| 118th United States Congress | |
|---|---|
117th ← → 119th | |
 United States Capitol (2023) | |
January 3, 2023 – January 3, 2025 | |
| Members | 100 senators 435 representatives 6 non-voting delegates |
| Senate majority | Democratic |
| Senate President | Kamala Harris (D) |
| House majority | Republican |
| House Speaker | Kevin McCarthy (R) |
| Sessions | |
| 1st: January 3, 2023 – present | |
The 118th United States Congress is the current 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 convened in Washington, D.C., on January 3, 2023, and will end on January 3, 2025, taking place during the final two years of President Joe Biden's initial term.
In the 2022 midterm elections, the Republican Party won control of the House for the first time since the 115th Congress, while the Democratic Party gained one seat in the Senate, giving them a 51–49 majority (with a caucus of 48 Democrats and three independents). This marks the first split Congress since the 116th, and the first Republican House–Democratic Senate split since the 113th. With Republicans winning the House, the 118th Congress ended the federal government trifecta Democrats held in the 117th.[1]
This congress also features the first female Senate president pro tempore (Patty Murray), the first Black party leader (Hakeem Jeffries) in congressional history, and the longest serving Senate party leader (Mitch McConnell). Additionally, it began with a multi-ballot election for Speaker of the House, which had not happened since the 68th Congress in 1923. Kevin McCarthy was eventually elected speaker on the 15th ballot.
Major events
President Joe Biden during his 2023 State of the Union Address with Vice President Kamala Harris and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy
- January 3, 2023, 12:00 p.m. EST: Congress convened. Members-elect of the United States Senate were sworn in, but members-elect of the United States House of Representatives could not be sworn as the House adjourned for the day without electing a speaker.[2]
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- January 3–7, 2023: The election for the House speakership took 15 ballots. Kevin McCarthy was ultimately elected as speaker, but only after six representatives-elect voted "present", lowering the threshold to be elected from 218 to 215.[3]
- February 2, 2023: House voted 218–211 to remove Representative Ilhan Omar of Minnesota from the Committee on Foreign Affairs.
- February 7, 2023: President Joe Biden delivered the 2023 State of the Union Address.
- June 3, 2023: The 2023 debt-ceiling crisis ends with the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023.
Major legislation
Enacted
- March 20, 2023: COVID-19 Origin Act of 2023, S. 619
- June 3, 2023: Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023, H.R. 3746
- June 3, 2023: NOTAM Improvement Act of 2023, H.R. 346
Proposed (but not enacted)
- House bills
- H.R. 1: Lower Energy Costs Act (awaiting action in the Senate)
- H.R. 5: Parents Bill of Rights Act (awaiting action in the Senate)
- H.R. 7: No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act of 2023
- H.R. 21: Strategic Production Response Act (awaiting action in the Senate)
- H.R. 22: Protecting America's Strategic Petroleum Reserve from China Act (awaiting action in the Senate)
- H.R. 23: Family and Small Business Taxpayer Protection Act (awaiting action in the Senate)
- H.R. 25: FairTax Act of 2023
- H.R. 26: Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act (awaiting action in the Senate)
- H.R. 27: Prosecutors Need to Prosecute Act
- H.R. 28: Illegal Alien NICS Alert Act
- H.R. 29: Border Safety and Security Act of 2023
- H.R. 51: Washington, D.C., Admission Act
- H.R. 277: Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act
- H.R. 734: Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2023 (awaiting action in the Senate)
- H.R. 2811: Limit, Save, Grow Act of 2023 (incorporated into Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023)
- Senate bills
- S. 316: A bill to repeal the authorizations for use of military force against Iraq. (awaiting action in the House)
- S. 686: RESTRICT Act
- S. 870: Fire Grants and Safety Act (awaiting action in the House)
Major resolutions
Adopted
- H.Res. 5: Adopting the Rules of the House of Representatives for the One Hundred Eighteenth Congress, and for other purposes.
- H.Res. 11: Establishing the Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party.
- H.Res. 12: Establishing a Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government as a select investigative subcommittee of the Committee on the Judiciary.
- H.Res. 76: Removing Ilhan Omar from the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
- H.J.Res. 7: Terminating the national emergency concerning COVID-19 declared by the President on March 13, 2020.
- H.J.Res. 26: Disapproving the action of the District of Columbia Council in approving the Revised Criminal Code Act of 2022.
