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The 115th United States Congress was the 2017-2019 session of the legislative branch of the U.S. federal government, composed of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The 115th Congress convened on January iii, 2017, and concluded on January 3, 2019. New members were elected on November viii, 2016.

President Donald Trump (R) issued no vetoes during the 115th Congress. For more information on vetoes issued during the Trump administration, click here.

Leadership

Senate

Position Representative Party
President of the Senate Mike Pence Ends.png Republican
Senate Bulk Leadership
President pro tempore Orrin Hatch Ends.png Republican
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Ends.png Republican
Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn Ends.png Republican
Senate Minority Leadership
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer Electiondot.png Autonomous
Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin Electiondot.png Democratic

House of Representatives

Position Representative Political party
Speaker of the Business firm Paul Ryan Ends.png Republican
House Majority Leadership
House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy Ends.png Republican
House Bulk Whip Steve Scalise Ends.png Republican
House Minority Leadership
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi Electiondot.png Democratic
House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer Electiondot.png Democratic

Members

See also: List of current members of the U.Due south. Congress

Partisan remainder

U.S. Senate Partisan Breakup
Party As of November 5, 2018 After the 2018 Election
Autonomous Political party 47 45
Republican Party 51 53
Contained 2 2
Vacancies 0 0
Total 100 100
U.S. House Partisan Breakup
Political party As of Nov five, 2018 After the 2018 Election
Democratic Party 193 235
Republican Party 235 200[i]
Vacancies 7 0
Full 435 435

Wave elections (1918-2016)

Ballotpedia-Wave Election Analysis Banner.png

Run into also: Wave elections (1918-2016)

The term wave election is frequently used to draw an election cycle in which one party makes significant electoral gains. How many seats would Republicans have had to lose for the 2018 midterm election to exist considered a wave election?

Ballotpedia examined the results of the fifty election cycles that occurred between 1918 and 2016—spanning from President Woodrow Wilson'southward (D) second midterm in 1918 to Donald Trump'southward (R) first presidential ballot in 2016. We define moving ridge elections as the xx percent of elections in that period resulting in the greatest seat swings against the president'southward party.

Applying this definition to four different election groups (U.S. Senate, U.S. House, governorships, and country legislatures) yields specific numbers of seats that Republicans needed to lose for 2018 to qualify as a wave election. Those are:

  • 48 U.S. Business firm seats,
  • Vii U.Southward. Senate seats,
  • Seven gubernatorial seats, or
  • 494 state legislative seats.

The midterm ballot results in 2018 met those levels in one category, every bit Democrats gained 7 governorships. In congressional elections, Democrats had a internet gain of 40 U.Southward. Business firm seats while Republicans actually gained a internet total of ii U.Due south. Senate seats. Democrats gained a net 309 state legislative seats.

Click here to read the full report.

Special elections

Run into too: Special elections to the 115th United States Congress (2017-2018)

Special elections made up the bulk of Ballotpedia's congressional election coverage in 2017. Special elections to Congress occur when a legislator resigns or is removed from office. Depending on the specific state laws governing vacancies, a state can either hold an election within the same agenda twelvemonth or wait until the next regularly scheduled election. In a presidential ballot year, such equally 2016, information technology is normal for more special elections to accept place for members of Congress chosen for Cabinet positions.

The table beneath lists special elections to the 115th The states Congress.

