112th United States Congress

112th United States Congress
←111th 113th→
United States Capitol (2011)
Overview
Legislative bodyUnited States Congress
JurisdictionUnited States
TermJanuary 3, 2011 – January 3, 2013
Senate
Members100
PresidentJoe Biden (D)
President pro temporeDaniel Inouye (D)
(until December 17, 2012)
Patrick Leahy (D)
(from December 17, 2012)
Party controlDemocratic
House of Representatives
Members435 representatives
6 non-voting delegates
SpeakerJohn Boehner (R)
Party controlRepublican
Sessions
1stJanuary 5, 2011 – January 3, 2012
2ndJanuary 3, 2012 – January 3, 2013
House of Representatives member pin for the 112th U.S. Congress

The 112th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, from January 3, 2011, until January 3, 2013. It convened in Washington, D.C., on January 3, 2011, and ended on January 3, 2013, 17 days before the end of the presidential term to which Barack Obama was elected in 2008. Senators elected to regular terms in 2006 completed those terms in this Congress. This Congress included the last House of Representatives elected from congressional districts that were apportioned based on the 2000 census.

In the 2010 midterm elections, the Republican Party won the majority in the House of Representatives. While the Democrats kept their Senate majority, it was reduced from the previous Congress.

This was the first Congress in which the House and Senate were controlled by different parties since the 107th Congress (2001–2003). It was also the first Congress since the 36th Congress (1859–1861) in which the Republican Party held the House but not the Senate. In this Congress, the House of Representatives had the largest number of Republican members, 242, since the 80th Congress (1947–1949). This was the only Congress between the 79th (1945–1947) and the 117th (2021–2023) that did not include a member of the Kennedy family.

As of 2022, this is the most recent Congress in which Democrats held a Senate seat in Nebraska or a House seat in Arkansas, the last in which Republicans held both Senate seats in Maine, and the last in which Democrats did not hold all seats in Connecticut.

Major events

President Obama delivered the 2011 State of the Union Address on January 25, 2011
After delivering the 2012 State of the Union Address on January 24, 2012, President Obama embraces Representative Gabby Giffords, who had been shot the previous year.

Potential government shutdown

A failure to pass a 2011 federal budget nearly led to a shutdown of non-essential government services on April 9, 2011, with the furlough of 800,000 government employees appearing imminent. President Obama met Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and House Speaker John Boehner in the days preceding the deadline but was unable to come to an agreement to pass a budget.[citation needed] A one-week budget was proposed to avoid a government shutdown and allow more time for negotiations; however, proposals from both parties could not be accommodated.[citation needed] Obama said he would veto a proposed Republican budget over Republican social spending cuts.[citation needed] This was also backed by Senate Democrats who objected to such cuts as that of Planned Parenthood. However, an agreement was reached between the two parties for a one-week budget to allow for more time to negotiate after Republicans dropped their stance on the Planned Parenthood issue. The two parties ultimately agreed on a 2011 federal budget the following week.[citation needed]

There were many reactions to the possible shutdown with some saying the economy could be hurt during a fragile recovery and others saying the lack of an unnecessary bureaucracy would not be noticed. There was also criticism that while senators and representatives would continue to get paid others such as the police and military personnel would either not be paid for their work or have their payments deferred.

Debt limit crisis

Speaker Boehner meeting with President Obama at the White House during the 2011 debt ceiling crisis

On August 2, 2011, the United States public debt was projected to reach its statutory maximum. Without an increase in that limit the U.S. Treasury would be unable to borrow money to pay its bills. Although previous statutory increases have been routine, conservative members of the House refused to allow an increase without drastically reducing government spending. Over several weeks and months, negotiators from both parties, both houses, and the White House worked to forge a compromise. The compromise bill, the Budget Control Act of 2011, was enacted on August 2.

Major legislation

Enacted

Proposed

See also: Active Legislation, 112th Congress, via senate.gov

Party summary

Resignations and new members are discussed in the "Changes in membership" section, below.