Proposed
- H.Con.Res. 3: Expressing the sense of Congress condemning the recent attacks on pro-life facilities, groups, and churches. (awaiting action in the Senate)
- H.Con.Res. 9: Denouncing the horrors of socialism. (awaiting action in the Senate)
- H.J.Res. 45: Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Education relating to "Waivers and Modifications of Federal Student Loans". (awaiting President's signature)
Vetoed
- H.J.Res. 27: Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers, Department of Defense and the Environmental Protection Agency relating to "Revised Definition of 'Waters of the United States'".
- H.J.Res. 30: Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Labor relating to "Prudence and Loyalty in Selecting Plan Investments and Exercising Shareholder Rights".
- H.J.Res. 39: Disapproving the rule submitted by the Department of Commerce relating to "Procedures Covering Suspension of Liquidation, Duties and Estimated Duties in Accord With Presidential Proclamation 10414".
- H.J.Res. 42: Disapproving the action of the District of Columbia Council in approving the Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act of 2022.
Party summary
- Resignations and new members are discussed in the "Changes in membership" section:
Senate
|
| Party (shading shows control)
|
Total | Vacant | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Independent | Republican | |||
| End of previous Congress[a] | 48 | 2 | 50 | 100 | 0 |
| Begin (January 3, 2023) | 48 | 3 | 49 | 100 | 0 |
| January 8, 2023[b] | 48 | 99 | 1 | ||
| January 23, 2023[b] | 49 | 100 | 0 | ||
| Latest voting share | 51.0% | 49.0% | |||
House of Representatives
|
| Party (shading shows control)
|
Total | Vacant | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Republican | |||
| End of previous Congress | 216 | 213 | 429 | 6 |
| Begin (January 3, 2023)[c] | 212 | 222 | 434 | 1 |
| March 7, 2023[c] | 213 | 435 | 0 | |
| May 31, 2023[d] | 212 | 434 | 1 | |
| Latest voting share | 48.8% | 51.2% | ||
| Non-voting members | 3 | 3[e] | 6 | 0 |
Leadership
Note: Democrats refer to themselves as a "Caucus"; Republicans refer to themselves as a "Conference".
Senate
Presiding
Majority (Democratic)
- Majority Leader/Chair of the Senate Democratic Caucus[f]: Chuck Schumer (NY)
- Majority Whip: Dick Durbin (IL)
- Chair of the Democratic Policy & Communications Committee: Debbie Stabenow (MI)
- Chair of the Democratic Steering Committee: Amy Klobuchar (MN)
- Vice Chairs, Senate Democratic Caucus: Mark Warner (VA) & Elizabeth Warren (MA)
- Chair of the Democratic Outreach Committee: Bernie Sanders (VT)
- Secretary of the Senate Democratic Caucus: Tammy Baldwin (WI)
- Vice Chairs of the Democratic Policy & Communications Committee: Joe Manchin (WV) & Cory Booker (NJ)
- Chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee: Gary Peters (MI)
- Vice Chair of the Democratic Steering Committee: Jeanne Shaheen (NH)
- Vice Chair of the Democratic Outreach Committee: Catherine Cortez Masto (NV)
- Deputy Secretary of the Senate Democratic Caucus: Brian Schatz (HI)
- Senate Democratic Chief Deputy Whip: Jeff Merkley (OR)
- Vice Chairs of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee: Tina Smith (MN) & Alex Padilla (CA)
Minority (Republican)
- Minority Leader: Mitch McConnell (KY)[11][12]
- Minority Whip: John Thune (SD)
- Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference: John Barrasso (WY)
- Chairwoman of the Republican Policy Committee: Joni Ernst (IA)
- Vice Chair of the Senate Republican Conference: Shelley Moore Capito (WV)
- Chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee: Steve Daines (MT)
- Chair of the Senate Republican Steering Committee: Mike Lee (UT)
House of Representatives
Presiding
- Speaker: Kevin McCarthy (R) (CA 20)
Majority (Republican)
- Majority Leader: Steve Scalise (LA 1)
- Majority Whip: Tom Emmer (MN 6)
- Conference Chair: Elise Stefanik (NY 21)
- Conference Vice Chair: Mike Johnson (LA 4)
- Conference Secretary: Lisa McClain (MI 9)
- Campaign Committee Chairman: Richard Hudson (NC 9)
- Majority Chief Deputy Whip: Guy Reschenthaler (PA 14)
Minority (Democratic)
- Minority Leader: Hakeem Jeffries (NY 8)[13]
- Minority Whip: Katherine Clark (MA 5)
- Caucus Chairman: Pete Aguilar (CA 33)
- Caucus Vice Chairman: Ted Lieu (CA 36)
- Minority Senior Chief Deputy Whip: Jan Schakowsky (IL 9)
- Chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee: Suzan DelBene (WA 1)
- Assistant Democratic Leader: Jim Clyburn (SC 6)
- Chair of the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee: Joe Neguse (CO 2)
- Chair of the House Democratic Policy and Communications Committee: Veronica Escobar (TX 16)
- House Democratic Freshman Class Leadership Representative: Jasmine Crockett (TX 30)
Members
Senate
The numbers refer to their Senate classes. All class 3 seats were contested in the November 2022 elections. In this Congress, class 3 means their term commenced in 2023, requiring re-election in 2028; class 1 means their term ends with this Congress, requiring re-election in 2024; and class 2 means their term began in the last Congress, requiring re-election in 2026.