District Prior Incumbent Chief Date General Ballot Candidates Election Date Winner Partisan Switch?
Michigan's 13th John Conyers Jr. Baronial 7, 2018 Democratic Party Brenda Jones
Republican Party No Republican filed
Nov half-dozen, 2018 Democratic Party Brenda Jones No
New York's 25th Louise Slaughter - Democratic Party Joseph Morelle
Republican Party James Maxwell
November half dozen, 2018 Democratic Party Joseph Morelle No
Pennsylvania's seventh Patrick Meehan - Democratic Party Mary Gay Scanlon
Republican Party Pearl Kim
November half dozen, 2018 Democratic Party Mary Gay Scanlon Yes
Pennsylvania's 15th Charlie Paring - Democratic Party Susan Wild
Republican Party Marty Nothstein
November vi, 2018 Democratic Party Susan Wild Aye
South Carolina's 5th Mick Mulvaney May 2, 2017 Democratic Party Archie Parnell
Republican Party Ralph Norman
Independent V other candidates
June 20, 2017 Republican Party Ralph Norman No
U.Due south. Senator from Alabama Jeff Sessions August xv, 2017 Republican Party Roy Moore
Democratic Party Doug Jones
Grey.png Arlester McBride
December 12, 2017 Democratic Party Doug Jones Yes
Utah'south 3rd Jason Chaffetz Baronial 15, 2017 Republican Party John Curtis
Democratic Party Kathie Allen
Libertarian Party Joe Buchman
Independent_American_Party Jason Christensen
Independent Sean Whalen
Independent Jim Bennett
November vii, 2017 Republican Party John Curtis No
Pennsylvania's 18th Tim Murphy Northward/A Democratic Party Conor Lamb
Republican Party Rick Saccone
March 13, 2018 Democratic Party Conor Lamb Yes
Georgia's 6th Tom Cost April eighteen, 2017[two] Democratic Party Jon Ossoff
Republican Party Karen Handel
June 20, 2017[3] Republican Party Karen Handel No
Arizona's eighth Trent Franks Feb 27, 2018 Democratic Party Hiral Tipirneni
Republican Party Debbie Lesko
April 24, 2018 Republican Party Debbie Lesko No
Montana'due south At-Large Ryan Zinke N/A Republican Party Greg Gianforte
Democratic Party Rob Quist
Libertarian Party Mark Wicks
May 25, 2017 Republican Party Greg Gianforte No
U.South. Senator from Minnesota Al Franken August xiv, 2018 Democratic Party Tina Smith
Republican Party Karin Housley
Grey.png Jerry Trooien
* Sarah Wellington
November 6, 2018 Democratic Party Tina Smith No
U.S. Senator from Mississippi Thad Cochran June five, 2018 Pending November six, 2018 Republican Party Cindy Hyde-Smith No
Texas' 27th Blake Farenthold N/A Democratic Party Raul (Roy) Barrera
Democratic Party Eric Holguin
Democratic Party Mike Westergren
Republican Party Bech Bruun
Republican Party Michael Cloud
Republican Party Marty Perez
Libertarian Party Daniel Tinus
Grey.png Judith Cutright
Grey.png Chris Suprun
June 30, 2018 Republican Party Michael Cloud No
Ohio's 12th Patrick Tiberi May 8, 2018 Democratic Party Danny O'Connor
Republican Party Troy Balderson

Green Party

Joe Manchik
Grey.png Jonathan Veley
August seven, 2018 Republican Party Troy Balderson No
California's 34th Xavier Becerra Apr four, 2017 Democratic Party Robert Lee Ahn
Democratic Party Jimmy Gomez
June 6, 2017 Democratic Party Jimmy Gomez No
Kansas' 4th Mike Pompeo Due north/A Republican Party Ron Estes
Democratic Party Jim Thompson
Libertarian Party Chris Rockhold
April eleven, 2017 Republican Party Ron Estes No

On the bug

Throughout the grade of the 115th Congress, nosotros curated statements and reactions by members of Congress on a multifariousness of different policy areas and topics. Click on a tile beneath to read most what members of the 115th Congress said near the following issues.

Key votes

See likewise: Key votes: 115th Congress, 2017-2018

Members of the 115th United States Congress introduced 13,556 pieces of legislation, and 867 of those received a vote. Ballotpedia identified 79 of those votes as key votes—votes that helped citizens understand where their legislators stood on major policy issues.[4]

Congressional committees

U.S. Senate

Congressional committees (Senate)

Page:
U.s.a. Senate Committee on War machine
United States Senate Committee on Ethics (Select)
United States Senate Committee on Modest Business concern and Entrepreneurship
United States Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
United States Senate Committee on Indian Affairs
U.s.a. Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs
U.s. Senate Committee on Crumbling (Special)
United States Senate Committee on Cyberbanking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
United States Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
U.s. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
United States Senate Committee on Rules and Administration
United states Senate Commission on Appropriations
United States Senate Commission on Strange Relations
United States Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
United States Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works
Usa Senate Commission on Intelligence (Select)
U.s. Senate Committee on Upkeep
United States Senate Commission on Finance
Us Senate Committee on the Judiciary

U.S. House

Congressional committees (Firm)

Folio:
United States House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs
United States Firm of Representatives Commission on House Administration
United States Business firm of Representatives Committee on Education and the Workforce
United States Firm of Representatives Committee on Judiciary
United States House of Representatives Committee on Natural Resource
U.s.a. House of Representatives Commission on Energy and Commerce
United States House of Representatives Committee on Financial Services
United States House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations
U.s.a. House of Representatives Committee on Armed services
United States House of Representatives Commission on Ethics
United states House of Representatives Commission on Intelligence (Permanent Select)
United states of america House of Representatives Committee on Small-scale Business
United States House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Regime Reform
U.s.a. Business firm of Representatives Committee on Agriculture
The states Business firm of Representatives Committee on Homeland Security
United States House of Representatives Committee on Rules
United States House of Representatives Commission on Ways and Means
U.s.a. House of Representatives Commission on Transportation and Infrastructure
The states House of Representatives Committee on Budget
U.s. House of Representatives Commission on Science, Space, and Technology
Usa Firm of Representatives Commission on Veterans' Diplomacy

