97th United States Congress

97th United States Congress


96th ←	→ 98th
United States Capitol (2002)
Duration: January 3, 1981 – January 3, 1983

Senate President:	Walter Mondale (D) until Jan. 20, 1981 R) from Jan. 20, 1981
Senate Pres. pro tem:	Strom Thurmond (R)
House Speaker:	Tip O'Neill (D)
Members:	100 Senators 435 Representatives 5 Non-voting members
Senate Majority:	Republican Party
House Majority:	Democratic Party

Sessions
1st: January 5, 1981 – December 16, 1981 2nd: January 25, 1982 – December 23, 1982

The Ninety-seventh United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from January 3, 1981 to January 3, 1983, during the final weeks of Jimmy Carter's presidency and the first two years of Ronald Reagan's presidency. The apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the Nineteenth Census of the United States in 1970. The House of Representatives had a Democratic majority. The Republicans gained control of the Senate, the first time that Republicans gained control of any chamber of Congress since 1953.

Major events 1
Major legislation 2
Constitutional amendments 3
Special or select committees 4
Party summary 5
- Senate 5.1
- House of Representatives 5.2
Leadership 6
- Senate 6.1
  - Majority (Republican) leadership 6.1.1
  - Minority (Democratic) leadership 6.1.2
- House of Representatives 6.2
  - Majority (Democratic) leadership 6.2.1
  - Minority (Republican) leadership 6.2.2
Members 7
- Senate 7.1
  - Alabama 7.1.1
  - Alaska 7.1.2
  - Arizona 7.1.3
  - Arkansas 7.1.4
  - California 7.1.5
  - Colorado 7.1.6
  - Connecticut 7.1.7
  - Delaware 7.1.8
  - Florida 7.1.9
  - Georgia 7.1.10
  - Hawaii 7.1.11
  - Idaho 7.1.12
  - Illinois 7.1.13
  - Indiana 7.1.14
  - Iowa 7.1.15
  - Kansas 7.1.16
  - Kentucky 7.1.17
  - Louisiana 7.1.18
  - Maine 7.1.19
  - Maryland 7.1.20
  - Massachusetts 7.1.21
  - Michigan 7.1.22
  - Minnesota 7.1.23
  - Mississippi 7.1.24
  - Missouri 7.1.25
  - Montana 7.1.26
  - Nebraska 7.1.27
  - Nevada 7.1.28
  - New Hampshire 7.1.29
  - New Jersey 7.1.30
  - New Mexico 7.1.31
  - New York 7.1.32
  - North Carolina 7.1.33
  - North Dakota 7.1.34
  - Ohio 7.1.35
  - Oklahoma 7.1.36
  - Oregon 7.1.37
  - Pennsylvania 7.1.38
  - Rhode Island 7.1.39
  - South Carolina 7.1.40
  - South Dakota 7.1.41
  - Tennessee 7.1.42
  - Texas 7.1.43
  - Utah 7.1.44
  - Vermont 7.1.45
  - Virginia 7.1.46
  - Washington 7.1.47
  - West Virginia 7.1.48
  - Wisconsin 7.1.49
  - Wyoming 7.1.50
- House of Representatives 7.2
  - Alabama 7.2.1
  - Alaska 7.2.2
  - Arizona 7.2.3
  - Arkansas 7.2.4
  - California 7.2.5
  - Colorado 7.2.6
  - Connecticut 7.2.7
  - Delaware 7.2.8
  - Florida 7.2.9
  - Georgia 7.2.10
  - Hawaii 7.2.11
  - Idaho 7.2.12
  - Illinois 7.2.13
  - Indiana 7.2.14
  - Iowa 7.2.15
  - Kansas 7.2.16
  - Kentucky 7.2.17
  - Louisiana 7.2.18
  - Maine 7.2.19
  - Maryland 7.2.20
  - Massachusetts 7.2.21
  - Michigan 7.2.22
  - Minnesota 7.2.23
  - Mississippi 7.2.24
  - Missouri 7.2.25
  - Montana 7.2.26
  - Nebraska 7.2.27
  - Nevada 7.2.28
  - New Hampshire 7.2.29
  - New Jersey 7.2.30
  - New Mexico 7.2.31
  - New York 7.2.32
  - North Carolina 7.2.33
  - North Dakota 7.2.34
  - Ohio 7.2.35
  - Oklahoma 7.2.36
  - Oregon 7.2.37
  - Pennsylvania 7.2.38
  - Rhode Island 7.2.39
  - South Carolina 7.2.40
  - South Dakota 7.2.41
  - Tennessee 7.2.42
  - Texas 7.2.43
  - Utah 7.2.44
  - Vermont 7.2.45
  - Virginia 7.2.46
  - Washington 7.2.47
  - West Virginia 7.2.48
  - Wisconsin 7.2.49
  - Wyoming 7.2.50
  - Non-voting members 7.2.51
Changes in membership 8
- Senate 8.1
- House of Representatives 8.2
Employees 9
- Senate 9.1
- House of Representatives 9.2
See also 10
References 11
External links 12

