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The First Session of the Seventy-Ninth Congress
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 02 September 2013
Extract
The death of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, followed by the termination of World War II, were the two events of the year having the most direct influence on Congressional activity.
The strained relation between Mr. Roosevelt and Congress had been growing increasingly tense during the last several years; it is probable that only the defense program eliminated the possibility of a complete break between the two arms of the government. Congress had been rejecting more and more items of the President's domestic program.
Better relations between the President and Congress, however, were attained overnight with the arrival of Harry S. Truman at the White House. Even sentiment for Congressional reform appeared to diminish simultaneously; at least, conversations on Capitol Hill pointed to this conclusion. The new happy status seemed like a rebirth, but only for a short period; by autumn, Congress began to disagree openly with President Truman and his attempt to direct the legislative program.
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- American Government and Politics
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- Copyright © American Political Science Association 1946
References
1 See below, “Congress and the President.”
2 See action on H.R. 1752.
3 See this Review, Vol. 38, p. 302 (Apr., 1944). The party division at the beginning of the Seventy-eighth Congress was as follows: in the Senate, 57 Dem., 38 Rep., 1 other; in the House, 243 Dem., 190 Rep., 2 others.
4 See Official List of Members of House of Representatives, Oct. 29, 1945, Seventyninth Congress, pp. 12–13, 15.
5 The four changes in standing committee chairmanships in the Senate were: Murray to the chairmanship of Education and Labor; Stewart, Interoceanic Canals; Thomas (Utah), Military Affairs; and Andrews, Public Buildings and Grounds.
6 Truman became President at the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt April 12, 1945, at which time McKellar became the presiding officer of the Senate.
7 The 12 changes in standing committee chairmanships in the House were: White to the chairmanship of Coinage, Weights and Measures; Bonner, Election of President, Vice President, and Representatives in Congress; Domengeaux, Elections #1; Fisher, Elections #3; Rogers, Enrolled Bills; Jackson, Indian Affairs; Murdock, Irrigation and Reclamation; Fernandez, Memorials; Somers, Mines and Mining; Peterson, Territories; Wood (also Hart), Un-American Activities; and Engel, War Claims.
8 H.Con. Res. 68, an unusual adjournment resolution, provided that the House adjourn from July 21 to Oct. 8; it gave the consent of the House to an adjournment of the Senate at any time “during the month of August or September,” 1945, until Oct. 8; and it authorized the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House or a combination of House and Senate officials to reassemble Congress for consideration of legislation if it were legislatively desirable. With the war out of the way, the day of convening was stepped up to September 5.
9 Speeches and materials never delivered in the House, but incorporated in the Record under the privilege of “leave to print,” involved some 6,244 pages of appendix, nearly half as many as the entire proceedings of both houses.
10 Congressional Record, 79th Cong., 1st Sess., daily edition, p. 8329, July 28, 1945 (hereafter cited as C.R., 79–1).
11 See C.R., 79–1, pp. 2344 for March 16, p. 2044 for March 12, p. 9555 for October 4, and p. 9485 for October 3, 1945.
12 Bill included S. 1248, S. 1285, and S. 1297.
13 Note the following remarks by Senator Barkley during the discussion of reference of the atomic bomb bill: “That all depends. We cannot introduce a specific bill and have it referred to more than one committee Now and then the Senate has referred a bill to a particular committee, with an agreement that after that committee reports the bill it should then go to some other committee—a practice which, in my judgment, is a bad one, because it dissipates jurisdiction and authority. Frequently, bills which are introduced as a whole might, if introduced in separate parts, go to separate committees of the Senate. But the Chair and the Senate must decide the matter of the reference of a bill to a particular committee …” C.R., 79–1, pp. 9555, 9560.
14 C.R., 79–1, p. 2053.
15 Under unanimous consent procedure, the Senate later authorized these committees to ignore the time requirements.
16 C.R., 79–1, pp. 7082–83.
17 C.R., 79–1, p. 6568, June 4, 1945.
18 C.R., 79–1, p. 7082, June 28, 1945.
19 C.R., 79–1, p. 3289, Apr. 10, 1945.
20 C.R., 79–1, p. 3302, Apr., 1945. Senator Eilender stated: “I cannot help but observe that we have fallen into the silly practice of permittng Senators to poke their heads through the door and answer ‘Present’ and be recorded as being present, when other Senators who are busily engaged in important committee hearings are shown to be absent.”
