96th United States Congress


The 96th 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, 1979, to January 3, 1981, during the last two years of Jimmy Carter's presidency.
The apportionment of seats in this House of Representatives was based on the 1970 census.
Both chambers retained a Democratic majority, and with President Carter, maintained an overall federal government trifecta. This is the last Congress in which the Democrats retained a trifecta for more than one term.
This is the most recent Congress to feature a Democratic senator from Idaho, Frank Church, who lost re-election in 1980.

Major events

Major legislation

Leaders

Senate

Majority (Democratic) leadership

Minority (Republican) leadership

House of Representatives

Majority (Democratic) leadership

Minority (Republican) leadership

Caucuses

Members

This list is arranged by chamber, then by state. Senators are listed in order of seniority, and representatives are listed by district.

Senate

Senators are popularly elected statewide every two years, with one-third beginning new six-year terms with each Congress, In this Congress, Class 3 meant their term ended with this Congress, requiring reelection in 1980; Class 1 meant their term began in the last Congress, requiring reelection in 1982; and Class 2 meant their term began in this Congress, requiring reelection in 1984.

Delaware">List of United States senators from Delaware">Delaware


Kansas">List of United States senators from Kansas">Kansas


Mississippi">List of United States senators from Mississippi">Mississippi


New York">List of United States senators from New York">New York


South Carolina">List of United States senators from South Carolina">South Carolina


West Virginia">List of United States senators from West Virginia">West Virginia


House of Representatives

The names of representatives are preceded by their district numbers.

Delaware">List of United States representatives from Delaware">Delaware


Kansas">List of United States representatives from Kansas">Kansas


Mississippi">List of United States representatives from Mississippi">Mississippi


New York">List of United States representatives from New York">New York


South Carolina">List of United States representatives from South Carolina">South Carolina


West Virginia">List of United States representatives from West Virginia">West Virginia


Changes in membership

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

Senate

  • Replacements: 4
  • * Democratic: 3 seat net loss
  • * Republican: 3 seat net gain
  • Deaths: 0
  • Resignations: 4
  • Vacancy: 0
  • '''Total seats with changes: 4'''

House of Representatives

  • Replacements: 7
  • * Democratic: 0 seat net loss
  • * Republican: 0 seat net gain
  • Deaths: 1
  • Resignations: 4
  • Expulsion: 1
  • Contested election:
  • '''Total seats with changes: 10'''

