The 107th 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, 2001, to January 3, 2003, during the final weeks of the Clinton presidency and the first two years of the George W. Bush presidency. The apportionment of seats in this House of Representatives was based on the 1990 United States census.
The House of Representatives had a Republican majority throughout the session, while the Senate was tied 50–50 for only the second time in history resulting in numerous changes in the majority. Vice President Al Gore gave Democrats a majority for 17 days, then a Republican majority after Dick Cheney became Vice President on January 20, 2001. Senator Jim Jeffords (R-VT) became an independent who caucused with the Democrats on June 6, 2001, giving the party a 51–49 majority for the rest of the Congress.
When Bush was sworn in as president on January 20, the Republicans held a federal trifecta for the first time since the 83rd Congress in 1955.
Major events
A rare even split in the United States Senate, the defection of a Senator, and the inauguration of a new Vice President, led to three changes in majorities.
January 3, 2001: The 107th Congress officially begins, with the Senate split 50–50. Democrat Al Gore — the outgoing Vice President — briefly gives the Democrats a majority. January 3, 2001: First Lady Hillary Clinton, wife of outgoing President Bill Clinton, became the first, and, to date, only presidential spouse to hold political office (briefly serving as both First Lady and Senator). January 6, 2001: A joint session to count the presidential Electoral College votes of the 2000 presidential election. January 20, 2001: George W. Bush was sworn in as the 43rd President of the United States; simultaneously, Dick Cheney was sworn in as the 46th Vice President, giving Republicans a Senate majority. February 27, 2001: President Bush addressed a joint session of Congress. May 24, 2001: Senator Jim Jeffords left the Republican Party, becoming an independent who caucused with the Democrats, giving them a majority from June 6. September 11, 2001: The September 11 attacks occurred. September 20, 2001: President Bush addressed a joint session of Congress, announcing the investigation into the September 11 attacks. October 7, 2001: Operation Enduring Freedom began with airstrikes against the Taliban. October 9, 2001: Anthrax spores were mailed to, among others, two Senators, Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-SD) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT). December 2001: Accounting scandals arise from the financial practices of Enron and WorldCom. June 12, 2002: John Howard, the Prime Minister of Australia, addressed a joint session of Congress. The address was originally scheduled for September 12, 2001, but was postponed after the September 11 attacks. September 6, 2002: Over 300 members of both houses of Congress meet in Federal Hall, New York City, to mark the first anniversary of the September 11 attacks and memorialize the victims. October 25, 2002: Senator Paul Wellstone (D-MN), dies in a plane crash, and non-caucusing Independence Party member Dean Barkley is appointed to hold the seat until a special election was held. November 23, 2002: Jim Talent wins the United States Senate special election for a Missouri seat, giving Republicans the majority once again (though formal reorganization was delayed until the 108th United States Congress convened).
Major legislation
June 7, 2001: Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act, , September 18, 2001: Authorization for Use of Military Force of 2001, Pub.L. 107-40 September 22, 2001: Air Transportation Safety and System Stabilization Act, Pub.L. 107-42 September 28, 2001: Jordan–United States Free Trade Agreement, Pub.L. 107-43 October 26, 2001: "USA PATRIOT" Act, , October 27, 2001: International Money Laundering Abatement and Financial Anti-Terrorism Act of 2001, Pub.L. 107-57 November 19, 2001: Aviation and Transportation Security Act, Pub.L. 107-71 December 18, 2001: MD-Care Act, Pub.L. 107-84 December 21, 2001: Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act of 2001, Pub.L. 107-99 January 8, 2002: No Child Left Behind Act, , January 8, 2002: District of Columbia Police Coordination Amendment Act of 2001, Pub.L. 107-113 January 11, 2002: Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act, , March 9, 2002: Job Creation and Worker Assistance Act, , March 27, 2002: Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (McCain-Feingold), , May 13, 2002: Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002, , May 