21 C.R., 79–1, pp. 5994–5, June 11, 1945.
22 C.R., 79–1, p. 1032, Oct. 22, 1945.
23 See this Review, Vol. 37, p. 295, footnote 14, and subsequent articles reviewing the sessions of Congress.
24 H. Res. 407, H. Res. 248.
25 The five bills are H.R. 2689, H.R. 3109, H.R. 3199, H.R. 3368, and H.R. 3579.
26 Fifty-eight specified a maximum time for general debate (to be divided equally between those favoring and those opposing it) of a particular bill (20 provided for one hour, 19 for two hours, 6 for three hours, 8 for four hours, 1 for eight hours, 1 for one day, and 3 for two days).
27 Seventy-six rules providing for the consideration of legislation were reported to the House, but only 74 bills were involved since four of the 76 were devoted to the disposition of only two bills.
28 The California Democratic delegation, on January 8, 1945, asked for Western representation on the Rules Committee; it pointed out that the committee membership at the time included only one member from west of the Mississippi and no one at all from the vast area west of the Missouri River, See Washington News Service—ticker—Jan. 8, 1945.
29 C.R., 79–1, p. 12,004, Dec. 11, 1945.
30 Washington News Service—ticker—Feb. 19, 1945.
31 Washington News Service—ticker—Apr. 20, 1945.
32 S. 340, insurance regulation; and H.R. 37, Amend Bankruptcy Act as applied to railroads.
33 H. Con. Res. 39, H.R. 2647, S. 938, H.R. 3118, H.R. 1654, and H. J. Res. 98.
34 Washington News Service—ticker—June 22, 1945.
35 See Governmental Affairs for June 8 and June 11, 1945.
36 See C.R. 79–1, p. 672, for Jan. 31, and p. 9599, for Oct. 4.
37 C.R., 79–1, pp. 8–9, Jan. 3, 1945.
38 In all, the House added $303,792,000 to the funds provided for in the bill over the sum recommended by the committee; as reported, the bill proposed funds totaling $1,131,452,312.
39 Each house played a more important rôle in legislative activity than the above figures show. Of the 1,184 measures passed by the House, 679 were House bills, 195 Senate bills, 36 House joint resolutions, 13 Senate joint resolutions, 29 House concurrent resolutions, 11 Senate concurrent resolutions, and 221 simple House resolutions. In the last session of the Seventy-eighth Congress, only 953 measures were passed. During the first session of the Seventy-ninth Congress, 5,995 bills and resolutions were introduced in the House, of which 5,111 were House bills, 296 House joint resolutions, 119 House concurrent resolutions, and 469 House resolutions. (In the last session of the Seventy-eighth Congress, 2,171 bills and resolutions were introduced in the House.) House committees made 1,470 reports. Of the 1,005 measures passed by the Senate in the first session of the Seventy-ninth Congress, 323 were Senate bills, 472 House bills, 20 Senate joint resolutions, 30 House joint resolutions, 18 Senate concurrent resolutions, 27 House concurrent resolutions, and 115 Senate resolutions. In the last session of the Seventy-eighth Congress, only 931 measures were passed. During the first session of the Seventy-ninth Congress, 2,118 bills and resolutions were introduced in the Senate, of which 1,730 were Senate bills, 129 Senate joint resolutions, 49 Senate concurrent resolutions, and 210 Senate resolutions. (In the last session of the Seventy-eighth Congress, 825 bills and resolutions were introduced in the Senate.) Senate committees made 888 reports.
40 At the close of the last session of the Seventy-eighth Congress, five were left in conference; 64 were sent to conference in that session.
41 Congress passed H.R. 4407, rescinding certain wartime appropriations and contract authorizations totaling $51,244,680,213. This bill never became law, the President having vetoed it because of a rider providing for the return of the employment services to the states within 120 days.
42 See this Review, Vol. 38, p. 311; also Vol. 39, p. 332. The Seventy-eighth Congress spent a record-breaking $2,225,000 for an unprecedented number of special investigations; $2,234,500 was authorized. Only $700,000 of that amount was spent by the Senate, making the first time in history, according to Congressional disbursing officials, that the House spent more money for investigations than the Senate. (See Washington News Service—ticker—for Dec. 29, 1944.)
