79th United States Congress

79th United States Congress
78th   80th

United States Capitol (1956)

Duration: January 3, 1945 – January 3, 1947

Senate President: Henry A. Wallace (D) (until Jan 20, 1945)
Harry S. Truman (D) (Jan 20Apr 12, 1945)
Vacant (from Apr 12, 1945)
Senate Pres. pro tem: Kenneth McKellar (D)
House Speaker: Sam Rayburn (D)
Members: 96 Senators
435 Representatives
4 Non-voting members
Senate Majority: Democratic
House Majority: Democratic

Sessions
1st: January 3, 1945 – December 21, 1945
2nd: January 14, 1946 – August 2, 1946

The Seventy-ninth 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, DC from January 3, 1945 to January 3, 1947, during the last months of Franklin D. Roosevelt's presidency, and the first two years of Harry S. Truman's presidency. The apportionment of seats in this House of Representatives was based on the Sixteenth Census of the United States in 1940. Both chambers had a Democratic majority.

Major events

Major legislation

President Truman signs the Atomic Energy Act on August 1, 1946.

Treaties ratified

Party summary

Senate

TOTAL members: 96

House of Representatives

TOTAL members: 435

Leadership

Senate

House of Representatives

Members

Senate

Senators are popularly elected statewide every two years, with one-third beginning new six-year terms with each Congress. Preceding the names in the list below are Senate class numbers, which indicate the cycle of their election.

Alabama

Arizona

Arkansas

California

Colorado

Connecticut

Delaware

Florida

Georgia

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 are preceded by their district numbers.

Alabama

(9 Democrats)

Arizona

(2 Democrats)

Arkansas

California

(16-7 Democratic)

Colorado

(4 Republicans)

Connecticut

(4-2 Democratic)

Delaware

(1 Democrat)

Florida

(6 Democrats)

Georgia

(10 Democrats)

Idaho

(2-2 split)

Illinois

(15-11 Republican)

Indiana

(8 Republicans)

Iowa

(8 Republicans)

Kansas

(6 Republicans)

Kentucky

(8-1 Democratic)

Louisiana

(8 Democrats)

Maine

(3 Republicans)

Maryland

(5-1 Democratic)

Massachusetts

(10-4 Republican)

Michigan

(11-6 Republican)

Minnesota

(7-2 Republican)

Mississippi

(7 Democrats)

Missouri

(7-6 Democratic)

Montana

(2 Democrats)

Nebraska

(4 Republicans)

Nevada

(1 Democrat)

New Hampshire

(2 Republicans)

New Jersey

(12-2 Republican)

New Mexico

(2 Democrats)

New York

(22-22 split, 1 American Labor)

North Carolina

(12 Democrats)

North Dakota

(2 Republicans)

Ohio

(17-6 Republican)

Oklahoma

(6-2 Democratic)

Oregon

(4 Republicans)

Pennsylvania

(18-15 Republican)

Rhode Island

(2 Democrats)

South Carolina

(6 Democrats)

South Dakota

(2 Republicans)

Tennessee

(8-2 Democratic)

Texas

(21 Democrats)

Utah

(2 Democrats)

Vermont

(1 Republican)

Virginia

(9 Democrats)

Washington

(4-2 Democratic)

West Virginia

(5-1 Democratic)

Wisconsin

(7-2 Republican, 1 Progressive)

Wyoming

(1 Republican)

Non-voting members

(1 Democrat, 1 Republican, 1 Liberal, 1 New Progressive)

House seats by party holding plurality in state
  80.1–100% Democratic
  80.1–100% Republican
  60.1–80% Democratic
  60.1–80% Republican
  Up to 60% Democratic
  Up to 60% Republican

Changes in membership

The count below reflects changes from the beginning of this Congress.

