The Eightieth United States Congress was a 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 met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1947 to January 3, 1949, during the third and fourth years of Harry S. Truman's presidency. The apportionment of seats in this House of Representatives was based on the Sixteenth Census of the United States in 1940. Republicans gained a majority in both chambers for this Congress having gained thirteen Senate seats and fifty-seven House seats. Although the 80th Congress passed a total of 906 public bills, President Truman nicknamed it the "Do Nothing Congress" and, during the 1948 election, campaigned as much against it as against his formal opponent, Thomas Dewey. The 80th Congress passed several significant pro-business bills, most famously the Taft–Hartley Act, but it opposed most of Truman's Fair Deal bills. Truman's campaign strategy worked, and the Republicans lost nine Senate seats and seventy-three seats in the House, allowing the Democrats to begin the 81st Congress with twenty-one more seats than they had had at the end of the 79th Congress.
January 3, 1947: Proceedings of Congress were televised for the first time.
March 12, 1947: In a Joint Session of Congress, President Truman proclaimed the Truman Doctrine.
July 18, 1947: The Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands entered into a trusteeship with the United Nations and administered by the United States.
July 20, 1947: President Truman issued the second peacetime military draft in the United States amid increasing tensions with the Soviet Union.
November 24, 1947: The House of Representatives approved citations of contempt of Congress against the so-called Hollywood 10.
July 26, 1948: President Truman signed Executive Order 9981, ending racial segregation in the United States Armed Forces.
August 25, 1948: House Un-American Activities Committee held the first-ever televised congressional hearing: "Confrontation Day" between Whittaker Chambers and Alger Hiss.
November 2, 1948: United States general elections, 1948:
Presidential election: Harry Truman defeated Thomas Dewey, Henry A. Wallace, and Strom Thurmond;
Democrats regained control of the Senate and the House of Representatives
May 22, 1947: Assistance to Greece and Turkey Act (Truman Doctrine), Sess. 1, ch. 81, Pub.L. 80–75, 61 Stat. 103
June 23, 1947: Taft–Hartley Act, Sess. 1, ch. 120, Pub.L. 80–101, 61 Stat. 136
July 18, 1947: Presidential Succession Act, Sess. 1, ch. 264, Pub.L. 80–199, 61 Stat. 380
July 26, 1947: National Security Act of 1947, Sess. 1, ch. 343, Pub.L. 80–253, 61 Stat. 495
August 7, 1947: Mineral Leasing Act for Acquired Lands, Sess. 1, ch. 513, Pub.L. 80–382, 61 Stat. 913
January 27, 1948: United States Information and Educational Exchange Act, Sess. 2, ch. 36, Pub.L. 80–402, 62 Stat. 6
April 3, 1948: Foreign Assistance Act (Marshall Plan), Pub.L. 80–472, Sess. 2, ch. 169, 62 Stat. 137
April 3, 1948: Greek-Turkish Assistance Act of 1948 (Marshall Plan), Sess. 2, ch. 169, Pub.L. 80–472, Title III, 62 Stat. 157
May 26, 1948: Civil Air Patrol Act, Sess. 2, ch. 349, Pub.L. 80–557, 62 Stat. 274
June 12, 1948: Women's Armed Services Integration Act, Sess. 2, ch. 449, Pub.L. 80–625, 62 Stat. 356
June 17, 1948: Reed-Bulwinkle Act, Sess. 2, ch. 491, Pub.L. 80–662, 62 Stat. 472
June 25, 1948: Title 3 of the United States Code, Sess. 2, ch. 644, Pub.L. 80–771, 62 Stat. 672
June 28, 1948: Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act of 1948, Pub.L. 80–806, 62 Stat. 1070
June 30, 1948: Federal Water Pollution Control Act, Sess. 2, ch. 758, Pub.L. 80–845, 62 Stat. 1155
July 3, 1948: War Claims Act of 1948, Sess. 2, ch. 826, Pub.L. 80–896, 62 Stat. 1240
July 3, 1948: Agricultural Act of 1948, Sess. 2, ch. 827, Pub.L. 80–897, 62 Stat. 1247
March 21, 1947: Twenty-second Amendment to the United States Constitution proposed
From the beginning to the end of this Congress, there was no net change in party power. The Democrats lost one seat, which remained vacant until the next Congress.
