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The First Session of the Eightieth Congress
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 02 September 2013
Extract
The Eightieth Congress convened under unusual circumstances. The Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 having just become law, the House and Senate were subjected to the most complete reorganization of recent times. This was due to two things.
First, both parties in each house had to assign de novo every one of their members to the newly established committees. Normally, all members reëlected to Congress are returned to their same committee assignments. Thus the committees on committees are not concerned with giving them committee appointments; some transfers from one committee to a more important one are granted upon request to reëlected members, and promotions are allowed by moving up reëlected members to fill any vacancies on their committees created by defeats or resignations from Congress. This time, the number of committee assignments was curtailed under the law along with a sharp reduction in the number of standing committees. In the House, standing committees were reduced from 48 to 19; in the Senate, from 33 to 15. The shake-up called for a reëxamination of all candidates for every committee berth.
Secondly, party control of the two houses had shifted from the Democrats to the Republicans, and in the face of a Democratic Administration. President Truman acknowledged this latter situation in his State of the Union message when he said: “… The Congress and the President, during the next two years, must work together. It is not unusual in our history that the majority of the Congress represents a party in opposition to the President's party. I am the twentieth President of the United States who, at some time during his term of office, has found his own party to be in the minority in one or both Houses of the Congress. … On some domestic issues,” he continued, “we may, and probably shall, disagree. That in itself is not to be feared.”
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- American Government and Politics
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- Copyright
- Copyright © American Political Science Association 1948
References
1 The Democrats took control of the House in 1931, when John N. Garner was elected speaker and Henry T. Rainey majority floor leader, and held it continuously until January 3, 1947, when Joseph Martin, Jr., was elected speaker and Charles A. Halleck majority floor leader.
2 See Congressional Record, 80th Cong., 1st Sess., pp. 32–37; hereafter cited as C. R., 80–1.
3 C. R., 80–1, pp. 325–326.
4 C. R., 80–1, pp. 393–4.
5 Senator Bilbo left Washington and entered a hospital for an operation. Death prevented him from returning to the Senate for final disposition of his credentials (See C. R., 80–1, pp. 4–7).
6 C. R., 80–1, pp. 111–113.
7 C. R., 80–1, p. 167.
8 Senator Barkley “deplored” the fact that among “the entire list of 15 committees the majority conference decided there should be a disproportionate ratio on the Appropriations Committee, the Committee on Rules and Administration, and the Labor and Public Welfare Committee. It seems to me that other committees might have been selected to take care of all the majority members without what to me and to some of the other Senators on this side appears to be an unfair distribution on these three important committees of the Senate.” (C. R., 80–1, p. 113.)
9 For comments on the innovation and reasons therefor, see remarks by Majority Floor Leader White at p. 181 of C. R., 80–1.
10 For illustrations, see C. R., 80–1, pp. 9302–9303, 3776.
11 Examples of agreements reached can be found in C. R., 80–1, at pp. 6399–6400, 4330–4331, 3691.
12 C. R., 80–1, pp. 6851, 6910–6911.
13 C. R., 80–1, p. 5969.
14 Senator Tydings said: “I do not know of any more important work the Senate does than in committees. In my judgment, it is much more important than the average work done on the floor. Furthermore, so long as we have no limit on debate it frequently occurs that a member of the Senate will feel called upon, as he has the right to do, to speak for 2, 3, or 4, or 5 hours. Personally I have much work to do as an individual Senator, and I should like to be excused so that I could get some of the work done.
“The Committee on Armed Services, of which the distinguished Senator from South Dakota [Mr. Gurney] is the chairman, has been holding meetings now for about two solid months, giving everyone a chance to be heard on the very controversial merger bill. It so happens that the Appropriations Committee, of which I am a member, meets almost simultaneously with the Committee on Armed Services. The Senator from South Dakota is also a member of the Appropriations Committee, as is the Senator from Georgia [Mr. Russell], the Senator from Massachusetts [Mr. Saltonstall], and other Senators who find themselves daily being called to sessions of two committees meeting at the same time.
“If the Congress wishes to get its work done, some way must be found so that the committees can transact business. Personally, I feel that one of the oversights, perhaps, in the Reorganization Act was to compel members not to have committee meetings while the Senate is in session. There are many sessions of the Senate when all Senators ought to be present. There are many sessions of the Senate when I do not feel that a Senator can render any real service if a member is speaking for 3 or 4 hours on the floor of the Senate, when we could be devoting ourselves to considering and preparing for submission to the Senate constructive and needed legislation.” (C. R., 80–1, pp. 5583–4).
