61st United States Congress
The 61st United States Congress , made up of the House and Senate , was the United States' legislature . Its legislative period lasted from March 4, 1909 to March 4, 1911. All members of the House of Representatives and a third of the senators ( Class III ) were elected in the 1908 congressional elections. This resulted in a majority in both chambers for the Republican Party , which with William H. Taft also provided the president. The only remaining role for the Democratic Party was in the opposition. During the legislative period there were a few resignations and deaths, but these did not change the majority. The Congress met in the American capital Washington, DC The United States then consisted of 46 states. The distribution of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the 1900 census .
Important events
- March 4, 1909: Beginning of the legislature of the 61st Congress. At the same time, William Howard Taft will be inducted into his new office as US President. He takes over from Theodore Roosevelt .
- March 7, 1909: The subway in the Capitol complex in Washington DC begins operations.
- March 30, 1909: Blackwell's Island Bridge (later Queensboro Bridge ) over the East River opens to traffic. It connects the districts of Manhattan and Queens in New York City .
- August 7, 1909: Alice Ramsey and three companions arrive at their destination in San Francisco on the first drive of an automobile driver from coast to coast of the USA. The women started in New York on June 9th.
- January 21, 1910: The US Senate in Washington decides to annex Spitsbergen .
- October 27, 1910: As part of the US military intervention , the Dawson Pactos are signed in Nicaragua .
- November 7, 1910: A Wright Company aircraft carries the first air cargo on behalf of a department store from Dayton , Ohio, to Columbus , Ohio, some 100 kilometers away .
- November 1910: The US congressional elections result in a majority in the Senate for the Republican Party. The Democratic Party has a majority in the House of Representatives.
The main laws
During the session of the 61st Congress, the following federal laws were passed ( see also: Legislative procedure ):
- Aug. 5, 1909 - Payne-Aldrich Tariff Act
- Jun. 18, 1910 - Mann-Elkins Act
- June 25, 1910 - Mann Act
- March 3, 1911 - Judicial Code of 1911
Composition according to parties
senate
- Democratic Party: 32
- Republican Party: 60 (majority)
- Others (0
Total: 92
House of Representatives
- Democratic Party: 171
- Republican Party: 219 (majority)
- Others: 1
Total: 391
There were also seven congressional delegates who were not entitled to vote
Public officials
senate
House of Representatives
Leadership of the majority party
- Majority Leader : Sereno E. Payne (R)
Leadership of the minority party
- Minority Leader: Champ Clark (D)
Senate members
The following senators represented their respective states in the 61st Congress:
Members of the House of Representatives
The following congressmen represented the interests of their respective states in the 61st Congress:
Members of the House of Representatives who are not entitled to vote:
- Alaska Territory : James Wickersham (R)
- Arizona Territory : Ralph H. Cameron (R)
- Territory of Hawaii : Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaʻole (R)
- New Mexico Territory : William Henry Andrews (R)
-
Philippines :
- 1. Benito Legarda
- 2. Pablo Ocampo (D) until November 22, 1909
- Manuel Quezon (Unionist) from November 23, 1909
- Puerto Rico : Tulio Larrinaga (Unionist)
Web links
- bioguide.congress.gov (by entering 61 under Year OR Congress: you get a list of the members of the 61st Congress with a link to the official biographies; English)