Major events

Early 1980s recession
January 20, 1981 – Inauguration of President George Bush
January 20, 1981 – Iran hostage crisis ended
March 30, 1981 – Reagan assassination attempt
April 12, 1981 – First space shuttle launched
June 5, 1981 – First recognized case of AIDS
August 5, 1981 – President Reagan fired the air traffic controllers
September 21, 1981 – Senate confirmed the first female United States Supreme Court justice, Sandra Day O'Connor
November 2, 1982 – United States general elections: Republicans retained Senate; Democrats increased control in House

Major legislation

August 13, 1981 – Economic Recovery Tax Act (ERTA or Kemp-Roth Tax Cut), Pub.L. 97–34, 95 Stat. 172
August 13, 1981 – Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981, Pub.L. 97–35, 95 Stat. 357
September 3, 1982 – Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982, Pub.L. 97–248, 96 Stat. 324
September 8, 1982 - Uniformed Services Former Spouses Protection Act USFSPA, ,
September 20, 1982 – Bus Regulatory Reform Act, Pub.L. 97–261, 96 Stat. 1102
October 13, 1982 – Job Training Partnership Act of 1982, Pub.L. 97–300, 96 Stat. 1322
October 15, 1982 – Garn–St. Germain Depository Institutions Act, Pub.L. 97–320, 96 Stat. 1469
January 6, 1983 – Surface Transportation Assistance Act, Pub.L. 97–424, 96 Stat. 2140
January 7, 1983 – Nuclear Waste Policy Act, Pub.L. 97–425, 96 Stat. 2201

Constitutional amendments

June 30, 1982 – Potential ratification of Equal Rights Amendment expired

Special or select committees

Senate Select Committee on Small Business — Became a standing committee on March 25, 1981
Senate Select Committee on Law Enforcement Undercover Activities of the Justice Department — March 24, 1982 - December 15, 1982

Party summary

Senate

Party standings on the opening day of the 97th Congress

46 Democratic Senators

1 Independent Senator, caucusing with Democrats

53 Republican Senators

Affiliation		Members
	Republican Party	53
	Democratic Party	46
	Independent	1
Total		100

House of Representatives

Affiliation		Members	Voting share
	Democratic Party	244	56.1%
	Republican Party	191	43.9%
Total		435

Leadership

Senate

President of the Senate: Walter Mondale (D), until January 20, 1981
- George Bush (R), from January 20, 1981
President pro tempore: Strom Thurmond (R)

Majority (Republican) leadership

Minority (Democratic) leadership

House seats by party holding plurality in state
>80% Republican	>80% Democratic
>60% Republican	>60% Democratic
>50% Republican	>50% Democratic
(Striped): even split

House of Representatives

Speaker: Tip O'Neill (D)

Majority (Democratic) leadership

Minority (Republican) leadership

Members

This list is arranged by chamber, then by state. Senators are listed in order of seniority, and Representatives are listed by district.

Senate

Senators are popularly elected statewide every two years, with one-third beginning new six-year terms with each Congress.

