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115th United States Congress facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

The 115th United States Congress was the 115th legislative cycle of the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate. It lasted from January 3, 2017, as a result of the 2016 elections, till January 3, 2019, when the 116th Congress began. In this cycle, both the House and Senate were controlled by Republicans.


Leadership

Senate.

Joe Biden (48548455397) (cropped)
President of the Senate Joe Biden.

President of the Senate

The President of the Senate was Joe Biden (a Democrat).

Senate President Pro Tempore

The Senate President Pro Tem was Orrin Hatch (a Republican).

Mitch McConnell portrait
Mitch McConnell, R-KY, Senate Majority Leader

Majority Leader

The Majority Leader was Republican Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.

Minority Leader

The Minority Leader was Democrat Charles Schumer of New York.

Majority Whip

The Majority Whip was Republican John Cornyn of Texas.

Minority Whip

The Minority Whip was Democrat Dick Durbin of Illinois.

House

Speaker

The Speaker of the House was Paul Ryan (a Republican).

Majority Leader

Steve Scalise 113th Congress
House Majority Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana.

The Majority Leader was Republican Kevin McCarthy of California.

Minority Leader

The Minority Leader was Democrat Nancy Pelosi of California.

Majority Whip

The Majority Whip was Republican Steve Scalise of Louisiana.

Minority Whip

The Minority Whip was Democrat Steny Hoyer of Maryland.

Party Breakdown

Senate.

There were 51 Republicans and 47 Democrats, as well as 2 Independents who sided with Democrats.

House.

There were 235 Republicans and just 193 Democrats, plus 7 empty seats.

Images for kids

  • Trump joint session of congress

    President Donald Trump addressing Congress, with Vice President Mike Pence and House Speaker Paul Ryan.

  • Protecting employees during two government shutdowns (46355221201)

    American Federation of Government Employees members protesting for the federal employees affected by the January 2018 government shutdown

  • President Donald J. Trump signs the Music Modernization Act (45200025962)

    Trump signing the Music Modernization Act

  • Tammy Duckworth speaking against the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017

    Senator Tammy Duckworth and then House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi opposing the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.

  • -womenwearwhite (32503590144)

    Democratic women in the House of Representatives wearing white to honor women's suffrage. (March 2017)

  • 115th Congress Freshman Class

    Newly elected members of the House of Representatives on the Capitol steps

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