The 66th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, comprising the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C., from March 4, 1919, to March 4, 1921, during the last two years of Woodrow Wilson's presidency. The apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the 1910 United States census.
The Republicans won majorities in both the House and the Senate, thus taking control of both chambers.
This is the last congress to have no female members of Congress in the House of Representatives, and thus the last time there was an all-male congress (several subsequent congresses, up to the 96th Congress, would have periods with no women in the Senate but several in the House).
Major events
A brief special session was called by President Wilson in March 1919, because of a filibuster that had successfully blocked appropriations bills needed to fund day-to-day government operations.The official U.S. Senate website provides the full story of this filibuster as part of a biography of Charles P. Higgins, the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms who was the only Democrat to fill that office in a space of almost forty years.
April 30, 1919: First wave of the 1919 United States anarchist bombings. June 2, 1919: The home of Attorney General Palmer was bombed in the second wave of anarchist bombings. June 15, 1919: Pancho Villa attacked Ciudad Juárez. When the bullets begin to fly to the U.S. side of the border, 2 units of the U.S. 7th Cavalry Regiment crossed the border and repulse Villa's forces. July 19–23, 1919: Race riot in Washington, D.C. August 31, 1919: The Communist Party of the United States was established September 9, 1919: Boston Police Strike September 22, 1919: Steel strike of 1919 October 2, 1919: President Woodrow Wilson suffered a massive stroke, leaving him partially paralyzed November 1, 1919: Coal Strike of 1919 November 7, 1919: First of the Palmer Raids during the First Red Scare January 2, 1920: Second of the Palmer Raids during the First Red Scare January 16, 1920: Prohibition, went into effect in the United States March 1, 1920: United States Railroad Administration returned control of American railroads to its constituent railroad companies May 7–8, 1920: Louis Freeland Post appeared before the House Committee on Rules, effectively ending Attorney General Palmer's presidential aspirations. November 2, 1920: Warren G. Harding defeated James M. Cox in the 1920 United States presidential election
Major legislation June 30, 1919: Navy Appropriations Act of 1919 June 30, 1919: Hastings Amendment July 11, 1919: Anti-Lobbying Act of 1919 July 11, 1919: Army Appropriations Act of 1919 July 19, 1919: Sundry Civil Expenses Appropriations Act October 18, 1919: National Prohibition Act (Volstead Act), ch. 85, October 22, 1919: Underground Water Act of 1919 October 29, 1919: National Motor Vehicle Theft Act (Dyer Act) November 4, 1919: Deficiency Act of 1919 November 6, 1919: Indian Soldier Act of 1919 December 24, 1919: Edge Act of 1919 February 25, 1920: Oil Leasing Act of 1920 February 25, 1920: Mineral Leasing Act of 1920 (Smoot-Sinnot Act), ch. 85, February 25, 1920: Pipeline Rights-of-Way Act February 25, 1920: Sale of Water For Miscellaneous Purposes Act February 28, 1920: Esch-Cummins Act, , March 9, 1920: Suits in Admiralty Act of 1920 March 15, 1920: Military Surplus Act of 1920 (Kahn-Wadsworth Act) March 30, 1920: Death on the High Seas Act of 1920 April 13, 1920: Phelan Act of 1920 May 1, 1920: Fuller Act of 1920 May 10, 1920: Deportation Act of 1920 May 18, 1920: Kinkaid Act of 1920 May 20, 1920: Sale of Surplus Improved Public Lands Act May 22, 1920: Civil Service Retirement Act of 1920 May 29, 1920: Independent Treasury Act of 1920 June 2, 1920: Industry Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1920 (Smith-Bankhead