14, 2002: Hematological Cancer Research Investment and Education Act, Pub.L. 107-172 May 14, 2002: Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act of 2002, Pub.L. 107-173 May 15, 2002: Notification and Federal Employee Antidiscrimination and Retaliation (No-FEAR) Act of 2002, Pub.L. 107-174 July 30, 2002: Sarbanes–Oxley Act, , August 5, 2002: Born-Alive Infants Protection Act of 2002, Pub.L. 107-207 August 6, 2002: Trade Act of 2002, , October 1, 2002: National Construction Safety Team Act, Pub.L. 107-231 October 16, 2002: Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq, , October 21, 2002: Sudan Peace Act, , October 29, 2002: Help America Vote Act, , November 6, 2002: Rare Diseases Act of 2002, Pub.L. 107-280 November 25, 2002: Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002, Pub.L. 107-295 November 25, 2002: Homeland Security Act, , November 26, 2002: Terrorism Risk Insurance Act of 2002, Pub.L. 107-297 December 17, 2002: E-Government Act of 2002, ,
Party summary
Senate
Party (Shading indicates party control) Total Democratic Independent Independence Republican Vacant End ofprevious Congress 46 0 0 54 100 0 Begin 50 0 0 50 100 0 January 20, 2001 50 50 June 6, 2001 50 1 49 October 25, 2002 49 99 1 November 4, 2002 1 100 0 November 23, 2002 48 1 50 November 30, 2002 49 99 1 December 2, 2002 50 100 0 Final voting share 49% 1% 50% Beginning of thenext Congress 48 1 0 51 100 0
House of Representatives Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) Total Democratic Independent Republican Vacant caucused withDemocrats caucused withRepublicans End of previous Congress 208 1 1 222 432 3 Begin 211 1 1 221 434 1 January 31, 2001 220 433 2 March 30, 2001 210 432 3 May 15, 2001 221 433 2 May 28, 2001 209 432 3 June 5, 2001 210 433 2 June 19, 2001 222 434 1 August 5, 2001 221 433 2 August 16, 2001 220 432 3 September 6, 2001 219 431 4 October 16, 2001 211 220 433 2 November 20, 2001 221 434 1 December 18, 2001 222 435 0 July 24, 2002 210 434 1 August 1, 2002 0 223 September 9, 2002 209 433 2 September 28, 2002 208 432 3 November 30, 2002 209 433 2 Final voting share 48.5% 51.5% Beginning of the next Congress 205 1 0 229 435 0
Leadership
Senate
President: Al Gore (D), until January 20, 2001 Dick Cheney (R), from January 20, 2001 President pro tempore: Robert Byrd (D), until January 20, 2001 Strom Thurmond (R), January 20 – June 6, 2001 Robert Byrd (D), from June 6, 2001
Republican leadership Minority Leader: Trent Lott (R), until January 20, 2001, and from June 6, 2001 Majority leader January 20 – June 6, 2001 Minority Whip: Don Nickles (R), until January 20, 2001, and from June 6, 2001 Majority whip January 20 – June 6, 2001 Republican Conference Chairman: Rick Santorum Republican Conference Secretary: Kay Bailey Hutchison Republican Campaign Committee Chair: Bill Frist Republican Policy Committee Chairman: Larry Craig
Democratic leadership Majority Leader: Tom Daschle (D), until January 20, 2001, and from June 6, 2001 Minority leader January 20 – June 6, 2001 Majority Whip: Harry Reid (D), until January 20, 2001, and from June 6, 2001 Minority whip January 20 – June 6, 2001 Democratic Policy Committee Chairman: Byron Dorgan Democratic Conference Secretary: Barbara Mikulski Democratic Campaign Committee Chairman: Patty Murray Democratic Chief Deputy Whip: John Breaux
House of Representatives
Speaker: Dennis Hastert (R)
Majority (Republican) leadership
Majority Leader: Dick Armey Majority Whip: Tom DeLay Chief Deputy Whip: Roy Blunt Republican Conference Chairman: J. C. Watts Republican Conference Vice-Chairman: Deborah Pryce Republican Conference Secretary: Barbara Cubin Policy Committee Chairman: Christopher Cox Republican Campaign Committee Chairman: Thomas M. Davis House Rules Committee Chairman: David Dreier
Minority (Democratic) leadership Minority Leader: Dick Gephardt Minority Whip: David E. Bonior, until January 15, 2002 Nancy Pelosi, from January 15, 2002 Chief Deputy Minority Whips: John Lewis, Ed Pastor, Max Sandlin & Maxine Waters Democratic Caucus Chairman: Martin Frost Democratic Caucus Vice Chairman: Bob Menendez Democratic Campaign Committee Chairman: Nita Lowey
Members Skip to House of Representatives, below
Senate
Senators are listed by their class. In this Congress, Class 2 meant their term ended with this Congress, facing re-election in 2002; Class 3 meant their term began in the previous Congress, facing re-election in 2004; and Class 1 meant their term began in this Congress, facing re-election in 2006.
