The 116th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the Senate and the House of Representatives. It convened in Washington, D.C., on January 3, 2019, and ended on January 3, 2021, during the final two years of Donald Trump's first presidency. Senators elected to regular terms in 2014 finished their terms in this Congress, and House seats were apportioned based on the 2010 census.
In the November 2018 midterm elections, the Democratic Party won a new majority in the House, while the Republican Party increased its majority in the Senate. Consequently, this was the first split Congress since the 113th Congress of 2013–2015 and the first Republican Senate–Democratic House split since the 99th Congress of 1985–1987. The incoming members of this Congress were the youngest by mean age since the 112th Congress of 2011–2013 and made up the most demographically diverse freshman class in history.
Upon joining the Libertarian Party on May 1, 2020, Justin Amash became the first member of Congress to represent a political party other than the Democrats or the Republicans since Rep. William Carney, who served as a Conservative before switching to the Republican Party in 1985. Before joining the Libertarian Party, Amash had been serving as an Independent since his departure from the Republican Party on July 4, 2019. Paul Mitchell also left the Republicans in December 2020, becoming an independent. Neither incumbent ran for re-election. This is the most recent Congress to feature at least one member from the Kennedy family.
Major events
December 22, 2018 – January 25, 2019: 2018–2019 United States federal government shutdown January 3, 2019: Former Speaker and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D) was elected speaker again. February 5, 2019: President Donald Trump delivers the 2019 State of the Union Address. It was delayed from January 29 due to the partial government shutdown. February 15, 2019: President Trump declared a National Emergency Concerning the Southern Border of the United States. February 27, 2019: Former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen testified before the House Oversight and Reform Committee. March 24, 2019: Mueller special counsel investigation: U.S. Attorney General William Barr issued a summary letter of special counsel Robert Mueller's report to congress on the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. July 24, 2019: Mueller special counsel investigation: Special counsel Robert Mueller testified before the House Judiciary and Intelligence committees. September 24, 2019: First impeachment of Donald Trump: House opened an Impeachment inquiry against Donald Trump after a whistleblower alleged the President abused his power in a phone call with the President of Ukraine. December 13, 2019: First impeachment of Donald Trump: House Judiciary Committee approved two impeachment articles. December 18, 2019: First impeachment of Donald Trump: House impeached President Trump. January 16, 2020 – February 5, 2020: First impeachment of Donald Trump: Impeachment trial of Donald Trump February 4, 2020: President Trump delivers the 2020 State of the Union Address. March 11, 2020: Beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States May 26, 2020 – May 26, 2021: Nationwide George Floyd protests August 18, 2020 – April 6, 2022: 2020 United States Postal Service crisis September 30, 2020 – January 20, 2021: White House COVID-19 outbreak October 26, 2020: The Senate confirmed Amy Coney Barrett to the United States Supreme Court. November 3, 2020: 2020 United States elections were held. Joe Biden was elected the 46th President of the United States and Kamala Harris was elected the 49th Vice President of the United States, the first woman to be so elected. Democrats retained control of the United States House of Representatives, while Republicans briefly retained control of the Senate until January 20, 2021, because Democrats won both regular and special Senate elections in Georgia on January 5, 2021.
Major legislation
Enacted
January 16, 2019: Government Employee Fair Treatment Act, Pub.L. 116-1 February 15, 2019: Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019, , March 12, 2019: John D. Dingell Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act, , June 24, 2019: Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness and Advancing Innovation Act, Pub.L. 116-22 July 1, 2019: Taxpayer First Act of 2019, July 29, 2019: Never Forget the Heroes: James Zadroga, Ray Pfeifer, and Luis Alvarez Permanent Authorization of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund Act, , November 27, 2019: Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, , December 20, 2019: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020, , December 20, 2019: Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act as part of the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020, , January 29, 2020: United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement Implementation Act, , March 2, 2020: Payment Integrity Information Act of 2019, Pub. L. 116–117 (text) (PDF), S375 Coronavirus relief acts: March 6, 2020: Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020, , March 18, 2020: Families First Coronavirus Response Act, , March 27, 2020: Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), , April 24, 2020: Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act, , December 27, 2020: Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, March 26, 2020: Taiwan Allies International Protection and Enhancement Initiative Act, , June 17, 2020: Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act, , July 14, 2020: Hong Kong Autonomy Act, , August 4, 2020: Great American Outdoors Act, , October 10, 2020: Savanna's Act, Pub.L. 116-165 January 1, 2021: William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021, , (passed over veto) January 13, 2021: Malala Yousafzai Scholarship Act, Pub.L. 116-338
Proposed (but not enacted)
House Bills : For the People Act of 2019 H.R. 2 Moving Forward Act H.R. 3: Elijah Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act of 2019 H.R. 4: John Lewis Voting Rights Act of 2019 : Equality Act of 2019 : American Dream and Promise Act of 2019 : Paycheck Fairness Act of 2019 : Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019 : DC Admission Act of 2019 : SAFE Banking Act of 2019 : Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act of 2019 : HEROES Act of 2019 : Ending Qualified Immunity Act of 2019 : George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2020 Senate Bills House Joint Resolutions : "Opposing the decision to end certain United States efforts to prevent Turkish military operations against Syrian Kurdish forces in Northeast Syria" : "Removing the deadline for the ratification of the equal rights amendment" Passed, but vetoed March 15, 2019: : Relating to a national emergency declared by the President on February 15, 2019. (Vetoed) April 16, 2019: : A joint resolution to direct the removal of United States Armed Forces from hostilities in the Republic of Yemen that have not been authorized by Congress. (Vetoed)
Major resolutions
Adopted October 31, 2019: Formally commencing an impeachment inquiry against Donald Trump, December 18, 2019: "Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors",
Proposed
: "Recognizing the duty of the Federal Government to create a Green New Deal"
Party summary Resignations and new members are discussed in the "Changes in membership" section below.
