The 111th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government from January 3, 2009, until January 3, 2011. It began during the last weeks of the George W. Bush administration, with the remainder spanning the first two years of Barack Obama's presidency. It was composed of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The apportionment of seats in the House was based on the 2000 U.S. census.
In the November 2008 elections, the Democratic Party increased its majorities in both chambers (including – when factoring in the two Democratic caucusing independents – a brief filibuster-proof 60-40 supermajority in the Senate), and with Barack Obama being sworn in as president on January 20, 2009, this gave Democrats an overall federal government trifecta for the first time since the 103rd Congress in 1993.
However, the Senate supermajority only lasted for a period of 72 working days while the Senate was actually in session. A new delegate seat was created for the Northern Mariana Islands.Consolidated Natural Resources Act of 2008, The 111th Congress had the most long-serving members in history: at the start of the 111th Congress, the average member of the House had served 10.3 years, while the average Senator had served 13.4 years. The Democratic Party would not simultaneously control both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate again until more than a decade later, during the 117th Congress. After comprising the majority of the House of Representatives since the 106th United States Congress, the 111th United States Congress was the first where Baby boomers comprised the majority of the Senate.
The 111th Congress was the most productive congress since the 89th Congress. It enacted numerous significant pieces of legislation, including the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, and the New START treaty.
Major events
January 2009: Two Senate seats were disputed when the Congress convened: An appointment dispute over the Illinois seat vacated by President Barack Obama arose following Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich's solicitation of bribes in exchange for an appointment to the Senate. Roland Burris (D) was appointed to the seat on December 31, 2008, but his credentials were not accepted until January 12, 2009. An election dispute over the Minnesota seat previously held by Norm Coleman (R), between Coleman and challenger Al Franken (D), was decided on June 30, 2009, in favor of Franken. Franken's admission briefly gave the Senate Democratic caucus 60 votes, enough to defeat a filibuster in a party-line vote. January 8, 2009: Joint session counted the Electoral College votes of the 2008 presidential election.See . Section 1 sets the beginning of the first session of the 111th Congress. Section 2 sets the date for counting Electoral College votes. January 20, 2009: Barack Obama became 44th President of the United States. February 24, 2009: President Obama addressed a joint session of Congress April 28, 2009: Senator Arlen Specter switched from the Republican Party to the Democratic Party. August 25, 2009: Senator Ted Kennedy died of a Brain tumor September 9, 2009: President Obama addressed a joint session of Congress to promote health care reform, which Representative Joe Wilson (R) interrupted by shouting at the President. January 21, 2010: Citizens United v. FEC: The U.S. Supreme Court struck down limits on campaign contributions by nonprofits, corporations, labor unions and other associations. January 25, 2010: 2010 State of the Union Address February 4, 2010: Republican Scott Brown's election to the Senate ended the Democratic super-majority. April 20 – September 19, 2010: Deepwater Horizon oil spill November 2, 2010: 2010 general elections, in which Republicans regained control of the House while the Democrats remained in control of the Senate.
Major legislation
Enacted
January 29, 2009: Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009, February 4, 2009: Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (SCHIP), February 17, 2009: American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), March 11, 2009: Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009, March 30, 2009: Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009, April 21, 2009: Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, May 20, 2009: Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act of 2009, May 20, 2009: Helping Families Save Their Homes Act of 2009, May 22, 2009: Weapon Systems Acquisition Reform Act of 2009, May 22, 2009: Credit CARD Act of 2009, June 22, 2009: Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, as Division A of June 24, 2009: Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2009 including the Car Allowance Rebate System (Cash for Clunkers), October 15, 2009: Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act, Pub.L. 111-73 October 28, 2009: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010, including the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, November 6, 2009: Worker, Homeownership, and Business Assistance Act of 2009, November 11, 2009: Military Spouses Residency Relief Act of 2010, Pub.L. 111-97 December 16, 2009: Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2010, January 27, 2010: Emergency Aid to American Survivors of the Haiti Earthquake Act, Pub.L. 111-127 February 12, 2010: Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act, as Title I of March 4, 2010: Travel Promotion Act of 2009, as Section 9 of March 18, 2010: Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment Act, including the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act March 23, 2010: Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, including the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports Act (later repealed) March 30, 