Senate

Final Senate membership
     51 Democrats
     47 Republicans

     2 Independents, caucusing with Democrats
Party
(shading indicates majority caucus)
 Total Vacant
Democratic Independent
(caucusing with
Democrats)		 Republican
End of previous Congress 56 2 42 100 0
Begin 51 2 47 100 0
May 3, 2011 46 99 1
May 9, 2011 47 100 0
December 17, 2012 50 99 1
December 26, 2012 51 100 0
January 1, 2013 46 99 1
January 2, 2013 47 100 0
Final voting share 53% 47%
Beginning of the next Congress 53 2 45 100 0

House of Representatives

Final House membership
     191 Democrats
     240 Republicans

     4 Vacant
Party
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
 Total Vacant
Democratic Republican
End of previous Congress 255 179 434 1
Begin 193 242 435 0
February 9, 2011 241 434 1
February 28, 2011 192 433 2
May 9, 2011 240 432 3
May 24, 2011 193 433 2
June 21, 2011 192 432 3
July 12, 2011 193 433 2
August 3, 2011 192 432 3
September 13, 2011 242 434 1
January 25, 2012 191 433 2
January 31, 2012 192 434 1
March 6, 2012 191 433 2
March 20, 2012 190 432 3
June 12, 2012 191 433 2
July 7, 2012 241 432 3
July 31, 2012 240 431 4
August 15, 2012 190 430 5
November 13, 2012 192 241 433 2
November 15, 2012 193 434 1
November 21, 2012 192 433 2
December 3, 2012 191 432 3
January 2, 2013 240 431 4
Final voting share 44.3% 55.7%
Non-voting members 6 0 6 0
Beginning of next Congress 200 233 433 2

Leadership

Section contents: Senate: Majority (D), Minority (R) • House: Majority (R), Minority (D)

Senate

Senate President
Joe Biden
Joe Biden (D)
Senate President pro Tempore
Daniel Inouye
Daniel Inouye (D)
(until December 17, 2012)
Daniel Inouye
Patrick Leahy (D)
(from December 17, 2012)

Majority (Democratic) leadership

Minority (Republican) leadership

House of Representatives

Speaker of the House
John Boehner
John Boehner (R)

Majority (Republican) leadership

Minority (Democratic) leadership

Members

For the first time in the history of Congress, over half its members were millionaires as of 2012; Democrats had a median net worth of $1.04 million, while the Republicans median was "almost exactly" $1.00 million. In this Congress, Class 1 meant their term ended with this Congress, requiring reelection in 2012; Class 2 meant their term began in the last Congress, requiring reelection in 2014; and Class 3 meant their term began in this Congress, requiring reelection in 2016.

Senate

House of Representatives

Changes in membership

Senate

Senate changes
State
(class)		 Vacated by Reason for change Successor Date of successor's
formal installation
Nevada
(1)		 John Ensign
(R)		 Resigned May 3, 2011, due to an Ethics Committee investigation.
Successor appointed April 27, 2011 and later elected for a full six-year term.		 Dean Heller
(R)		 May 9, 2011
Hawaii
(3)		 Daniel Inouye
(D)		 Died December 17, 2012
Successor appointed December 26, 2012, to serve until a special election was held to finish the term ending January 3, 2017.		 Brian Schatz
(D)		 December 27, 2012
South Carolina
(3)		 Jim DeMint
(R)		 Resigned January 1, 2013, to run The Heritage Foundation
Successor appointed January 2, 2013, to serve until a special election was held to finish the term ending January 3, 2017.		 Tim Scott
(R)		 January 2, 2013

House of Representatives

House changes
District Vacated by Reason for change Successor Date of successor's
formal installation
New York 26th Christopher Lee
(R)		 Resigned February 9, 2011, due to a personal scandal.
A special election was held May 24, 2011.		 Kathy Hochul
(D)		 June 1, 2011
California 36th Jane Harman
(D)		 Resigned February 28, 2011, to become the head of the Woodrow Wilson Center.
A special election was held July 12, 2011.		 Janice Hahn
(D)		 July 19, 2011
Nevada 2nd Dean Heller
(R)		 Resigned May 9, 2011, when appointed to the Senate.
A special election was held September 13, 2011.		 Mark Amodei
(R)		 September 15, 2011
New York 9th Anthony Weiner
(D)		 Resigned June 21, 2011, due to a personal scandal.
A special election was held September 13, 2011.		 Bob Turner
(R)		 September 15, 2011
Oregon 1st David Wu
(D)		 Resigned August 3, 2011, due to a personal scandal.
A special election was held January 31, 2012.		 Suzanne Bonamici
(D)		 February 7, 2012
Arizona 8th Gabby Giffords
(D)		 Resigned January 25, 2012, to focus on recovery from 2011 Tucson shooting.
A special election was held June 12, 2012.		 Ron Barber
(D)		 June 19, 2012
New Jersey 10th Donald M. Payne
(D)		 Died March 6, 2012.
A special election was held November 6, 2012.		 Donald Payne Jr.
(D)		 November 15, 2012
Washington 1st Jay Inslee
(D)		 Resigned March 20, 2012, to focus on gubernatorial campaign.
A special election was held November 6, 2012.		 Suzan DelBene
(D)		 November 13, 2012
Michigan 11th Thaddeus McCotter
(R)		 Resigned July 6, 2012, for personal reasons.
A special election was held November 6, 2012.		 David Curson
(D)		 November 13, 2012
Kentucky 4th Geoff Davis
(R)		 Resigned July 31, 2012, for personal reasons.
A special election was held November 6, 2012.		 Thomas Massie
(R)		 November 13, 2012
California 18th Dennis Cardoza
(D)		 Resigned August 15, 2012, for personal reasons. Vacant until the next Congress
Illinois 2nd Jesse Jackson Jr.
(D)		 Resigned November 21, 2012, due to a personal scandal.
California 51st Bob Filner
(D)		 Resigned December 3, 2012, to become mayor of San Diego.
South Carolina 1st Tim Scott
(R)		 Resigned January 2, 2013, when appointed to the United States Senate.