Act) June 2, 1920: Civilian Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1920 (Smith-Fess Act) June 2, 1920: National Park Criminal Jurisdiction Act June 4, 1920: National Defense Act of 1920 (Kahn Act) June 5, 1920: Sills Act of 1920 June 5, 1920: Merchant Marine Act of 1920 (Jones Act) June 5, 1920: Women's Bureau Act of 1920 June 5, 1920: Ship Mortgage Act of 1920 June 5, 1920: River and Harbors Act of 1920 June 5, 1920: Federal Water Power Act of 1920 (Esch Act) January 4, 1921: War Finance Corporation Act of 1921 March 3, 1921: Patent Act of 1921 (Nolan Act) March 3, 1921: Federal Water Power Act Amendment (Jones-Esch Act)
Constitutional amendments January 16, 1919: Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, declaring the production, transport, and sale of alcohol (though not the consumption or private possession) illegal, was ratified by the requisite number of states (then 36) to become part of the Constitution Amendment later repealed on December 5, 1933, by the Twenty-first Amendment to the United States Constitution June 4, 1919: Approved the Nineteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution prohibiting the states and the federal government from denying the right to vote to citizens of the United States on the basis of sex, and submitted it to the state legislatures for ratification August 18, 1920: The Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified by the requisite number of states (then 36) to become part of the Constitution
Treaties March 19, 1920: Senate refused to ratify Treaty of Versailles
Party summary
Senate
House of Representatives
Leadership
Senate leadership
Presiding President: Thomas R. Marshall (D) President pro tempore: Albert B. Cummins (R)
Majority (Republican) leadership Majority Leader: Henry Cabot Lodge Majority Whip: Charles Curtis Republican Conference Secretary: James Wolcott Wadsworth Jr. National Senatorial Committee Chair: Miles Poindexter
Minority (Democratic) leadership Minority Leader: Oscar Underwood Minority Whip: Peter G. Gerry Democratic Caucus Secretary: William H. King
House leadership
Presiding Speaker: Frederick H. Gillett (R)
Majority (Republican) leadership Majority Leader: Franklin Mondell Majority Whip: Harold Knutson Republican Conference Chairman: Horace Mann Towner Republican Campaign Committee Chairman: Simeon D. Fess
Minority (Democratic) leadership Minority Leader: Champ Clark Minority Whip: vacant Democratic Caucus Chairman: Arthur Granville Dewalt Democratic Campaign Committee Chairman: Scott Ferris
Members Skip to House of Representatives, below
Senate
In this Congress, Class 3 meant their term ended with this Congress, requiring reelection in 1920; Class 1 meant their term began in the last Congress, requiring reelection in 1922; and Class 2 meant their term began in this Congress, requiring reelection in 1924.
Alabama 2. John H. Bankhead (D), until March 1, 1920 B. B. Comer (D), from March 5, 1920 - November 2, 1920 J. Thomas Heflin (D), from November 3, 1920 3. Oscar Underwood (D)
Arizona 1. Henry F. Ashurst (D) 3. Marcus A. Smith (D)
Arkansas 2. Joseph Taylor Robinson (D) 3. William F. Kirby (D)
California 1. Hiram W. Johnson (R) 3. James D. Phelan (D)
Colorado 2. Lawrence C. Phipps (R) 3. Charles S. Thomas (D)
Connecticut 1. George P. McLean (R) 3. Frank B. Brandegee (R)
Delaware 1. Josiah O. Wolcott (D) 2. L. Heisler Ball (R)
Florida 1. Park Trammell (D) 3. Duncan U. Fletcher (D)
Georgia 2. William J. Harris (D) 3. Hoke Smith (D)
Idaho 2. William E. Borah (R) 3. John F. Nugent (D), until January 14, 1921 Frank R. Gooding (R), from January 15, 1921
Illinois 2. J. Medill McCormick (R) 3. Lawrence Y. Sherman (R)
Indiana 1. Harry S. New (R) 3. James E. Watson (R)
Iowa 2. William S. Kenyon (R) 3. Albert B. Cummins (R)
Kansas 2. Arthur Capper (R) 3. Charles Curtis (R)
