79th United States Congress
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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
- April 12, 1945: President Franklin D. Roosevelt died, Harry S. Truman became President of the United States.
- September 2, 1945: World War II ended.
- November 6, 1946: United States Senate elections, 1946, United States House of Representatives elections, 1946: Republicans gained control of both houses.
- January 3, 1947: Proceedings of the U.S. Congress were televised for the first time.
Major legislation
President Truman signs the Atomic Energy Act on August 1, 1946.
- March 9, 1945: McCarran-Ferguson Act
- July 31, 1945: Bretton Woods Agreements Act, Pub.L. 79–171
- July 31, 1945: Export-Import Bank Act of 1945
- December 20, 1945: United Nations Participation Act
- December 28, 1945: War Brides Act
- February 18, 1946: Rescission Act of 1946, Pub.L. 79–301
- February 20, 1946: Employment Act, Pub.L. 79–304, ch. 33, 60 Stat. 23
- May 13, 1946: Federal Airport Act, Pub.L. 79–377
- June 4, 1946: Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act, ch. 281, 60 Stat. 230
- June 11, 1946: Administrative Procedure Act, ch. 324, 60 Stat. 237
- July 2, 1946: Luce-Celler Act of 1946
- July 3, 1946: Hobbs Anti-Racketeering Act, ch. 537, 60 Stat. 420
- July 5, 1946: Lanham Trademark Act of 1946
- August 1, 1946: United States Atomic Energy Act of 1946, ch. 724, 60 Stat. 755
- August 2, 1946: Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946
- August 2, 1946: Federal Tort Claims Act, ch. 753, title IV, 60 Stat. 842
- August 2, 1946: Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act of 1946
- August 13, 1946: Foreign Service Act, ch. 957, titles I–X, 60 Stat. 999
- August 13, 1946: Hospital Survey and Construction Act (Hill-Burton Act), Pub.L. 79–725, ch. 958, 60 Stat. 1040
- August 14, 1946: Farmers Home Administration Act, ch. 964, 60 Stat. 1062
Treaties ratified
- December 4, 1945: Senate approved the entry of the United States into the United Nations (by a vote of 65–7)[1]
- July 4, 1946: The United States ratified the Treaty of Manila, which gave independence to The Philippines
Party summary
Senate
- Democratic (D): 57 (majority)
- Republican (R): 38
- Progressive (P): 1
TOTAL members: 96
House of Representatives
- Democratic (D): 242 (majority)
- Republican (R): 191
- Progressive (P): 1
- Labor (AL): 1
TOTAL members: 435
Leadership
Senate
- President:
- Henry A. Wallace (D), until - January 20, 1945
- Harry S. Truman (D), January 20, 1945 – April 12, 1945; thereafter vacant
- President Pro Tempore: Kenneth McKellar (D)
- Majority leader: Alben William Barkley (D)
- Minority leader: Wallace H. White Jr. (R, acting)
- Majority whip: Lister Hill (D)
- Minority whip: Kenneth Wherry (R), elected 1944
House of Representatives
- Speaker: Sam Rayburn (D)
- Majority leader: John William McCormack (D)
- Minority leader: Joseph William Martin, Jr. (R)
- Majority whip: John J. Sparkman (D)
- Minority whip: Leslie C. Arends (R)
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.
House of Representatives
The names of members of the House of Representatives are preceded by their district numbers.
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
- Agriculture and Forestry
- Appropriations
- Atomic Energy (Select)
- Audit and Control the Contingent Expenses of the Senate
- Banking and Currency
- Campaign Expenditures Investigation, 1944 (Special)
- Campaign Expenditures Investigation, 1946 (Special)
- Civil Service
- Civil Service Laws (Special)
- Claims
- Commerce
- District of Columbia
- Education and Labor
- Enrolled Bills
- Expenditures in Executive Departments
- Finance
- Foreign Relations
- Immigration
- Immigration and Naturalization
- Indian Affairs
- Interoceanic Canals
- Interstate Commerce
- Investigate the National Defense Program (Special)
- Judiciary
- Library
- Manufactures
- Military Affairs
- Mines and Mining
- Naval Affairs
- Organization of Congress (Select)
- Patents
- Pensions
- Petroleum Resources (Special)
- Post Office and Civil Service
- Post Office and Post Roads
- Post-War Economic Policy and Planning (Special)
- Printing
- Privileges and Elections
- Public Buildings and Grounds
- Public Lands and Surveys
- Remodeling the Senate Chamber (Special)
- Rules
- Small Business Enterprises (Special)
- Territories and Insular Affairs
- Whole
- Wildlife Resources (Special)
- Wool Production (Special)
House of Representatives
- Accounts
- Agriculture
- Appropriations
- Banking and Currency
- Census
- Claims
- Civil Service
- Coinage, Weights and Measures
- Disposition of Executive Papers
- District of Columbia
- Education
- Election of the President, Vice President and Representatives in Congress
- Elections
- Enrolled Bills
- Expenditures in the Executive Departments
- Flood Control
- Foreign Affairs
- Immigration and Naturalization
- Indian Affairs
- Insular Affairs
- Interstate and Foreign Commerce
- Invalid Pensions
- Irrigation and Reclamation
- Labor
- Memorials
- Merchant Marine and Fisheries
- Military Affairs
- Mines and Mining
- Naval Affairs
- Patents
- Pensions
- Post Office and Civil Service
- Post Office and Post Roads
- Public Buildings and Grounds
- Public Lands
- Revision of Laws
- Rivers and Harbors
- Roads
- Rules
- Small Business (Select)
- Standards of Official Conduct
- Territories
- Un-American Activities
- War Claims
- Ways and Means
- Whole
Joint committees
- Atomic Energy
- Conditions of Indian Tribes (Special)
- Disposition of Executive Papers
- Investigation of the Pearl Harbor Attack
- Legislative Budget
- The Library
- Organization of Congress
- Reduction of Nonessential Federal Expenditures
- Selective Service Deferments
- Taxation
Employees
Legislative branch agency directors
- Architect of the Capitol: David Lynn
- Attending Physician of the United States Congress: George Calver
- Comptroller General of the United States: Lindsay C. Warren
- Librarian of Congress: Luther H. Evans
- Public Printer of the United States: Augustus E. Giegengack
Senate
- Chaplain: Frederick Brown Harris (Methodist)
- Parliamentarian: Charles Watkins
- Secretary: Edwin A. Halsey (until January 29, 1945), Leslie Biffle (starting February 8, 1945)
- Sergeant at Arms: Wall Doxey
House of Representatives
- Chaplain: James Shera Montgomery (Methodist)
- Clerk: South Trimble
- Parliamentarian: Lewis Deschler
- Postmaster: Finis E. Scott
- Reading Clerks: [Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
- Sergeant at Arms: Kenneth Romney
External links
See also
- United States elections, 1944 (elections leading to this Congress)
- United States elections, 1946 (elections during this Congress, leading to the next Congress)
References
- House of Representatives Session Calendar for the 79th Congress (PDF).
- Official Congressional Directory for the 79th Congress, 1st Session.
- Official Congressional Directory for the 79th Congress, 1st Session (Revision).
- Official Congressional Directory for the 79th Congress, 2nd Session.
- Official Congressional Directory for the 79th Congress, 2nd Session (Revision).
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