Alabama 2. Jeff Sessions (R) 3. Richard Shelby (R)
Alaska 2. Ted Stevens (R) 3. Frank Murkowski (R), until December 2, 2002 Lisa Murkowski (R), from December 20, 2002
Arizona 1. Jon Kyl (R) 3. John McCain (R)
Arkansas 2. Tim Hutchinson (R) 3. Blanche Lincoln (D)
California 1. Dianne Feinstein (D) 3. Barbara Boxer (D)
Colorado 2. Wayne Allard (R) 3. Ben Nighthorse Campbell (R)
Connecticut 1. Joe Lieberman (D) 3. Chris Dodd (D)
Delaware 1. Tom Carper (D) 2. Joe Biden (D)
Florida 1. Bill Nelson (D) 3. Bob Graham (D)
Georgia 2. Max Cleland (D) 3. Zell Miller (D)
Hawaii 1. Daniel Akaka (D) 3. Daniel Inouye (D)
Idaho 2. Larry Craig (R) 3. Mike Crapo (R)
Illinois 2. Richard Durbin (D) 3. Peter Fitzgerald (R)
Indiana 1. Richard Lugar (R) 3. Evan Bayh (D)
Iowa 2. Tom Harkin (D) 3. Chuck Grassley (R)
Kansas 2. Pat Roberts (R) 3. Sam Brownback (R)
Kentucky 2. Mitch McConnell (R) 3. Jim Bunning (R)
Louisiana 2. Mary Landrieu (D) 3. John Breaux (D)
Maine 1. Olympia Snowe (R) 2. Susan Collins (R)
Maryland 1. Paul Sarbanes (D) 3. Barbara Mikulski (D)
Massachusetts 1. Ted Kennedy (D) 2. John Kerry (D)
Michigan 1. Debbie Stabenow (D) 2. Carl Levin (D)
Minnesota 1. Mark Dayton (DFL) 2. Paul Wellstone (DFL), until October 25, 2002 Dean Barkley (IPM), from November 4, 2002
Mississippi 1. Trent Lott (R) 2. Thad Cochran (R)
Missouri 1. Jean Carnahan (D), until November 23, 2002 Jim Talent (R), from November 23, 2002 3. Kit Bond (R)
Montana 1. Conrad Burns (R) 2. Max Baucus (D)
Nebraska 1. Ben Nelson (D) 2. Chuck Hagel (R)
Nevada 1. John Ensign (R) 3. Harry Reid (D)
New Hampshire 2. Bob Smith (R) 3. Judd Gregg (R)
New Jersey 1. Jon Corzine (D) 2. Robert Torricelli (D)
New Mexico 1. Jeff Bingaman (D) 2. Pete Domenici (R)
New York 1. Hillary Clinton (D) 3. Chuck Schumer (D)
North Carolina 2. Jesse Helms (R) 3. John Edwards (D)
North Dakota 1. Kent Conrad (D-NPL) 3. Byron Dorgan (D-NPL)
Ohio 1. Mike DeWine (R) 3. George Voinovich (R)
Oklahoma 2. James Inhofe (R) 3. Don Nickles (R)
Oregon 2. Gordon Smith (R) 3. Ron Wyden (D)
Pennsylvania 1. Rick Santorum (R) 3. Arlen Specter (R)
Rhode Island 1. Lincoln Chafee (R) 2. Jack Reed (D)
South Carolina 2. Strom Thurmond (R) 3. Fritz Hollings (D)
South Dakota 2. Tim Johnson (D) 3. Tom Daschle (D)
Tennessee 1. Bill Frist (R) 2. Fred Thompson (R)
Texas 1. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R) 2. Phil Gramm (R), until November 30, 2002 John Cornyn (R), from December 2, 2002
Utah 1. Orrin Hatch (R) 3. Bob Bennett (R)
Vermont 1. Jim Jeffords (R until June 6, 2001, then I) 3. Patrick Leahy (D)
Virginia