15 Senator Barkley, minority floor leader, stated: “Yes, Mr. President, I deplore as much as any other Senator the absence of Senators from the floor. I have labored with that problem for years. … I do not know what is responsible. I cannot project my vision into the bosom of any Senator and find out why he does not attend. He may have work in his office. He may have other things to look after. I doubt now, if a census were to be taken of all the committees that are in session this afternoon, if there are any which have obtained consent to sit during the sitting of the Senate, there would be found a sufficient number of members there to make up the deficiency between the number of Senators present and the number necessary to make a quorum. I doubt very much if the meeting of these committees in the afternoon has had much to do with absenteeism. I recall that a certain committee before which I was to appear a few days ago obtained consent to meet during a session of the Senate, and I appeared before the committee to testify. The chairman of the committee was the only one who was there. I made my statement and left. Certainly the consent of the Senate that that committee hold a meeting in the afternoon did not result in the absence of a quorum on the floor of the Senate. I do not know what the remedy is. (C. R., 80–1, p. 6853.)
16 N. Y. Times, May 20.
17 C. R., 801, p. 7740.
18 Conference reports (privileged business) could be brought up under regular procedure, merely staying the pending business until finished.
19 C. R., 80–1, 10609–10614.
20 C. R., 80–1, p. 10020.
21 Considerable time was spent on conference reports and veto messages, both of which are privileged business.
22 Fifty-eight were adopted, seven were laid on the table when bills for which they provided consideration were passed under unanimous consent, and five were left on the calendar at the end of the session.
23 Fifty-nine were acted on, but only 57 were adopted—one was defeated and the other recommitted.
24 The original copy of this bill sent down for the President's signature was lost in the White House, which caused a bit of excitement. With the deadline approaching before the President had to sign or pocket veto it, a duplicate copy had to be rushed to the speaker and president pro tempore for signature.
25 Under Section 131 of the Reorganization Act, private claims arising after January 1, 1945, may not “be received and considered in either the Senate or the House.” The one-year statute of limitation is stipulated in the Federal Tort Claims Act as not applicable to such claims arising prior to January 1, 1945. Likewise, claims arising prior to January 1, 1945, are not banned under Section 131 of the act. Hence, bills involving claims prior to January 1, 1945, may be introduced at any time. Also, there are other possible exceptions under the Federal Tort Claims Act.
26 During the second session of the Seventy-ninth Congress, 967 laws were enacted—440 public and 527 private.
27 The legislative activity of the two chambers was greater than the number of laws enacted. Of the 1,029 measures passed by the House, 568 were House bills, 138 Senate bills, 33 House joint resolutions, 29 Senate joint resolutions, 21 House concurrent resolutions, 10 Senate concurrent resolutions, and 230 House resolutions. (In the second session of the Seventy-ninth Congress, 1,183 measures were passed). During the first session of the Eightieth Congress, 5,658 bills and resolutions were introduced in the House, of which 4,831 were House bills, 284 House joint resolutions, 129 House concurrent resolutions, and 414 House resolutions. (In the second session of the Seventy-ninth Congress, 2,566 bills and resolutions were introduced in the House). House committees made 1,234 reports.
Of the 841 measures passed by the Senate in the first session of the Eightieth Congress, 278 were Senate bills, 368 House bills, 47 Senate joint resolutions, 30 House joint resolutions, 12 Senate concurrent resolutions, 19 House concurrent resolutions, and 87 Senate resolutions. (In the second session of the Seventy-ninth Congress, 1,098 measures were passed.) During the first session of the Eightieth Congress, 2,312 bills and resolutions were introduced, of which 1,924 were Senate bills, 170 Senate joint resolutions, 37 Senate concurrent resolutions, and 181 Senate resolutions. (In the second session of the Seventy-ninth Congress, 977 bills and resolutions were introduced in the Senate). Senate committees made 809 reports.
28 These figures were compiled by the Bureau of the Budget.
29 In discussing the resolution, Senator O'Mahoney stated: “I believe that public spending should be reduced to the utmost, but I recognize the fact, which the whole country ought to know, that this resolution is nothing more than a gesture; it means nothing; it is not a commitment.” Senator Taft replied: “… When we adopt this resolution … I shall regard it as a promise, so far as I personally am concerned, to see that the appropriations passed by the Senate do not exceed that amount.” (C. R., 80–1, pp. 1646–1647.)
30 The Reorganization Act provides: “All hearings conducted by standing committees or their subcommittees shall be open to the public, except executive sessions for marking up bills or for voting or where the committee by a majority vote orders an executive session.” Sec. 133 (f).
