72nd United States Congress
The 72nd Congress of the United States , consisting of the House and Senate , was the legislature of the United States . Its legislative term lasted from March 4, 1931 to March 4, 1933. All members of the House of Representatives and one-third of the Senators ( Class II ) were elected in the state of Maine in the November 1930 and September congressional elections. This resulted in a majority in the Senate for the Republican Party , which initially also provided a narrow majority in the House of Representatives. The Democrats managed to get a majority by October 1931. This was made possible through by-elections for deceased or resigned MPs. At the time of the first meeting in December 1931, they already had a majority in the House of Representatives. At the time of the 72nd Congress, Republican Herbert Hoover was US President. The Congress met in the American capital Washington, DC The United States at that time consisted of 48 states. The distribution of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the 1910 census . (Due to a lack of political majorities, the actual adjustment was not made based on the figures from the 1920 census . The next adjustment was not made until 1933 with the data from the 1930 census ).
Important events
The entire legislative period was overshadowed by the great world economic crisis and the associated problems of those years. These include bank failures, rapidly rising unemployment figures and the resulting dissatisfaction among the population, which is also reflected in political demonstrations.
- March 4, 1931: beginning of the legislative period of the 72nd Congress
- July 28, 1932: The so-called Bonus Army is dissolved.
- November 8, 1932: Presidential and Congressional elections in the United States. The Democrats create a landslide victory in both chambers of Congress. Franklin D. Roosevelt , also a Democrat, is elected future President (in office March 4, 1933).
The main laws
During the session of the 72nd Congress, the following federal laws were passed ( see also: Legislative procedure ):
- January 22, 1932: Reconstruction Finance Corporation
- March 23, 1932: Norris-LaGuardia Act
- June 6, 1932: Revenue Act of 1932
- July 22, 1932: Federal Home Loan Bank Act
- March 3, 1933: Buy American Act
Composition according to parties
senate
- Democratic Party: 46
- Republican Party: 48 (majority)
- Others: 1
- Vacant: 1
Total: 96
House of Representatives
- Democratic Party: 220 (majority)
- Republican Party: 207
- Others: 1
- Vacant: 7
Total: 435 (as of February 16, 1933)
There were also five congressional delegates who were not entitled to vote
Public officials
senate
Leadership of the majority party
- Majority Leader: James Eli Watson (R)
- Majority swhip: Simeon D. Fess (R)
Leadership of the minority party
- Minority Leader: Joseph Taylor Robinson (D)
- Minority whip: Morris Sheppard (D)
House of Representatives
- House Speaker : John Nance Garner (D). (At the time of the first session of the 72nd Congress on December 7, 1931, the Democrats already had a majority and, Garner, they elected an MP from among their ranks).
Leadership of the majority party
- Majority Leader: Henry T. Rainey (D)
Leadership of the minority party
- Minority Leader: Bertrand Snell (R)
Senate members
The following senators represented their respective states in the 72nd Congress:
Members of the House of Representatives
The following congressmen represented the interests of their respective states in the 72nd Congress:
Members of the House of Representatives who are not entitled to vote:
-
Alaska Territory :
- James Wickersham (R)
- Hawaii Territory :
- Philippines :
-
Puerto Rico :
-
Félix Córdova Dávila until April 11, 1932
- José Lorenzo Pesquera from April 15, 1932
-
Félix Córdova Dávila until April 11, 1932
Web links
- bioguide.congress.gov (by entering 72 under Year OR Congress: you get a list of the members of the 72nd Congress with a link to the official biographies; English)