[ Section contents: Senate: Majority (R), Minority (D) • House: Majority (R), Minority (D) ]
President: Vacant
President pro tempore: Arthur Vandenberg (R)
Majority leader: Wallace White
Majority whip: Kenneth Wherry
Conference Chairman: Eugene Millikin
Republican Conference Secretary: Milton Young
Policy Committee Chairman: Robert A. Taft
Minority leader: Alben Barkley
Minority whip: Scott Lucas
Caucus Secretary: Brien McMahon
Speaker: Joseph Martin (R)
Majority Leader: Charles Halleck
Republican Whip: Leslie Arends
Republican Conference Chairman: Roy O. Woodruff
Minority Leader: Sam Rayburn
Democratic Whip: John McCormack
Democratic Caucus Chairman: Aime Forand
Democratic Campaign Committee Chairman: Michael J. Kirwan
House Democratic Caucus
Senators are popularly elected statewide every two years, with one-third beginning new six-year terms with each Congress. Preceding the names in the list below are Senate class numbers, which indicate the cycle of their election.
The names of members of the House of Representatives elected statewide at-large, are preceded by an "At-Large," and the names of those elected from districts, whether plural or single member, are preceded by their district numbers.
The congressional district numbers are linked to articles describing the district itself. Since the boundaries of the districts have changed often and substantially, the linked article may only describe the district as it exists today, and not as it was at the time of this Congress.
The count below reflects changes from the beginning of the first session of this Congress
There were 3 deaths, 2 resignations, and one lost mid-term election.
There were 9 deaths and 7 resignations.
Lists of committees and their party leaders.
Agriculture and Forestry
Appropriations
Banking and Currency
District of Columbia
Expenditures in Executive Departments
Finance
Foreign Relations
Interior and Insular Affairs
Interstate Commerce
Investigate the National Defense Program (Special)
Judiciary
Labor and Public Welfare
Petroleum Resources (Special)
Post Office and Civil Service
Public Lands
Public Works
Remodeling the Senate Chamber (Special)
Small Business Enterprises (Special)
Whole
Agriculture
Appropriations
Banking and Currency
District of Columbia
Education and Labor
Expenditures in the Executive Departments
Foreign Affairs
House Administration
Merchant Marine and Fisheries
Post Office and Civil Service
Public Lands
Public Works
Rules
Small Business (Select)
Standards of Official Conduct
Un-American Activities
Veterans' Affairs
Ways and Means
Whole
Atomic Energy
Conditions of Indian Tribes (Special)
Economic
Disposition of Executive Papers
Foreign Economic Cooperation
Housing
Labor Management Relations
Legislative Budget
The Library
To Study Pacific Islands
Printing
Reduction of Nonessential Federal Expenditures
Selective Service Deferments
Taxation
Architect of the Capitol: David Lynn
Attending Physician of the United States Congress: George Calver
Comptroller General of the United States: Lindsay C. Warren
Librarian of Congress: Luther H. Evans
Public Printer of the United States: Augustus E. Giegengack (until 1948), John J. Deviny (starting 1948)
Chaplain: Peter Marshall
Parliamentarian: Charles Watkins
Secretary: Carl A. Loeffler
Sergeant at Arms: Edward F. McGinnis
Chaplain: James Shera Montgomery (Methodist)
Clerk: John Andrews
Doorkeeper: M. L. Meletio
Parliamentarian: Lewis Deschler
Postmaster: Frank W. Collier
Sergeant at Arms: William F. Russell