Maine

2. William S. Cohen (R)
1. George J. Mitchell (D)

Maryland

3. Charles Mathias, Jr. (R)
1. Paul S. Sarbanes (D)

Massachusetts

1. Ted Kennedy (D)
2. Paul Tsongas (D)

Michigan

1. Donald W. Riegle, Jr. (D)
2. Carl Levin (D)

Minnesota

2. Rudy Boschwitz (R)
1. David Durenberger (R)

Mississippi

1. John C. Stennis (D)
2. Thad Cochran (R)

Missouri

3. Thomas F. Eagleton (D)
1. John C. Danforth (R)

Montana

1. John Melcher (D)
2. Max Baucus (D)

Nebraska

1. Edward Zorinsky (D)
2. Jim Exon (D)

Nevada

1. Howard W. Cannon (D)
3. Paul Laxalt (R)

New Hampshire

2. Gordon J. Humphrey (R)
3. Warren B. Rudman (R)

New Jersey

1. Harrison A. Williams (D), until March 11, 1982
- Nicholas F. Brady (R), from April 27, 1982 until December 27, 1982
- Frank Lautenberg (D), from December 27, 1982
2. Bill Bradley (D)

New Mexico

2. Pete V. Domenici (R)
1. Harrison Schmitt (R)

New York

1. Daniel Patrick Moynihan (D)
3. Al D'Amato (R)

North Carolina

2. Jesse Helms (R)
3. John P. East (R)

North Dakota

1. Quentin N. Burdick (D)
3. Mark Andrews (R)

Ohio

3. John Glenn (D)
1. Howard Metzenbaum (D)

Oklahoma

2. David L. Boren (D)
3. Don Nickles (R)

Oregon

2. Mark O. Hatfield (R)
3. Bob Packwood (R)

Pennsylvania

1. John Heinz (R)
3. Arlen Specter (R)

Rhode Island

2. Claiborne Pell (D)
1. John H. Chafee (R)

South Carolina

2. Strom Thurmond (R)
3. Ernest F. Hollings (D)

South Dakota

2. Larry Pressler (R)
3. James Abdnor (R)

Tennessee

2. Howard Baker (R)
1. Jim Sasser (D)

Texas

2. John G. Tower (R)
1. Lloyd Bentsen (D)

Utah

3. Jake Garn (R)
1. Orrin G. Hatch (R)

Vermont

1. Robert T. Stafford (R)
3. Patrick Leahy (D)

Virginia

1. Harry F. Byrd, Jr. (I)
2. John W. Warner (R)

Washington

1. Henry M. Jackson (D)
3. Slade Gorton (R)

West Virginia

2. Jennings Randolph (D)
1. Robert C. Byrd (D)

Wisconsin

1. William Proxmire (D)
3. Bob Kasten (R)

Wyoming

1. Malcolm Wallop (R)
2. Alan K. Simpson (R)

House of Representatives

Members of the House of Representatives are listed by their districts.

Alabama

4-3 Democrat

Alaska

At-large. Don Young (R)

Arizona

Arkansas

California

1. Eugene A. Chappie (R)
2. Don H. Clausen (R)
3. Robert T. Matsui (D)
4. Vic Fazio (D)
5. John L. Burton (D)
6. Phillip Burton (D)
George Miller (D)
8. Ronald V. Dellums (D)
9. Pete Stark (D)
10. Don Edwards (D)
11. Tom Lantos (D)
12. Paul N. McCloskey, Jr. (R)
13. Norman Y. Mineta (D)
14. Norman D. Shumway (R)
15. Tony Coelho (D)
16. Leon Panetta (D)
17. Chip Pashayan (R)
18. William M. Thomas (R)
19. Robert J. Lagomarsino (R)
20. Barry M. Goldwater, Jr. (R)
21. Bobbi Fiedler (R)
22. Carlos J. Moorhead (R)
23. Anthony C. Beilenson (D)
24. Henry A. Waxman (D)
25. Edward R. Roybal (D)
26. John H. Rousselot (R)
27. Bob Dornan (R)
28. Julian C. Dixon (D)
29. Augustus F. Hawkins (D)
George E. Danielson (D), until March 9, 1982
- Matthew G. Martínez (D), from July 13, 1982
31. Mervyn M. Dymally (D)
32. Glenn M. Anderson (D)
33. Wayne R. Grisham (R)
34. Daniel E. Lungren (R)
35. David Dreier (R)
George Brown, Jr. (D)
37. Jerry Lewis (R)
38. Jerry M. Patterson (D)
39. William E. Dannemeyer (R)
40. Robert E. Badham (R)
41. Bill Lowery (R)
42. Duncan Hunter (R)
43. Clair Burgener (R)