Senate


State
(class)
Vacator Reason for change Successor Date of successor's
formal installation
Massachusetts
(2)
Vacant Sen. Sinclair Weeks resigned in previous congress. Saltonstall delayed taking seat in order to finish term as Governor of Massachusetts. Leverett Saltonstall (R) January 4, 1945
Washington
(1)
Monrad Wallgren (D) Resigned January 9, 1945 after being elected Governor of Washington.
Successor was appointed to serve until the next election.
Hugh Mitchell (D) January 10, 1945
Connecticut
(1)
Francis T. Maloney (D) Died January 16, 1945.
Successor was appointed to serve until a special election.
Thomas C. Hart (R) February 15, 1945
Missouri
(1)
Harry S. Truman (D) Resigned January 17, 1945 after being elected Vice President of the United States.
Successor was appointed to serve until the next election.
Frank P. Briggs (D) January 18, 1945
North Dakota
(3)
John Moses (D) Died March 3, 1945.
Successor was appointed to serve until a special election, which he subsequently won.
Milton Young (R) March 12, 1945
Nevada
(1)
James G. Scrugham (D) Died June 23, 1945.
Successor was appointed to serve until the next election.
Edward P. Carville (D) July 25, 1945
California
(1)
Hiram Johnson (R) Died August 6, 1945.
Successor was appointed to serve until a special election, which he subsequently won.
William F. Knowland (R) August 26, 1945
Ohio
(1)
Harold H. Burton (R) Resigned September 30, 1945 after being appointed an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.
Successor was appointed to serve until a special election.
James W. Huffman (D) October 8, 1945
Kentucky
(2)
Happy Chandler (D) Resigned November 1, 1945 after becoming Commissioner of Major League Baseball.
Successor was appointed to serve until a special election.
William A. Stanfill (R) November 19, 1945
Idaho
(2)
John W. Thomas (R) Died November 10, 1945.
Successor was appointed to serve until a special election, which he subsequently lost.
Charles C. Gossett (D) November 17, 1945
Virginia
(2)
Carter Glass (D) Died May 28, 1946.
Successor was appointed to serve until a special election.
Thomas G. Burch (D) May 31, 1946
Alabama
(2)
John H. Bankhead II (D) Died June 12, 1946.
Successor was appointed to serve until a special election.
George R. Swift (D) June 15, 1946
Vermont
(1)
Warren Austin (R) Resigned August 2, 1946 after being appointed United States representative on the United Nations Security Council.
Successor was appointed to serve until the next election.
Ralph Flanders (R) November 1, 1946
Florida
(1)
Charles O. Andrews (D) Died September 18, 1946.
Successor was elected to finish term.
Spessard Holland (D) September 25, 1946
Alabama
(2)
George R. Swift (D) Resigned November 5, 1946.
Successor was elected to finish term.
John Sparkman (D) November 6, 1946
Connecticut
(1)
Thomas C. Hart (R) Resigned November 5, 1946.
Successor was elected to finish term.
Raymond E. Baldwin (R) December 27, 1946
Kentucky
(2)
William A. Stanfill (R) Resigned November 5, 1946. Successor was elected to finish term John S. Cooper (R) November 6, 1946
Ohio
(1)
James W. Huffman (D) Resigned November 5, 1946. Successor was elected to finish term. Kingsley A. Taft (R) November 6, 1946
Virginia
(2)
Thomas G. Burch (D) Resigned November 5, 1946.
Successor was elected to finish term.
Absalom W. Robertson (D) November 6, 1946
Idaho
(2)
Charles C. Gossett (D) Resigned November 6, 1946.
Successor was elected to finish term.
Henry Dworshak (R) November 6, 1946
North Carolina
(2)
Josiah Bailey (D) Died December 15, 1946.
Successor was appointed to serve until a special election, which he subsequently lost.
William B. Umstead (D) December 18, 1946
Washington
(1)
Hugh Mitchell (D) Resigned December 25, 1946. Successor was appointed to finish the term already having to be elected the next term. Harry P. Cain (R) December 26, 1946

House of Representatives


District Vacator Reason for change Successor Date successor
seated
Rhode Island 2nd Vacant John E. Fogarty resigned during the previous Congress. John E. Fogarty (D) February 7, 1945
Montana 2nd James F. O'Connor (D) Died January 15, 1945 Wesley A. D'Ewart (R) June 5, 1945
Virginia 3rd Dave E. Satterfield, Jr. (D) Resigned February 15, 1945 to become general counsel and executive director of the Life Insurance Association of America J. Vaughan Gary (D) March 6, 1945
Illinois 24th James V. Heidinger (R) Died March 22, 1945 Roy Clippinger (R) November 6, 1945
New Mexico At-large Clinton P. Anderson (D) Resigned June 30, 1945 after being appointed Secretary of Agriculture Vacant Not filled this term
New Jersey 4th D. Lane Powers (R) Resigned August 30, 1945 to become a member of the Public Utilities Commission of New Jersey Frank A. Mathews, Jr. (R) November 6, 1945
Oregon 1st James W. Mott (R) Died November 12, 1945 A. Walter Norblad (R) January 18, 1946
North Carolina 10th Joseph W. Ervin (D) Died December 25, 1945 Sam Ervin (D) January 22, 1946
New York 19th Samuel Dickstein (D) Resigned December 30, 1945 Arthur G. Klein (D) February 19, 1946
Virginia 6th Clifton A. Woodrum (D) Resigned December 31, 1945 to become president of the American Plant Food Council, Inc. J. Lindsay Almond, Jr. (D) January 22, 1946
Georgia 5th Robert Ramspeck (D) Resigned December 31, 1945 to become executive vice-president of the Air Transport Association Helen D. Mankin (D) February 12, 1946
Pennsylvania 33rd Samuel A. Weiss (D) Resigned January 7, 1946 after being elected judge of Common Pleas in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania Frank Buchanan (D) May 21, 1946
Pennsylvania 23rd J. Buell Snyder (D) Died February 24, 1946 Carl H. Hoffman (R) May 21, 1946
North Carolina 8th William O. Burgin (D) Died April 11, 1946 Eliza Jane Pratt (D) May 25, 1946
Virginia 5th Thomas G. Burch (D) Resigned May 31, 1946 after being appointed to the US Senate Thomas B. Stanley (D) November 5, 1946
Texas 6th Luther A. Johnson (D) Resigned July 17, 1946 after becoming judge of the United States Tax Court Olin E. Teague (D) August 24, 1946
Pennsylvania 10th John W. Murphy (D) Resigned July 17, 1946 to become judge of the US District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania James P. Scoblick (R) November 5, 1946
Minnesota 3rd William Gallagher (DFL) Died August 13, 1946 Vacant Not filled this term
Puerto Rico At-large Jesús T. Piñero (PPD) Resigned September 2, 1946 after being appointed Governor of Puerto Rico Antonio Fernós-Isern (PPD) September 11, 1946
New York 4th William B. Barry (D) Died October 20, 1946 Vacant Not filled this term
Alabama 8th John Sparkman (D) Resigned November 5, 1946 after being elected to the US Senate Vacant Not filled this term
Idaho 2nd Henry Dworshak (R) Resigned November 5, 1946 after being elected to the US Senate Vacant Not filled this term
Virginia 5th Absalom W. Robertson (D) Resigned November 5, 1946 after being elected to the US Senate Burr Harrison (D) November 5, 1946
Wisconsin 2nd Robert K. Henry (R) Died November 20, 1946 Vacant Not filled this term

Committees

Lists of committees and their party leaders.

Senate

House of Representatives

Joint committees

Employees

Legislative branch agency directors

Senate

House of Representatives

External links

See also

References

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