2010: Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, including the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act, May 5, 2010: Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2010, May 24, 2010: Lord's Resistance Army Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act, Pub.L. 111-172 May 27, 2010: Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act (STELA), Pub.L. 111-175 July 1, 2010: Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010, July 21, 2010: Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, July 22, 2010: Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Act of 2010, Pub.L. 111-204 July 22, 2010: Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2010, Pub.L. 111-205 July 29, 2010: Tribal Law and Order Act of 2010 August 3, 2010: Fair Sentencing Act of 2010, August 10, 2010: Securing the Preservation of Our Enduring and Established Constitutional Heritage Act, September 27, 2010: Small Business Jobs and Credit Act of 2010, October 5, 2010: Rosa's Law, Pub.L. 111-256 October 8, 2010: Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act (CVAA) of 2010, Pub.L. 111-260 October 11, 2010: NASA Authorization Act of 2010, Pub.L. 111-267 October 13, 2010: Plain Writing Act of 2010, Pub.L. 111-274 October 15, 2010: Pre-Election Presidential Transition Act of 2010, Pub.L. 111-283 December 8, 2010: Claims Resolution Act of 2010, December 9, 2010: Animal Crush Video Prohibition Act, Pub.L. 111-294 December 13, 2010: Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, December 15, 2010: Medicare and Medicaid Extenders Act of 2010, Pub.L. 111-309 December 15, 2010: Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation (CALM) Act, Pub.L. 111-311 December 17, 2010: Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010, , December 18, 2010: Fur Products Labeling Act, Pub.L. 111-313 December 22, 2010: Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010, , December 22, 2010: Truth In Caller ID Act of 2009, Pub.L. 111-331 January 2, 2011: James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010, , January 4, 2011: Shark Conservation Act, , January 4, 2011: GPRA Modernization Act of 2010, Pub.L. 111-352 January 4, 2011: Food Safety Modernization Act, , January 4, 2011: America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010, Pub.L. 111-358 January 4, 2011: Local Community Radio Act, Pub.L. 111-371 January 4, 2011: National Alzheimer's Project Act, Pub.L. 111-375 January 7, 2011: Ike Skelton National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2011, Pub.L. 111-383
Health care reform
At the encouragement of the Obama administration, Congress devoted significant time considering health care reform. In March 2010, Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act into law, the first comprehensive health care reform legislation in decades, along with further amendments in the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010. Other major reform proposals during the health care debate included: Affordable Health Care for America Act (known as the House bill) America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009 America's Healthy Future Act (known as the Baucus bill) Empowering Patients First Act Healthy Americans Act (known as the Wyden/Bennett bill) United States National Health Care Act (known as the Conyers bill, a single payer proposal) Physician Payments Sunshine Act
Proposed Proposed bills include (in alphabetical order):
American Clean Energy and Security Act District of Columbia House Voting Rights Act DISCLOSE Act Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act DREAM Act Employee Free Choice Act Employment Non-Discrimination Act Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2009 Food Desert Oasis Act of 2009 Food Safety Enhancement Act Fracturing Responsibility and Awareness of Chemicals Act Gun Show Loophole Closing Act of 2009 Homeowner's Defense Act Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2009 Military Readiness Enhancement Act Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act Personal Data Privacy and Security Act of 2009 Puerto Rico Democracy Act of 2009 Public Option Act Respect for Marriage Act Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act Uniting American Families Act Universal Right to Vote by Mail Act
Vetoed
December 30, 2009: , a continuing appropriations resolution that became unnecessary October 7, 2010: , Interstate Recognition of Notarizations Act of 2010
Treaties ratified
December 22, 2010: New START (111-5)
Major nomination hearings January–April 2009: Senate held confirmation hearings for Barack Obama's cabinet. July 13–16, 2009: Senate Committee on the Judiciary held a hearing on Sonia Sotomayor's appointment to the United States Supreme Court. June 28–30, 2010: Senate Committee on the Judiciary held a hearing on Elena Kagan's appointment to the United States Supreme Court.
Impeachments
: Judge Samuel B. Kent: impeached June 19, 2009, (Archived by WebCite at ) resigned June 30, 2009, before trial; charges dismissed July 22, 2009. (Archived by WebCite at ) : Judge Thomas Porteous: impeached March 11, 2010, convicted December 8, 2010.
Party summary Resignations and new members are discussed in the "Changes in membership" section, below.
Senate
Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) Total Democratic Independent(caucusing withDemocrats) Republican Vacant End of previous Congress 48 2 49 99 1 Begin 55 2 41 98 2 January 15, 2009 56 99 1 January 20, 2009 55 98 2 January 26, 2009 56 99 1 April 30, 2009 57 40 July 7, 2009 58 100 0 August 25, 2009 57 99 1 September 9, 2009 39 98 2 September 10, 2009 40 99 1 September 25, 2009 58 100 0 February 4, 2010 57 41 June 28, 2010 56 99 1 July 16, 2010 57 100 0 November 29, 2010 56 42 Final voting share 58% 42% Beginning of the next Congress 51 2 47 100 0
House of Representatives