Kentucky 2. Augustus Stanley (D)Senator Augustus O. Stanley (D-Kentucky) was elected but chose not to take his seat until May 19, 1919, preferring to continue his term as Governor of Kentucky. However, Stanley was duly elected and qualified and was therefore a Senator despite not taking his seat for two months. 3. John C. W. Beckham (D)
Louisiana 2. Joseph E. Ransdell (D) 3. Edward J. Gay (D)
Maine 1. Frederick Hale (R) 2. Bert M. Fernald (R)
Maryland 1. Joseph I. France (R) 3. John W. Smith (D)
Massachusetts 1. Henry Cabot Lodge (R) 2. David I. Walsh (D)
Michigan 1. Charles E. Townsend (R) 2. Truman H. Newberry (R)
Minnesota 1. Frank B. Kellogg (R) 2. Knute Nelson (R)
Mississippi 1. John Sharp Williams (D) 2. Pat Harrison (D)
Missouri 1. James A. Reed (D) 3. Selden P. Spencer (R)
Montana 1. Henry L. Myers (D) 2. Thomas J. Walsh (D)
Nebraska 1. Gilbert M. Hitchcock (D) 2. George W. Norris (R)
Nevada 1. Key Pittman (D) 3. Charles B. Henderson (D)
New Hampshire 2. Henry W. Keyes (R) 3. George H. Moses (R)
New Jersey 1. Joseph S. Frelinghuysen (R) 2. Walter E. Edge (R)
New Mexico 1. Andrieus A. Jones (D) 2. Albert B. Fall (R)
New York 1. William M. Calder (R) 3. James W. Wadsworth Jr. (R)
North Carolina 2. Furnifold M. Simmons (D) 3. Lee S. Overman (D)
North Dakota 1. Porter J. McCumber (R) 3. Asle Gronna (R)
Ohio 1. Atlee Pomerene (D) 3. Warren G. Harding (R), until January 13, 1921 Frank B. Willis (R), from January 14, 1921
Oklahoma 2. Robert L. Owen (D) 3. Thomas P. Gore (D)
Oregon 2. Charles L. McNary (R) 3. George E. Chamberlain (D)
Pennsylvania 1. Philander C. Knox (R) 3. Boies Penrose (R)
Rhode Island 1. Peter G. Gerry (D) 2. LeBaron B. Colt (R)
South Carolina 2. Nathaniel B. Dial (D) 3. Ellison D. Smith (D)
South Dakota 2. Thomas Sterling (R) 3. Edwin S. Johnson (D)
Tennessee 1. Kenneth D. McKellar (D) 2. John K. Shields (D)
Texas 1. Charles A. Culberson (D) 2. Morris Sheppard (D)
Utah 1. William H. King (D) 3. Reed Smoot (R)
Vermont 1. Carroll S. Page (R) 3. William P. Dillingham (R),
Virginia 1. Claude A. Swanson (D) 2. Thomas S. Martin (D), until November 12, 1919 Carter Glass (D), from February 2, 1920
Washington 1. Miles Poindexter (R) 3. Wesley L. Jones (R)
West Virginia 1. Howard Sutherland (R) 2. Davis Elkins (R)
Wisconsin 1. Robert M. La Follette (R) 3. Irvine Lenroot (R)
Wyoming 1. John B. Kendrick (D) 2. Francis E. Warren (R)
House of Representatives
The names of representatives are preceded by their district numbers.
Alabama . John McDuffie (D) . S. Hubert Dent Jr. (D) . Henry B. Steagall (D) . Fred L. Blackmon (D), until February 8, 1921 . J. Thomas Heflin (D), until November 1, 1920 William B. Bowling (D), from December 14, 1920 . William B. Oliver (D) . John L. Burnett (D), until May 13, 1919 Lilius Bratton Rainey (D), from September 30, 1919 . Edward B. Almon (D) . George Huddleston (D) . William B. Bankhead (D)
Arizona . Carl Hayden (D)
Arkansas . Thaddeus H. Caraway (D) . William A. Oldfield (D) . John N. Tillman (D) . Otis Wingo (D) . Henderson M. Jacoway (D) . Samuel M. Taylor (D) . William S. Goodwin (D)
California . Clarence F. Lea (D) . John E. Raker (D) . Charles F. Curry (R) . Julius Kahn (R) . John I. Nolan (R) . John A. Elston (R) . Henry E. Barbour (R) . Hugh S. Hersman (D) . Charles H. Randall (Proh.) . Henry Z. Osborne (R) . William Kettner (D)
Colorado . William N. Vaile (R) . Charles Bateman Timberlake (R) . Guy U. Hardy (R) . Edward T. Taylor (D)
Connecticut . Augustine Lonergan (D) . Richard P. Freeman (R) . John Q. Tilson (R) . Schuyler Merritt (R) . James P. Glynn (R)
Delaware . Caleb R. Layton (R)
Florida . Herbert J. Drane (D) . Frank Clark (D) . John H. Smithwick (D) . William J. Sears (D)
Georgia . James W. Overstreet (D) . Frank Park (D) . Charles R. Crisp (D) . William C. Wright (D) . William D. Upshaw (D) . James W. Wise (D)