Committees

Senate

  • Aging (Special)
  • [United States Senate Committee on United States House Committee on Agriculture|Agriculture, United States House Agriculture Subcommittee on Nutrition|Nutrition and Forestry|Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry]
  • * Agricultural Research and General Legislation
  • * Rural Development
  • * Foreign Agricultural Policy
  • * Nutrition
  • * Environment, Soil Conservation and Forestry
  • * Agricultural Credit and Rural Electrification
  • * Agricultural Production, Marketing and Stabilization of Prices
  • Appropriations
  • * Agriculture and Related Agencies
  • * Defense
  • * District of Columbia
  • * Foreign Operations
  • * HUD-Independent Agencies
  • * Interior
  • * Labor-Health, Education and Welfare
  • * Legislative
  • * Military Construction
  • * Energy and Water Development
  • * State, Justice, Commerce and Judiciary
  • * Transportation
  • * Treasury, Postal Service and General Government
  • Armed Services
  • * Arms Control
  • * General Procurement
  • * Manpower and Personnel
  • * Research and Investigations
  • * Military Construction and Stockfiles
  • * Procurement Policy and Reprogramming
  • Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs
  • * Housing and Urban Affairs
  • * Financial Institutions
  • * International Finance
  • * Rural Housing and Development
  • * Economic Stabilization
  • * Securities
  • * Insurance
  • * Consumer Affairs
  • Budget
  • Commerce, Science and Transportation
  • * Aviation
  • * Communications
  • * Consumer
  • * Merchant Marine and Tourism
  • * Science, Technology and Space
  • * Surface Transportation
  • Energy and Natural Resources
  • * Energy R&D
  • * Energy Regulation
  • * Energy Conservation and Supply
  • * Energy Resources and Materials Production
  • * Parks, Recreations and Renewable Resources
  • Environment and Public Works
  • * Environmental Pollution
  • * Water Resources
  • * Transportation
  • * Regional and Community Development
  • * Resource Protection
  • * Nuclear Regulation
  • Ethics (Select)
  • Finance
  • * Health
  • * International Trade
  • * Taxation and Debt Management Generally
  • * Social Security
  • * Energy and Foundations
  • * Private Pension Plans and Employee Fringe Benefits
  • * Tourism and Sugar
  • * Public Assistance
  • * Oversight of the Internal Revenue Service
  • * Unemployment and Related Programs
  • * Revenue Sharing, Ingovernmental Revenue Impact and Economic Problems
  • Foreign Relations
  • * International Economic Policy
  • * Arms Control, Oceans, International Operations and Environment
  • * African Affairs
  • * European Affairs
  • * East Asian and Pacific Affairs
  • * Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs
  • * Western Hemisphere Affairs
  • Governmental Affairs
  • * Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations
  • * Intergovernmental Relations
  • * Governmental Efficiency and the District of Columbia
  • * Energy, Nuclear Proliferation and Federal Services
  • * Civil Service and General Services
  • * Oversight of Government Management
  • Indian Affairs (Select)
  • Judiciary
  • * The Constitution
  • * Antitrust, Monopoly and Business Rights
  • * Improvements in Judicial Machinery
  • * Criminal Justice
  • * Administrative Practice and Procedure
  • * Limitations of Contracted and Delegated Authority
  • * Jurisprudence and Governmental Relations
  • Intelligence (Select)
  • Labor and Human Resources
  • * Handicapped
  • * Education, Arts and the Humanities
  • * Health and Scientific Research
  • * Employment, Poverty and Migratory Labor
  • * Aging
  • * Child and Human Development
  • * Alcoholism and Drug Abuse
  • Nutrition and Human Needs (Select)
  • [United States Senate Committee on United States House Committee on Rules|Rules and Administration|Rules and Administration]
  • Small Business (Select)
  • Veterans' Affairs
  • Whole