Senate
Affiliation Party(shading indicates majority caucus) Total Vacant Democratic Independent Republican End of previous Congress 47 250 99 1 Begin (January 3, 2019) 45 2 52 99 1 January 8, 2019 53 100 0 December 31, 2019 52 99 1 January 6, 2020 53 100 0 December 2, 2020 46 52 Final voting share Beginning of the next Congress 46 2 51 99 1
House of Representatives {| width=300px align=right
Affiliation Party(shading indicates majority caucus) Total Vacant Democratic Independent Libertarian Republican End of previous Congress 196 0 0236 432 3 Begin (January 3, 2019) 235 0 0 199 434 1 January 23, 2019 198 433 2 February 10, 2019 197 432 3 May 21, 2019 198 433 2 July 4, 2019 1 197 September 10, 2019 199 435 0 September 23, 2019 198 434 1 October 1, 2019 197 433 2 October 17, 2019 234 432 3 November 3, 2019 233 431 4 December 19, 2019 232 198 January 13, 2020 197 430 5 March 30, 2020 196 429 6 April 29, 2020 233 430 5 May 1, 2020 0 1 May 12, 2020 198 432 3 May 22, 2020 197 431 4 June 23, 2020 198 432 3 July 17, 2020 232 431 4 October 4, 2020 197 430 5 December 1, 2020 233 431 4 December 7, 2020 196 430 5 December 14, 2020 1 195 Final voting share Non-voting members 3 1 0 2 6 0 Beginning of the next Congress 222 0 0 211 433 2
Leadership
Senate
Presiding President of the Senate: Mike Pence (R) President pro tempore: Chuck Grassley (R)
Majority (Republican) leadership Senate Majority Leader: Mitch McConnell Senate Majority Whip: John Thune Chair of the Senate Republican Conference: John Barrasso Chair of the Senate Republican Policy Committee: Roy Blunt Vice Chair of the Senate Republican Conference: Joni Ernst Chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee: Todd Young Chair of the Senate Republican Steering Committee: Mike Lee Senate Republican Chief Deputy Whip: Mike Crapo Senate Republican Deputy Whips: Roy Blunt, Shelley Moore Capito, John Cornyn, Cory Gardner, James Lankford, Martha McSally, Rob Portman, Mitt Romney, Tim Scott, Thom Tillis, and Todd Young
Minority (Democratic) leadership Senate Minority Leader and Chair of the Senate Democratic Caucus: Chuck Schumer Senate Minority Whip: Dick Durbin Senate Assistant Democratic Leader: Patty Murray Chair of the Senate Democratic Policy and Communications Committee: Debbie Stabenow Vice Chairs of the Senate Democratic Caucus: Mark Warner and Elizabeth Warren Chair of the Senate Democratic Steering Committee: Amy Klobuchar Chair of Senate Democratic Outreach: Bernie Sanders Vice Chair of the Senate Democratic Policy and Communications Committee: Joe Manchin Secretary of the Senate Democratic Caucus: Tammy Baldwin Chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee: Catherine Cortez Masto Senate Democratic Chief Deputy Whips: Cory Booker, Jeff Merkley, and Brian Schatz
House of Representatives
Presiding Speaker of the House: Nancy Pelosi (D)
Majority (Democratic) leadership House Majority Leader: Steny Hoyer House Majority Whip: Jim Clyburn Assistant Speaker of the House: Ben Ray Luján Chair of the House Democratic Caucus: Hakeem Jeffries Vice Chair of the House Democratic Caucus: Katherine Clark Chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee: Cheri Bustos Chair of the House Democratic Policy and Communications Committee: David Cicilline Co-Chairs of the House Democratic Policy and Communications Committee: Matt Cartwright, Debbie Dingell, and Ted Lieu House Democratic Junior Caucus Leadership Representative: Jamie Raskin House Democratic Freshman Class Leadership Representatives: Katie Hill , Veronica Escobar , and Joe Neguse Co-Chairs of the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee: Rosa DeLauro, Barbara Lee, and Eric Swalwell House Democratic Assistant to the Majority Whip: Cedric Richmond House Democratic Senior Chief Deputy Whips: John Lewis and Jan Schakowsky House Democratic Chief Deputy Whips: Pete Aguilar, G. K. Butterfield, Henry Cuellar, Dan Kildee, Sheila Jackson Lee, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Terri Sewell, and Peter Welch
Minority (Republican) leadership House Minority Leader and Chair of the House Republican Steering Committee: Kevin McCarthy House Minority Whip: Steve Scalise Chair of the House Republican Conference: Liz Cheney Vice Chair of the House Republican Conference: Mark Walker Secretary of the House Republican Conference: Jason Smith