House of Representatives
All 435 seats were filled by election in November 2022. Additionally, six non-voting members were elected from the American territories and Washington, D.C.[h]
The numbers refer to the congressional district of the given state in this Congress. Eight new congressional districts were created or re-created, while eight others were eliminated, as a result of the 2020 United States census.[i][j]
Changes in membership
Senate changes
| State (class) |
Vacated by | Reason for change | Successor | Date of successor's formal installation[l] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nebraska (2) |
Ben Sasse (R) |
Incumbent resigned January 8, 2023, to become the president of the University of Florida.[6] Successor was appointed January 12, 2023.[16][m] |
Pete Ricketts (R) |
January 23, 2023 |
House of Representatives changes
| District | Vacated by | Reason for change | Successor | Date of successor's formal installation[l] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia 4 | Vacant | Incumbent Donald McEachin (D) died November 28, 2022, before the beginning of this Congress. A special election was held on February 21, 2023.[18] |
Jennifer McClellan (D) |
March 7, 2023 |
| Rhode Island 1 | David Cicilline (D) |
Incumbent resigned May 31, 2023, to become CEO of the Rhode Island Foundation. A special election will be held on November 7, 2023.[9] |
TBD | |
| Utah 2 | Chris Stewart (R) |
Incumbent will resign by September 2023 due to his wife's health issues. A special election will be held on TBD, as determined by Governor Spencer Cox.[14] |
TBD | |
Committees
Section contents: Senate, House, Joint
Senate committees
Standing committees
| Committee | Chair | Ranking Member |
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry | Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) | John Boozman (R-AR) |
| Appropriations | Patty Murray (D-WA) | Susan Collins (R-ME) |
| Armed Services | Jack Reed (D-RI) | Roger Wicker (R-MS) |
| Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs | Sherrod Brown (D-OH) | Tim Scott (R-SC) |
| Budget | Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) | Chuck Grassley (R-IA) |
| Commerce, Science and Transportation | Maria Cantwell (D-WA) | Ted Cruz (R-TX) |
| Energy and Natural Resources | Joe Manchin (D-WV) | John Barrasso (R-WY) |
| Environment and Public Works | Tom Carper (D-DE) | Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) |
| Finance | Ron Wyden (D-OR) | Mike Crapo (R-ID) |
| Foreign Relations | Bob Menendez (D-NJ) | Jim Risch (R-ID) |
| Health, Education, Labor and Pensions | Bernie Sanders (I-VT) | Bill Cassidy (R-LA) |
| Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs | Gary Peters (D-MI) | Rand Paul (R-KY) |
| Judiciary | Dick Durbin (D-IL) | Lindsey Graham (R-SC) |
| Rules and Administration | Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) | Deb Fischer (R-NE) |
| Small Business and Entrepreneurship | Ben Cardin (D-MD) | Joni Ernst (R-IA) |
| Veterans' Affairs | Jon Tester (D-MT) | Jerry Moran (R-KS) |
Select, permanent select and special committees
| Committee | Chair | Ranking Member |
|---|---|---|
| Aging (Special) | Bob Casey Jr. (D-PA) | Mike Braun (R-IN) |
| Ethics (Select) | Chris Coons (D-DE) | James Lankford (R-OK) |
| Indian Affairs (Permanent Select) | Brian Schatz (D-HI) | Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) |
| Intelligence (Select) | Mark Warner (D-VA) | Marco Rubio (R-FL) |
| International Narcotics Control (Permanent Caucus) | Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) | Chuck Grassley (R-IA) |
House of Representatives committees
| Committee | Chair | Ranking Member |
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture | Glenn Thompson (R-PA) | David Scott (D-GA) |
| Appropriations | Kay Granger (R-TX) | Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) |
| Armed Services | Mike Rogers (R-AL) | Adam Smith (D-WA) |
| Budget | Jodey Arrington (R-TX) | Brendan Boyle (D-PA) |
