jersey 50% 50% 6/6
(1 vacancy)
0
Vermont 0% 0% 0/0
(1 independent)
0
Illinois 47% 53% 9/10 -1
Tennessee 44% 56% 4/5 -1
California 38% 62% 20/33 -13
West Virginia 33% 67% 1/2 -1
Washington 33% 67% 3/6 -3
New York 31% 69% 9/20 -11
Arkansas 25% 75% 1/3 -2
Maryland 25% 75% 2/6 -4
Oregon 20% 80% 1/4 -3
North Dakota 0% 100% 0/1 -1
South Dakota 0% 100% 0/1 -1
Hawaii 0% 100% 0/2 -2
Maine 0% 100% 0/2 -2
Rhode Island 0% 100% 0/2 -2
Massachusetts 0% 100% 0/10 -10
State ranked in partisan order Percentage
Republicans
Percentage
Democrats
Republican/
Democrat
Republican
seat plurality

Leadership

Senate

Majority (Republican) leadership

Minority (Democratic) leadership

House of Representatives

Majority (Republican) leadership

Minority (Democratic) leadership

Members

Senate

Alabama

Alaska

Arizona

Arkansas

California

Colorado

Connecticut

Delaware

Florida

Georgia

Hawaii

Idaho

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi

Missouri

Montana

Nebraska

Nevada

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New Mexico

New York

North Carolina

North Dakota

Ohio

Oklahoma

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

South Carolina

South Dakota

Tennessee

Texas

Utah

Vermont

Virginia

Washington

West Virginia

Wisconsin

Wyoming

House of Representatives

The names of members of the House of Representatives elected statewide at-large, are preceded by an "At-large," and the names of those elected from districts are preceded by their district numbers. for maps of congressional districts.

Alabama

Alaska

Arizona

Arkansas

California

Colorado

Connecticut

Delaware

Florida

Georgia

Hawaii

Idaho

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi

Missouri

Montana

Nebraska

Nevada

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New Mexico

New York

North Carolina

North Dakota

Ohio

Oklahoma

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

South Carolina

South Dakota

Tennessee

Texas

Utah

Vermont

Virginia

Washington

West Virginia

Wisconsin

Wyoming

Non-voting members

Changes in membership

Members who came and left during this Congress.

Senate

State Vacator Reason for Vacancy Successor Date of Successor's Installation
New Jersey Jon Corzine (D) Corzine became Governor of New Jersey on January 17, 2006. Bob Menendez (D) Appointed January 18, 2006

House of Representatives

All seats were filled though special elections.
District Vacator Reason for Vacancy Successor Date of Successor's Installation
None. Representative Bob Matsui (D) died January 1 2005 — before the end of the previous Congress. Doris Matsui (D) March 10, 2005
Rob Portman (R) Resigned April 29, 2005 to become the United States Trade Representative. Jean Schmidt (R) September 6, 2005
Chris Cox (R) Resigned August 2, 2005 to become chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. John Campbell (R) December 7, 2005
Duke Cunningham (R) Resigned December 1, 2005 after pleading guilty to conspiracy for bribes and tax evasion. Brian Bilbray (R) June 13, 2006
Bob Menendez (D) Resigned January 16, 2006 to become a U.S. Senator. Albio Sires (D) November 13, 2006
Tom DeLay (R) Resigned June 9, 2006 after a series of criminal indictments. Shelley Sekula-Gibbs (R) November 13, 2006
Mark Foley (R) Resigned September 29, 2006 after a teen sex scandal. Remained vacant until the next Congress.
Bob Ney (R) Resigned November 3, 2006 after pleading guilty to conspiracy. Remained vacant until the next Congress.
Jim Gibbons (R) Resigned December 31, 2006 to become Governor of Nevada. Remained vacant until the next Congress.

Party changes

Senate

Senator Date State Old party New party Notes
November 2006 Connecticut Democratic Independent Democratic (Connecticut for Lieberman) Still voted in the Democratic caucus

Employees

Senate

House of Representatives

See also: Rules of the House, Rule 2: "Other officers and officials"

See also

Elections

References

External links

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