The Eighty-third 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, 1953 to January 3, 1955, during the first two years of the first administration of U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower.
The apportionment of seats in this House of Representatives was based on the Seventeenth Census of the United States in 1950.
Both chambers had a Republican majority.
January 20, 1953: Dwight Eisenhower is sworn in as President of the United States in his first inauguration
March 1, 1954: U.S. Capitol shooting incident
December 2, 1954: Joseph McCarthy is censured by the U.S. Senate
July 3, 1953: Small Business Act, Pub.L. 83–163, ch. 282, 67 Stat. 232
August 7, 1953: Refugee Relief Act, Pub.L. 83–203
August 7, 1953: Submerged Lands Act, ch. 345, 67 Stat. 462
August 14, 1953: Public Law 280, Pub.L. 83–280, 18 U.S.C. § 1162
May 13, 1954: Saint Lawrence Seaway Act, ch. 201, 68 Stat. 92
August 12, 1954: Federal National Mortgage Association Charter Act, ch. 649, title II, §201, 68 Stat. 612
August 13, 1954: Multiple Mineral Development Act, ch. 730, 68 Stat. 708
August 16, 1954: Internal Revenue Code of 1954, Pub.L. 83–591, ch. 736, 68A Stat. 3
Federal Unemployment Tax Act, §1(d), 68A Stat. 439
National Firearms Act, §1(d), 68A Stat. 721
August 24, 1954: Communist Control Act of 1954, ch. 886, 68 Stat. 775
August 30, 1954: Atomic Energy Act of 1954, 68 Stat. 919
1954: Agricultural Act of 1954
1954: Water Facilities Act of 1954
221 Republicans, 213 Democrats, 1 Independent
Total Membership: 435 Representatives, 2 Delegates, 1 Resident Commissioner
President: Alben W. Barkley (D), until January 20, 1953
Richard M. Nixon (R), from January 20, 1953
President pro tempore: Styles Bridges (R)
Majority Leader: Robert A. Taft, until July 31, 1953 (died)
William F. Knowland, from August 3, 1953
Majority Whip: Leverett Saltonstall
Conference Chairman: Eugene Millikin
Republican Conference Secretary: Milton Young
National Senatorial Committee Chair: Everett Dirksen
Policy Committee Chairman: William F. Knowland, until August 4, 1953
Homer S. Ferguson, after August 4, 1953
Minority Leader and Conference Chairman: Lyndon B. Johnson
Minority Whip: Earle C. Clements
Caucus Secretary: Thomas C. Hennings Jr.
Speaker: Joseph W. Martin, Jr. (R)
Majority Leader: Charles A. Halleck
Majority Whip: Leslie C. Arends
Conference Chairman: Clifford R. Hope
Minority Leader: Sam Rayburn
Minority Whip: John William McCormack
Caucus Chairman: Wilbur Mills
Caucus Secretary: Edna F. Kelly
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. Within each state, senators are listed in order of seniority. Preceding the names in the list below are Senate class numbers, which indicate the cycle of their election.
The count below reflects changes from the beginning of this Congress.
Lists of committees and their party leaders.
Agriculture and Forestry ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Appropriations ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Banking and Currency ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Censure Charges against Senator McCarthy (Select) ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Compensation of Members of Congress (Select) ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
District of Columbia ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Finance ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Foreign Relations ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Government Operations ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Interior and Insular Affairs ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Interstate and Foreign Commerce ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Judiciary ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Labor and Public Welfare ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Mail Cover on Senators (Special) ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Post Office and Civil Service ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Public Works ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Small Business (Select) ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Subcommittee on Internal Security ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Whole
Agriculture ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Appropriations ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Banking and Currency ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Benefits for Dependents of Armed Services Veterans (Select) ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Defense Production ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
District of Columbia ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Education and Labor ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Foreign Affairs ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
House Administration ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Investigate the Incorporation of the Baltic States into the U.S.S.R. (Select) ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Interior and Insular Affairs ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Government Operations ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Merchant Marine and Fisheries ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Post Office and Civil Service ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Public Works ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Rules ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Small Business (Select) ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Standards of Official Conduct ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Un-American Activities ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Veterans' Affairs ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Ways and Means ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Whole
Atomic Energy ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Conditions of Indian Tribes (Special) ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Disposition of Executive Papers ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Economic ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Immigration and Nationality Policy ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Legislative Budget ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
The Library ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Navajo-Hopi Indian Administration ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Printing ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Railroad Retirement Legislation ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Reduction of Nonessential Federal Expenditures ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Taxation ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Architect of the Capitol: David Lynn (January 3, 1953-September 30, 1954); J. George Stewart (September 30, 1954-January 3, 1955)
Attending Physician of the United States Congress: George Calver
Comptroller General of the United States: Lindsay C. Warren (until April 30, 1954), Joseph Campbell (starting December 14, 1954)
Librarian of Congress: Luther H. Evans (until 1953), Lawrence Quincy Mumford (starting 1954)
Public Printer of the United States: John J. Deviny (until 1953), Raymond Blattenberger (starting 1953)
Chaplain: Frederick Brown Harris (Methodist)
Parliamentarian: Charles Watkins
Secretary: J. Mark Trice
Sergeant at Arms: Forest A. Harness
Chaplain: Bernard Braskamp
Clerk: Lyle O. Snader
Doorkeeper: Tom Kennamer
Parliamentarian: Lewis Deschler
Postmaster: Beecher Hess
Sergeant at Arms: William F. Russell, died July 7, 1953
Lyle O. Snader, July 8, 1953 – September 15, 1953
William R. Bonnell, from September 15, 1953