Joint committees

Congressional committees (Joint)

Folio:
United States Congress Joint Committee on Press
United States Congress Articulation Commission on the Library
The states Congress Articulation Economic Committee
United States Congress Articulation Committee on Taxation

Supreme Courtroom vacancy

Come across likewise: Nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court and Resignation of Anthony Kennedy from the U.S. Supreme Court

Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy announced he was assuming senior status on the courtroom on June 27, 2018. President Trump followed past nominating Brett Kavanaugh to make full the vacancy on July 9, 2018. The Senate voted 50-48-one to confirm Kavanaugh as the 114th associate justice of the Supreme Court on October 6, 2018. Click hither for more coverage.

Confirmation process

See also: Confirmation process overview for Donald Trump'due south Cabinet nominees

The 115th Congress was tasked with confirming President Donald Trump'due south Chiffonier nominees. Before a presidential Cabinet nominee could be confirmed by the U.Southward. Senate, he or she was required to pass several rounds of investigation and review, beginning with the submission of a personal financial disclosure study and a background check. The nominee was then evaluated in a commission hearing, which allowed for a shut test of the nominee and his or her views on public policy. Supporters and opponents of the nominee were also able to prove.[5] Following the closing of committee hearings, near committees had a gear up corporeality of time before a vote was taken on whether the nominee was reported to the Senate favorably, unfavorably, or without recommendation.[5]

Analysis

Switching chambers

At the beginning of the 115th Congress, 50 of the 100 members of the U.Southward. Senate had previously served in the U.S. House of Representatives. This included 27 of 52 Senate Republicans, 22 of 46 Senate Democrats, and i of the 2 independents who caucused with the Democrats.

Salary

As of 2022, members of Congress are paid $174,000 per twelvemonth. Senate majority and minority leaders, as well as the president pro tempore, receive $193,400. The speaker of the House receives $223,500.[6]

Some historical facts almost the salary of Us Congress members:

  • In 1789, members of Congress received a $6 per diem.[half dozen]
  • In 1874, members of Congress earned $five,000 per year.[6]
  • In 1990, members of Congress earned $98,400 per year.[6]
  • From 2000-2006, the salary of a fellow member of the United States Congress increased every year, going from $141,300 to $165,200 in that time span.[6]

Demographics

The 115th Congress surpassed the 114th Congress as the most diverse Congress in the nation's history.

In that location were three black, four Hispanic, and three Asian senators. There were also 21 women and one openly LGBTQ fellow member of the Senate. Overall, 26 pct of the Senate was made upwards of women or minorities, and the remaining 74 percent was white men. There were 94 racial or ethnic minorities in the House and 83 women, also as half-dozen openly LGBTQ members. Overall, 34 percent of the House was made up of women or minorities, and the remaining 66 percent was white men.[7]

Over 90 pct of Congress identified as Christians, while roughly six percent of members were Jewish. There were as well iii Buddhists, three Hindus, two Muslims, and one Unitarian Universalist. One member of Congress, Rep. Kyrsten Sinema (AZ-9), described herself as unaffiliated with any faith.[8]

See as well

  • United states Congress elections, 2016
  • United States Senate elections, 2016
  • The states Business firm of Representatives elections, 2016
  • 114th U.s. Congress
  • Results of U.South. Business firm elections in presidential election years, 1920-2020
  • United States Congress
  • United states of america Senate
  • United States House of Representatives

Footnotes

  1. One undecided 2018 race was decided in September 2019 when Dan Bishop (R) won the special election. The state board of elections called a new election following allegations of absentee ballot fraud in the 2018 race. Unofficial returns from the 2018 election showed Marker Harris (R) leading McCready, who was too the Democratic candidate in 2018, past 905 votes. Harris said he did non run over again in 2019 due to health issues. Click here for more information on the backwash of the 2018 election.
  2. While technically a general ballot, the April 18 ballot was functionally a acme-two primary because no candidate received the 50 percent of the vote required to win the race outright.
  3. June twenty, 2017, runoff ballot between Republican Karen Handel and Democrat Jon Ossoff.
  4. GovTrack, "Statistics and Historical Comparing," accessed March 12, 2019
  5. 5.0 5.1 CRS Report for Congress, "Senate Confirmation Procedure: An Overview," accessed July 24, 2013
  6. 6.0 half-dozen.1 six.2 6.3 6.4 U.Southward. Senate, "Salaries," accessed May 29, 2012
  7. Daily KOS, "Check out our comprehensive 115th Congress guide, with election data, demographics, and member stats," January three, 2017
  8. U.S. News, "The 115th Congress past Political party, Race, Gender and Faith," January 5, 2017