| Education and the Workforce | Virginia Foxx (R-NC) | Bobby Scott (D-VA) |
| Energy and Commerce | Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) | Frank Pallone (D-NJ) |
| Ethics | Michael Guest (R-MS) | Susan Wild (D-PA) |
| Financial Services | Patrick McHenry (R-NC) | Maxine Waters (D-CA) |
| Foreign Affairs | Michael McCaul (R-TX) | Gregory Meeks (D-NY) |
| Homeland Security | Mark Green (R-TN) | Bennie Thompson (D-MS) |
| House Administration | Bryan Steil (R-WI) | Joe Morelle (D-NY) |
| Intelligence (Permanent Select) | Mike Turner (R-OH) | Jim Himes (D-CT) |
| Judiciary | Jim Jordan (R-OH) | Jerry Nadler (D-NY) |
| Natural Resources | Bruce Westerman (R-AR) | Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ) |
| Oversight and Reform | James Comer (R-KY) | Jamie Raskin (D-MD) |
| Rules | Tom Cole (R-OK) | Jim McGovern (D-MA) |
| Science, Space and Technology | Frank Lucas (R- OK) | Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) |
| Small Business | Roger Williams (R-TX) | Nydia Velázquez (D-NY) |
| Transportation and Infrastructure | Sam Graves (R-MO) | Rick Larsen (D-WA) |
| Veterans' Affairs | Mike Bost (R-IL) | Mark Takano (D-CA) |
| Ways and Means | Jason Smith (R-MO) | Richard Neal (D-MA) |
Joint committees
| Committee | Chair | Vice Chair | Ranking Member | Vice Ranking Member |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economic | Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM) | Rep. David Schweikert (R-AZ) | Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) | Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) |
| Library | Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) | Rep. Bryan Steil (R-WI) | Rep. Joe Morelle (D-NY) | Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE) |
| Printing | Rep. Bryan Steil (R-WI) | Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) | Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE) | Rep. Joe Morelle (D-NY) |
| Taxation[n] | Rep. Jason Smith (R-TX) | Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) | Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID) | Rep. Richard Neal (D-MA) |
Officers and officials
Congressional officers
- Architect of the Capitol: Brett Blanton (until February 23rd, 2023)
- Attending Physician: Brian P. Monahan
Senate officers
- Chaplain: Barry Black (Seventh-day Adventist)
- Curator: Melinda Smith
- Historian: Betty Koed
- Librarian: Leona I. Faust
- Parliamentarian: Elizabeth MacDonough
- Secretary: Sonceria Berry
- Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper: Karen Gibson
House of Representatives officers
- Chaplain: Margaret G. Kibben (Presbyterian)
- Chief Administrative Officer: Catherine Szpindor
- Clerk: Cheryl Johnson
- Historian: Matthew Wasniewski
- Parliamentarian: Jason Smith
- Reading Clerks: Tylease Alli (D) and Susan Cole (R)
- Sergeant at Arms: William McFarland
See also
- List of new members of the 118th United States Congress
- 2022 United States elections (elections leading to this Congress)
- 2024 United States elections (elections during this Congress, leading to the next Congress)
Notes
- ^ a b In Arizona: Kyrsten Sinema left the Democratic Party to become an independent politician on December 9, 2022. Effective January 3, 2023, Sinema does not participate in either political party caucus but keeps her seniority and continues to receive committee assignments through the Democrats.[4][5]
- ^ a b c d In Nebraska: Ben Sasse (R) resigned on January 8, 2023, to become President of the University of Florida.[6] Pete Ricketts (R) was appointed to fill the vacancy on January 12, 2023, and took office on January 23.
- ^ a b c In Virginia's 4th district: Donald McEachin (D) died during the previous Congress, and Jennifer McClellan (D) was elected February 21, 2023. She was sworn in on March 7.[7][8]
- ^ a b In Rhode Island's 1st district: David Cicilline (D) resigned on May 31, 2023.[9]
- ^ Includes a New Progressive Party member who is also affiliated as a Republican.