Colorado

Connecticut

1. William R. Cotter (D), until September 7, 1981
- Barbara B. Kennelly (D), from January 12, 1982
2. Sam Gejdenson (D)
3. Lawrence Joseph DeNardis (R)
4. Stewart B. McKinney (R)
5. William R. Ratchford (D)
6. Toby Moffett (D)

Delaware

At-large. Thomas B. Evans, Jr. (R)

Florida

Georgia

Hawaii

1. Cecil Heftel (D)
2. Daniel K. Akaka (D)

Idaho

1. Larry E. Craig (R)
George V. Hansen (R)

Illinois

Indiana

1. Adam Benjamin, Jr. (D), until September 7, 1982
- Katie B. Hall (D), from November 2, 1982
2. Floyd Fithian (D)
3. John P. Hiler (R)
4. Dan Coats (R)
5. Elwood Hillis (R)
6. David W. Evans (D)
7. John Myers (R)
8. H. Joel Deckard (R)
9. Lee H. Hamilton (D)
10. Philip R. Sharp (D)
11. Andrew Jacobs, Jr. (D)

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maine

1. David F. Emery (R)
2. Olympia J. Snowe (R)

Maryland

1. Roy Dyson (D)
2. Clarence D. Long (D)
3. Barbara A. Mikulski (D)
4. Marjorie S. Holt (R)
5. Gladys Spellman (D), until February 24, 1981
- Steny H. Hoyer (D), from May 19, 1981
6. Beverly B. Byron (D)
7. Parren J. Mitchell (D)
8. Michael D. Barnes (D)

Massachusetts

Michigan

1. John Conyers, Jr. (D)
2. Carl D. Pursell (R)
3. Howard Wolpe (D)
4. David Stockman (R), until January 27, 1981
- Mark D. Siljander (R), from April 21, 1981
5. Harold S. Sawyer (R)
6. Jim Dunn (R)
7. Dale E. Kildee (D)
8. Bob Traxler (D)
9. Guy Vander Jagt (R)
10. Donald J. Albosta (D)
11. Robert William Davis (R)
12. David E. Bonior (D)
George W. Crockett, Jr. (D)
14. Dennis M. Hertel (D)
15. William D. Ford (D)
16. John D. Dingell (D)
17. William M. Brodhead (D)
18. James J. Blanchard (D)
19. William S. Broomfield (R)

Minnesota

Mississippi

1. Jamie L. Whitten (D)
2. David R. Bowen (D)
3. G.V. Montgomery (D)
4. Jon Hinson (R), until April 13, 1981
- Wayne Dowdy (D), from July 7, 1981
5. Trent Lott (R)

Missouri

Montana

1. John Patrick Williams (D)
2. Ron Marlenee (R)

Nebraska

Nevada

At-large. James David Santini (D)

New Hampshire

1. Norman E. D'Amours (D)
2. Judd Gregg (R)

New Jersey

New Mexico

1. Manuel Lujan, Jr. (R)
2. Joe Skeen (R)

New York

North Carolina

North Dakota

Byron Dorgan (D)

Ohio

1. Bill Gradison (R)
2. Tom Luken (D)
3. Tony P. Hall (D)
4. Tennyson Guyer (R), until April 12, 1981
- Mike Oxley (R), from June 25, 1981
5. Del Latta (R)
6. Bob McEwen (R)
7. Bud Brown (R)
8. Tom Kindness (R)
9. Ed Weber (R)
10. Clarence E. Miller (R)
11. J. William Stanton (R)
12. Bob Shamansky (D)
13. Don Pease (D)
14. John F. Seiberling (D)
15. Chalmers Wylie (R)
16. Ralph Regula (R)
17. John M. Ashbrook (R), until April 24, 1982
- Jean Spencer Ashbrook (R), from June 29, 1982
18. Douglas Applegate (D)
19. Lyle Williams (R)
20. Mary Rose Oakar (D)
21. Louis Stokes (D)
22. Dennis E. Eckart (D)
23. Ronald M. Mottl (D)