House of Representatives

  • Aging (Select)
  • Agriculture
  • * Cotton
  • * Dairy and Poultry
  • * Forests
  • * Livestock and Grains
  • * Oilseeds and Rice
  • * Tobacco
  • * Conservation and Credit
  • * Department Investigations, Oversight and Research
  • * Domestic Marketing, Consumer Relations and Nutrition
  • * Family Farms, Rural Development and Special Studies
  • Appropriations
  • * Agriculture, Rural Development and Related Agencies
  • * Defense
  • * District of Columbia
  • * Energy and Water Development
  • * Foreign Operations
  • * HUD-Independent Agencies
  • * Interior
  • * Labor-Health, Education and Welfare
  • * Legislative
  • * Military Construction
  • * State, Justice, Commerce and Judiciary
  • * Transportation
  • * Treasury, Postal Service and General Government
  • Armed Services
  • * Procurement and Military Nuclear Systems
  • * Seapower, Strategic and Critical Materials
  • * Research and Development
  • * Military Personnel
  • * Investigations
  • * Military Installations and Facilities
  • * Military Compensation
  • * Nato Standardization, Interoperability and Readiness
  • Assassinations (Select)
  • Banking, Finance and Urban Affairs
  • * The City
  • * Housing and Community Development
  • * Economic Stabilization
  • * Financial Institutions Supervision, Regulation and Insurance
  • * International Development Institutions and Finance
  • * General Oversight and Renegotiation
  • * Consumer Affairs
  • * Domestic Monetary Policy
  • * Historic Preservation and Coinage
  • * International Trade, Investment and Monetary Policy
  • Budget
  • * Task Forces
  • * Economic Policy, Projections and Productivity
  • * State and Local Governments
  • * Regulations and Spending Limitations
  • * Inflation
  • * Budget Process
  • * Defense and International Affairs
  • * Tax Expenditures and Tax Policy
  • * Human and Community Resources
  • * Legislative Savings
  • Committees (Select)
  • Congressional Operations (Select)
  • Crime (Select)
  • District of Columbia
  • * Fiscal Affairs and Health
  • * Governmental Affairs and Budget
  • * Judiciary, Manpower and Education
  • * Metropolitan Affairs
  • Education and Labor
  • * Elementary, Secondary and Vocational Education
  • * Labor-Management Relations
  • * Employment Opportunities
  • * Postsecondary Education
  • * Health and Safety
  • * Human Resources
  • * Select Education
  • * Labor Standards
  • Ethics (Select)
  • Foreign Affairs
  • * International Security and Scientific Affairs
  • * International Operations
  • * Europe and the Middle East
  • * Asian and Pacific Affairs
  • * International Economic Policy and Trade
  • * Inter-American Affairs
  • * Africa
  • * International Organizations
  • Government Operations
  • * Legislation and National Security
  • * Ingovernmental Relations and Human Resources
  • * Commerce, Consumer and Monetary Affairs
  • * Manpower and Housing
  • * Government Activities and Transportation
  • * Government Information and Individual Rights
  • * Environment, Energy and Natural Resources
  • House Administration
  • * Accounts
  • * Libraries and Memorials
  • * Printing
  • * Personnel and Police
  • * Contracts
  • * Services
  • * Office Systems
  • House Beauty Shop (Select)
  • Intelligence (Select)
  • Insular Affairs
  • * Energy and the Environment
  • * Water and Power Resources
  • * Public Lands
  • * National Parks and Insular Affairs
  • * Mines and Mining
  • * Oversight/Special Investigations
  • * Pacific Affairs
  • Interstate and Foreign Commerce
  • * Energy and Power
  • * Communications
  • * Oversight and Investigations
  • * Consumer Protection and Finance
  • * Health and the Environment
  • * Transportation and Commerce
  • Judiciary
  • * Immigration, Citizenship and International Law
  • * Administrative Law and Governmental Relations
  • * Courts, Civil Liberties and the Administration of Justice
  • * Civil and Constitutional Rights
  • * Monopolies and Commercial Law
  • * Crime
  • * Criminal Justice
  • Merchant Marine and Fisheries
  • * Merchant Marine
  • * Fisheries, Wildlife Conservation and the Environment
  • * Coast Guard and Navigation
  • * Oceangraphy
  • * Panama Canal
  • Modernization of House Gallery Facilities (Special)
  • Narcotics Abuse and Control (Select)
  • Outer Continental Shelf (Ad Hoc/Select)
  • Post Office and Civil Service
  • * Investigations
  • * Postal Operations and Services
  • * Postal Personnel and Modernization
  • * Civil Service
  • * Compensations and Employee Benefits
  • * Census and Population
  • * Human Resources
  • Public Works and Transportation
  • * Aviation
  • * Economic Development
  • * Oversight and Review
  • * Public Buildings and Grounds
  • * Surface Transportation
  • * Water Resources
  • Rules
  • * The Legislative Process
  • * Rules of the House
  • Science and Technology
  • * Space Science and Applications
  • * Energy Research and Development
  • * Science, Research and Technology
  • * Energy Development and Applications
  • * Transportation, Aviation and Communication
  • * Investigations and Oversight
  • * Natural Resources and Environment
  • Small Business
  • * SBA and SBIC Authority and General Small Business
  • * General Oversight and Minority Enterprise
  • * Antitrust and Restraint of Trade Activities affecting Small Businesses
  • * Impact of Energy Programs, Environment, Safety Requirements and Government Research on Small Business
  • * Access to Equity Capital and Business Opportunities
  • * Special Small Business Problems
  • Standards of Official Conduct
  • Veterans' Affairs
  • * Medical Facilities and Benefits
  • * Compensation, Pension and Insurance
  • * Housing
  • * Education, Training and Employment
  • * Special Investigations
  • Ways and Means
  • * Select Revenue Measures
  • * Social Security
  • * Health
  • * Trade
  • * Public Assistance and Unemployment Compensation
  • * Oversight
  • * Social Security
  • Whole

Joint committees

Employees

Legislative branch agency">List of federal agencies in the United States">Legislative branch agency directors

Senate

House of Representatives