The Ninety-second 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, 1971 to January 3, 1973, during the third and fourth years of Richard Nixon's presidency.
The apportionment of seats in this House of Representatives was based on the 1960 Census. Both chambers had a Democratic majority.
Passing legislation on revenue-sharing was a key event of the congress. President Richard Nixon had it listed on his list of top policies to cover for the year. Nixon signed the bill into law at Independence Hall in Philadelphia. The law gained support from many state and local officials including: San Francisco Mayor Joseph Alioto whose city received $27 million in revenue-sharing money in the first year. Alito said that many projects that would not have been possible could now be done, "That will effectively enable us to meet those programs which up to now because of very tough budgeting we've had to trench."
December 18, 1971: Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, Pub.L. 92–203, 85 Stat. 688
December 23, 1971: National Cancer Act, Pub.L. 92–218, 85 Stat. 778
February 7, 1972: Federal Election Campaign Act, Pub.L. 92–225, 86 Stat. 3
March 24, 1972: Equal Employment Opportunity Act, Pub.L. 92–261, 86 Stat. 103
June 23, 1972: Title IX Amendment of the Higher Education Act, Pub.L. 92–318, 86 Stat. 235
October 6, 1972: Federal Advisory Committee Act, Pub.L. 92–463, 86 Stat. 770
October 18, 1972: Federal Water Pollution Control Amendments of 1972, Pub.L. 92–500, 86 Stat. 816
October 21, 1972: Marine Mammal Protection Act, Pub.L. 92–522, 86 Stat. 1027
October 27, 1972: Consumer Product Safety Act, Pub.L. 92–573, 86 Stat. 1207
October 27, 1972: Noise Control Act, Pub.L. 92–574, 86 Stat. 1234
October 27, 1972: Coastal Zone Management Act, Pub.L. 92–583, 86 Stat. 1280
March 23, 1971: Twenty-sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution (ratified July 1, 1971)
March 22, 1972: District of Columbia Voting Rights Amendment (unratified; ratification period expired in 1979 or 1982)
The count below identifies party affiliations at the beginning of the first session of this Congress, and includes members from vacancies and newly admitted states, when they were first seated. Changes resulting from subsequent replacements are shown below in the Changes in membership section.
Democratic: 54 (majority)
Republican: 44
Conservative: 1
Independent: 1
TOTAL members: 100
Democratic: 255 (58.6%)(majority)
Republican: 180 (41.4%)
TOTAL members: 435
President of the Senate: Spiro Agnew (R)
President pro tempore:
Richard Russell, Jr. (D), until January 21, 1971
Allen J. Ellender (D), January 22, 1971 – July 27, 1972
James Eastland (D), from July 28, 1972
Permanent Acting President pro tempore: Lee Metcalf (D)
Majority Leader: Mike Mansfield
Majority Whip: Robert Byrd
Caucus Secretary: Frank Moss
Minority Leader: Hugh Scott
Minority Whip: Robert P. Griffin
Republican Conference Chairman: Margaret Chase Smith
Republican Conference Secretary: Norris Cotton
National Senatorial Committee Chair: Peter H. Dominick
Policy Committee Chairman: Gordon L. Allott
Speaker: Carl Albert (D)
Majority Leader: Hale Boggs
Majority Whip: Tip O'Neill
Democratic Caucus Chairman: Olin E. Teague
Caucus Secretary: Leonor Sullivan
Minority Leader: Gerald Ford
Minority Whip: Leslie C. Arends
Conference Chair: John B. Anderson
Policy Committee Chairman: John Jacob Rhodes
Congressional Black Caucus
House Democratic Caucus
This list is arranged by chamber, then by state. Senators are listed in order of seniority, and Representatives are listed by district.
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. In this Congress, Class 1 meant their term began with this Congress, requiring reelection in 1976; Class 2 meant their term ended with this Congress, requiring reelection in 1972; and Class 3 meant their term began in the last Congress, requiring reelection in 1974.
The names of members of the House of Representatives are preceded by their district numbers.
The count below reflects changes from the beginning of the first session of this Congress.
replacements: 3
Democratic: no net change
Republican: no net change
deaths: 3
resignations:
Total seats with changes: 3
replacements: 10
Democratic: no net loss
Republican: no net gain
deaths: 8
resignations: 6
Total seats with changes: 16
Lists of committees and their party leaders.
Aeronautical and Space Sciences ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Agriculture and Forestry ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Appropriations ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Commerce ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
District of Columbia ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Equal Educational Opportunity (Select) ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Finance ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Foreign Relations ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Government Operations ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Interior and Insular Affairs ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Judiciary ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Labor and Public Welfare ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Nutrition and Human Needs (Select) ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Public Works ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Secret and Confidential Government Documents (Special) ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Small Business (Select) ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Standards and Conduct (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)
District of Columbia ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Education and Labor ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Foreign Affairs ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Government Operations ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
House Administration ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Interior and Insular Affairs ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Internal Security ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Merchant Marine and Fisheries ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Post Office and Civil Service ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Rules ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Science and Astronautics ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Small Business (Select) ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Standards of Official Conduct ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Transportation and Infrastructure ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Veterans' Affairs ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Ways and Means ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Whole
Atomic Energy ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Congressional Operations ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Defense Production ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Economic ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
The Library ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Navajo-Hopi Indian Administration ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Printing ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Reduction of Nonessential Federal Expenditures ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Taxation ([[]], Chair; [[]], Ranking Member)
Architect of the Capitol: George M. White, appointed January 27, 1971
Attending Physician of the United States Congress: Rufus Pearson
Comptroller General of the United States: Elmer B. Staats
Librarian of Congress: Lawrence Quincy Mumford
Public Printer of the United States: Adolphus N. Spence (until 1972)
Chaplain: Edward L.R. Elson (Presbyterian), elected January 9, 1969
Secretary: Francis R. Valeo
Democratic Party Secretary: J. Stanley Kimmitt
Republican Party Secretary: J. Mark Trice
Sergeant at Arms:
Robert G. Dunphy of Rhode Island, until June 30, 1972 (resigned)
William H. Wannall of Maryland, elected July 1, 1972
Clerk: W. Pat Jennings
Sergeant at Arms:
Zeake W. Johnson of Tennessee, January 21, 1971 – September 30, 1972 (resigned)
Kenneth R. Harding of New York, October 1, 1972 – September 30, 1972 (resigned)
Doorkeeper: William M. Miller
Postmaster: H. H. Morris, January 21, 1971 – June 30, 1972 (resigned)
Robert V. Rota, from July 1, 1972
Parliamentarian: Lewis Deschler
Chaplain: Edward G. Latch (Methodist), elected January 10, 1967