Oklahoma

Oregon

Pennsylvania

1. Thomas M. Foglietta (D)
2. William H. Gray (congressman) (D)
3. Raymond F. Lederer (D), until April 29, 1981
- Joseph F. Smith (D), from July 21, 1981
4. Charles F. Dougherty (R)
5. Dick Schulze (R)
6. Gus Yatron (D)
7. Robert W. Edgar (D)
8. James Kitchenman Coyne III (R)
9. Bud Shuster (R)
10. Joseph M. McDade (R)
11. James Leo Nelligan (R)
12. John P. Murtha (D)
13. Lawrence Coughlin (R)
14. William J. Coyne (D)
15. Donald L. Ritter (R)
16. Robert Smith Walker (R)
17. Allen Edward Ertel (D)
18. Doug Walgren (D)
19. William F. Goodling (R)
20. Joseph M. Gaydos (D)
21. Donald Allen Bailey (D)
22. Austin J. Murphy (D)
23. William F. Clinger (R)
24. Marc Lincoln Marks (R)
25. Eugene Atkinson (D), changed to (R) October 14, 1981

Rhode Island

1. Fernand St. Germain (D)
2. Claudine Schneider (R)

South Carolina

South Dakota

1. Thomas Daschle (D)
2. Clint Roberts (R)

Tennessee

Texas

Utah

1. James V. Hansen (R)
2. Dan Marriott (R)

Vermont

At-large. James M. Jeffords (R)

Virginia

Washington

West Virginia

Wisconsin

Wyoming

At-large. Dick Cheney (R)

Non-voting members

American Samoa. Fofó Iosefa Fiti Sunia (D)
District of Columbia. Walter E. Fauntroy (D)
Guam. Antonio Borja Won Pat (D)
Virgin Islands. Ron de Lugo (D)
Puerto Rico. Baltasar Corrada del Rio (PNP)

Changes in membership

Senate

There were 2 resignations.

State (class)	Vacator	Reason for change	Successor	Date of successor's formal installation
New Jersey (Class 1)	Harrison A. Williams (D)	Resigned March 11, 1982 before a planned expulsion vote, having been convicted of bribery in the Abscam sting operation. His successor was appointed to complete the term.	Nicholas F. Brady (R)	April 27, 1982
New Jersey (Class 1)	Nicholas F. Brady (R)	Resigned December 27, 1982 so his elected successor could be appointed for preferential seniority.	Frank Lautenberg (D)	December 27, 1982

House of Representatives

There were 4 deaths, 4 resignations, one declared vacancy, and one party change.

District	Vacator	Reason for change	Successor	Date successor seated
Michigan 4th	David Stockman (R)	Resigned January 27, 1981 after being appointed Director of the Office of Management and Budget	Mark D. Siljander (R)	April 21, 1981
Maryland 5th	Gladys Spellman (D)	Incapacitated since last Congress and seat declared vacant February 24, 1981	Steny H. Hoyer (D)	May 19, 1981
Ohio 4th	Tennyson Guyer (R)	Died April 12, 1981	Mike Oxley (R)	June 25, 1981
Mississippi 4th	Jon Hinson (R)	Resigned April 13, 1981	Wayne Dowdy (D)	July 7, 1981
Pennsylvania 3rd	Raymond F. Lederer (D)	Resigned April 29, 1981, before a planned expulsion vote, having been convicted of bribery in the Abscam sting operation	Joseph F. Smith (D)	July 21, 1981
Connecticut 1st	William R. Cotter (D)	Died September 7, 1981	Barbara B. Kennelly (D)	January 12, 1982
Pennsylvania 25th	Eugene Atkinson (D)	Changed parties October 14, 1981	Eugene Atkinson (R)	October 14, 1981
California 30th	George E. Danielson (D)	Resigned March 9, 1982 after being appointed associate justice of the California Courts of Appeal	Matthew G. Martínez (D)	July 13, 1982
Ohio 17th	John M. Ashbrook (R)	Died April 24, 1982	Jean Spencer Ashbrook (R)	June 29, 1982
Indiana 1st	Adam Benjamin, Jr. (D)	Died September 7, 1982	Katie B. Hall (D)	November 2, 1982

Employees

George M. White

Senate

House of Representatives

References

Martis, Kenneth C. (1989). The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
Martis, Kenneth C. (1982). The Historical Atlas of United States Congressional Districts. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.