- ^ Since 1920, the Senate Democratic Leader has also concurrently served as the Democratic Caucus Chairperson; this is an unwritten tradition.
- ^ a b c d e f The Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL) is the Minnesota affiliate of the U.S. Democratic Party and its members are counted as Democrats.
- ^ a b Puerto Rico's non-voting member, the Resident Commissioner, is elected every four years. Jenniffer González was last elected in 2020.
- ^ The new districts created were: Colorado's 8th; Florida's 28th; North Carolina's 14th; Oregon's 6th; Texas's 37th; Texas's 38th. The districts re-created were: Montana's 1st; Montana's 2nd.
- ^ The eliminated districts were: California's 53rd; Illinois's 18th; Michigan's 14th; Montana's at-large; New York's 27th; Ohio's 16th; Pennsylvania's 18th; West Virginia's 3rd.
- ^ In Utah's 2nd district: Chris Stewart (R) will resign in September 2023 due to his wife's health issues.[14]
- ^ a b When seated or oath administered, not necessarily when service began.
- ^ Ricketts serves as senator on an interim basis, until a special election, which will be held on November 5, 2024, concurrently with the presidential election and the general election for Nebraska's class 1 senator. The winner of the special election will complete the remainder of Sasse's term, which expires on January 3, 2027, when the winner of the 2026 regular election will commence a full term.[17]
- ^ The Joint Taxation Committee leadership rotate the chair and vice chair and the ranking members between the House and Senate at the start of each session in the middle of the congressional term. The first session leadership is shown here.
References
- ^ "Republicans win control of the House, NBC News projects, overtaking Democrats by a slim margin". NBC News. Retrieved November 17, 2022.
- ^ "House Speaker Election Coverage: House adjourns after McCarthy suffers defeat on third ballot". The Hill. January 3, 2023. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
- ^ McCartney, Allison; Parlapiano, Alicia; Wu, Ashley; Zhang, Christine; Williams, Josh; Cochrane, Emily; Murphy, John-Michael (January 6, 2023). "Vote Count: McCarthy Elected House Speaker After 15 Ballots". The New York Times. Retrieved January 9, 2023.
- ^ "Sinema leaving the Democratic Party and registering as an independent". CNN. December 9, 2022. Retrieved December 25, 2022.
- ^ 2023 Congressional Record, Vol. 169, Page S22 (January 3, 2023)
- ^ a b Hammel, Paul (December 5, 2022). "Ben Sasse makes it official, will resign U.S. Senate seat Jan. 8". Nebraska Examiner. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
- ^ LeBlanc, Paul (November 29, 2022). "Virginia Rep. Donald McEachin dies at age 61". cnn.com. CNN. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
- ^ "On our radar: Jennifer McClellan will be sworn in to Congress next week". The Washington Post. March 2, 2023.
- ^ a b Scola, Nancy (May 31, 2023). "'Every Step of the Way, They Underestimated Us'". Politico.
- ^ Gutman, David (November 16, 2022). "Patty Murray to be first female Senate president pro tempore, third in line for presidency". The Seattle Times. Retrieved November 16, 2022.
- ^ Treene, Andrew Solender, Alayna (November 16, 2022). "McConnell re-elected as Senate GOP leader". Axios. Retrieved November 16, 2022.
- ^ LeVine, Marianne. "McConnell breaks Senate record for longest-serving leader". Politico. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
- ^ Mizelle, Shawna (January 4, 2023). "Hakeem Jeffries to make history as the first Black lawmaker to lead a party in Congress". CNN. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
- ^ a b Schott, Bryan. "Breaking: Rep. Chris Stewart plans to resign from Congress". sltrib.com. The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved May 30, 2023.
- ^ Gilbert, Haidee Eugenio (November 8, 2022). "Moylan defeats Won Pat in delegate race". Pacific Daily News. Retrieved November 8, 2022.
- ^ "Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen to announce US Senator Ben Sasse's replacement on Thursday". KETV. January 11, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
The appointment, which will be announced at 9 a.m., will be effective on Thursday.
- ^ "Nebraska Revised Statute 32-565". nebraskalegislature.gov. Nebraska Legislature. Retrieved November 17, 2022.
- ^ Flynn, Meagan (December 12, 2022). "Youngkin announces special election to fill late Rep. McEachin's seat". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
This page was last edited on 4 June 2023, at 02:09