Committees

[ Section contents: Senate, House, Joint ]

Senate

Committee Chairman Ranking Member
Aging (special) Herb Kohl (D-WI) Bob Corker (R-TN)
Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) Pat Roberts (R-KS)
Appropriations Daniel Inouye (D-HI) Thad Cochran (R-MS)
Armed Services Carl Levin (D-MI) John McCain (R-AZ)
Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Tim Johnson (D-SD) Richard Shelby (R-AL)
Budget Kent Conrad (D-ND) Jeff Sessions (R-AL)
Commerce, Science and Transportation Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX)
Energy and Natural Resources Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
Environment and Public Works Barbara Boxer (D-CA) Jim Inhofe (R-OK)
Ethics (select) Barbara Boxer (D-CA) Johnny Isakson (R-GA)
Finance Max Baucus (D-MT) Orrin Hatch (R-UT)
Foreign Relations John Kerry (D-MA) Richard Lugar (R-IN)
Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Tom Harkin (D-IA) Mike Enzi (R-WY)
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Joe Lieberman (I-CT) Susan Collins (R-ME)
Indian Affairs Daniel Akaka (D-HI) John Barrasso (R-WY)
Intelligence (select) Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) Saxby Chambliss (R-GA)
Judiciary Patrick Leahy (D-VT) Chuck Grassley (R-IA)
Rules and Administration Chuck Schumer (D-NY) Lamar Alexander (R-TN)
Small Business and Entrepreneurship Mary Landrieu (D-LA) Olympia Snowe (R-ME)
Veterans' Affairs Patty Murray (D-WA) Richard Burr (R-NC)

House of Representatives

Committee Chairman Ranking Member
Agriculture Frank Lucas (R-OK) Collin Peterson (D-MN)
Appropriations Harold Rogers (R-KY) Nita Lowey (D-NY)
Armed Services Buck McKeon (R-CA) Adam Smith (D-WA)
Budget Paul Ryan (R-WI) Chris Van Hollen (D-MD)
Education and the Workforce John Kline (R-MN) George Miller (D-CA)
Energy and Commerce Fred Upton (R-MI) Henry Waxman (D-CA)
Ethics Jo Bonner (R-AL) Linda Sánchez (D-CA)
Financial Services Spencer Bachus (R-AL) Barney Frank (D-MA)
Foreign Affairs Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) Howard Berman (D-CA)
Homeland Security Peter King (R-NY) Bennie Thompson (D-MS)
House Administration Dan Lungren (R-CA) Robert Brady (D-PA)
Judiciary Lamar Smith (R-TX) John Conyers (D-MI)
Natural Resources Doc Hastings (R-WA) Ed Markey (D-MA)
Oversight and Government Reform Darrell Issa (R-CA) Elijah Cummings (D-MD)
Rules David Dreier (R-CA) Louise Slaughter (D-NY)
Science, Space & Technology Ralph Hall (R-TX) Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX)
Small Business Sam Graves (R-MO) Nydia Velázquez (D-NY)
Transportation and Infrastructure John Mica (R-FL) Nick Rahall (D-WV)
Veterans' Affairs Jeff Miller (R-FL) Bob Filner (D-CA)
Ways and Means Dave Camp (R-MI) Sander Levin (D-MI)
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Mike Rogers (R-MI) Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD)

Joint appointments

Caucuses

Employees

Legislative branch agency directors

Senate

House of Representatives

See also

Elections

Membership lists