31 C. R., 80–1, p. 4643.
32 C. R., 80–1, p. 7325.
33 H. Rept. 589, p. 3. This report accompanied H. R. 3839, Independent Offices Appropriation Bill, 1948.
34 H. Rept. 178, p. 9.
35 The Senate adopted the following: S. Res. 20, small business; S. Res. 46, national defense; S. Res. 54, 114, and 142, election of senators; S. Res. 75, surplus property; S. Res. 120, judicial matters; S. Res. 129–130, appropriations; S. Res. 132, RFC; S. Res. 141, social security; S. Res. 137, immigration and displaced persons; S. Res. 148, Indians, reclamation, and related problems; S. Res. 147, agriculture; S. Res. 152, governmental relationships; S. Res. 156, interstate and foreign commerce matters; and S. Res. 161, “voice of America” program.
The House adopted the following: H. Res. 18, small business; H. Res. 36, merchant marine and fisheries; H. Res. 58, newsprint; H. Res. 61 and 151, appropriations; H. Res. 90 (see also 100, 170, 185, 196, 197, 207, 333, 334), government agencies, including surplus property, propaganda activities, rules and regulations; H. Res. 77 (also H. Res. 152), providing funds for investigations by Un-American Activities Committee; H. Res. 93, matters of Public Lands Committee; H. Res. Ill, matters of Education and Labor Committee; H. Res. 118, actions, regulations, etc., of government agencies; H. Res. 120, Veterans Affairs Committee investigations; H. Res. 141, Armed Services Committee investigations; H. Res. 153, Interstate and Foreign Commerce Committee investigations; H. Res. 166, potato surplus; H. Res. 176, Post Office and Civil Service Committee investigations; H. Res. 195, D. C. home rule; H. Res. 211, surveys of certain works of improvement; H. Res. 293, internal revenue laws; H. Res. 295, Foreign Affairs Committee investigations; H. Res. 296, foreign aid; H. Res. 298, Agriculture Committee investigations; H. Res. 338, investigation of contested elections cases; H. Res. 373, funds and authority to Committee on Public Works; H. Res. 403, to study gray markets; and H. Res. 404, commodity exchange investigations.
The following were joint investigations: S. Con. Res. 19, consumer prices by Joint Committee on Economic Report; H. Con. Res. 104, housing; Public Law 101, Special Joint Labor Study Committee; Public Law 162, Commission to Study Executive Branch of Government; Public Law 585 of 79th, Atomic Energy; Public Law 601 and 304 of 79th, Joint Committee on the Economic Report; Public Law 250 of 77th, Joint Committee on Non-essential Expenditures; Section 1203 of Revenue Act of 1926, Joint Committee on Internal Revenue Taxation; Public Law 287, Temporary Congressional Aviation Policy Board.
36 The Armed Forces nominations were held over for the ensuing session, instead of having to be resubmitted. This procedure was possible under unanimous consent to suspend Rule 38, paragraph 6, as applied to these nominations.
37 C. R., 80–1, pp. 135–9.
38 H. Doc. 19 of 80th Cong.
39 H. Doc. 430 of 80th Cong.
40 See H. Doc. 141 of 80th Cong.
41 See S. J. Res. 123, which became P. L. 239.
42 Original message submitted on June 29, 1945; a supporting letter was sent on Feb. 5, 1947; S. 564 became P. L. 199.
43 S. 938; P. L. 75.
44 S. 758 became P. L. 253.
45 S. 993; P. L. 89.
46 H. R. 3203; P. L. 129.
47 S. 350; P. L. 130.
48 S. J. Res. 135; P. L. 132.
49 H. R. 3647; P. L. 188.
50 H. R. 4075; P. L. 388.
51 H. R. 3830; P. L. 381.
52 S. 866; S. Report 140.
53 Bills were introduced and hearings and executive sessions were held, but committees never voted to report such & measure.
54 H. R. 3020; P. L. 101.
55 H. R. 3818; P. L. 379.
56 H. R. 2157; P. L. 49.
57 C. R., 80–1, p. 6416: comment by Senator McGrath.
58 The two bills were H. R. 1 and H. R. 3950.
59 See C. R., 80–1, p. 3066; also see legislative history of H. R. 2849, Deficiency Appropriations Bill.
60 See legislative history of this bill (II. R. 3601) and the attention called to letters sent out by county agents, etc.
61 House Rept. 1073, p. 7.
62 H. R. 3020, labor bill; P. L. 101.
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