43 The subjects of investigation were: National Defense, by Military Affairs Committee (H.Res. 20); National Defense, by Merchant Marine and Fisheries (H.Res. 38); Physically Handicapped (H.Res. 45); Executive Agencies, by Appropriations (H.Res. 50); Immigration and Naturalization Problems (H.Res. 52); Marketing, Transportation, and Distribution of Farm Products (H.Res. 54); Post-War Military Policy (H.Res. 55); Post-War Economic Policy and Planning (H.Res. 60); Defense Housing Program (H.Res. 62); War Effects on Education in Colleges and Universities (H.Res. 63); Small Business (H.Res. 64); Civil Service System and Civilian Employment (H.Res. 66); Wild Life (H.Res. 75); Jurisdiction of Government Agencies (H.Res. 88); Grade Labeling (H.Res. 93); Public Lands (H.Res. 96); Insular Affairs (H.Res. 99); Conduct of two federal judges (H.Res. 138); National Defense, by Naval Affairs Committee (H.Res. 154); Petroleum (H.Res. 187); Veterans Administration (H.Res. 192); Food Shortages (H.Res. 195); Social Security (H.Res. 204); Highways, Roads, Streets, and Bridges (H.Res. 255); Shore and Beach Erosion (H.Res. 256); Foreign Affairs (H.Res. 315); and Study of Commerce outside the U.S. (H.Res. 323).
44 See H.Res. 64, 75, 88, and 195.
45 The subjects of investigation were: Authority for Issuance of Executive Orders and Departmental Regulations (S.Res. 16); Public Lands (S.Res. 18); Silver Purchase Act (S.Res. 20); International Communications by Wire and Radio (S.Res. 24); Small Business (S.Res. 28); Supply and Distribution of Hydroelectric Power (S.Res. 31); Postwar Economic Policy and Planning (S.Res. 33); Certain Activities of SEC and Post Office Department in Florida (S.Res. 35); Petroleum Resources (S.Res. 36); Wild Animal Life (S.Res. 43); Problems of War Mobilization (S.Res. 46); Naval Establishment in Western Hemisphere (S.Res. 48); Investigation of War Program—commonly known as Truman Committee (S.Res. 55); Production, Transportation, and Marketing of Wool (S.Res. 58); Production, Transportation, and Use of Fuels West of Mississippi (S.Res. 60); Airplane Crashes (S.Res. 61); Health Personnel, Facilities, and Related Services (S.Res. 62); Japanese Treatment of Philippine Population (S.Res. 79); Sale of Nashville, Tenn., Newspaper (S.Res. 87); Food and Allied Products (S.Res. 92); Economic Conditions of Philippine Islands (S.Res. 123); War Contracts (S.Res. 129); and Atomic Energy (S.Res. 179).
46 See Senate Resolutions 20, 28, 33, 36, 43, 55, 58, 60, 179.
47 George B. Galloway, chairman of the Committee on Congress of the APSA, was named staff director for this Committee.
48 S. Con. Res. 27.
49 The two nominations rejected included that of Aubrey W. Williams, to be REA administrator. See Civilian Nominations, compiled by L. W. Bailey, executive clerk, for Secretary of the Senate, pp. 1–463.
50 Henry A. Wallace, to be Secretary of Commerce, was adversely reported by the Commerce Committee by a vote of 6 to 11; Aubrey W. Williams, to be REA administrator, was adversely reported by the Committee on Agriculture and Forestry by a vote of 8 to 12; and Raymond S. McKeough, to be a member of the Maritime Commission, was adversely reported by the Commerce Committee by a vote of 7 to 10 (See Governmental Affairs for Jan. 31, Mar. 2, and Oct. 1, 1945).
51 The nomination was debated on five different days, involving over 103 pages of the Record.
52 C.R., 79–1, p. 707, Feb. 1, 1945.
53 Two (oil agreement and water treaty with Mexico) were sent to the Senate in the second session of the Seventy-eighth Congress. Ten treaties (Executive A–J, inclusive) were sent to the Senate in the Seventy-ninth Congress, First Session, and made public. President Roosevelt submitted the Civil Aviation Treaty to the Senate on Mar. 12, 1945, following a heated meeting of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in which members demanded that air agreements be submitted as a treaty. The message accompanying the agreement read: “with a view to receiving the advice and consent of the Senate to ratification.” This unusual wording seemed to question whether the convention actually required ratification. (See Washington News Service—ticker—for Mar. 12, 1945.)
54 Only Senators Langer and Shipstead voted in the negative (See Governmental Affairs, for July 30, 1945).
55 The House Report warned that the two-thirds rule “has forced Chief Executives” to resort to executive agreements in foreign pacts. “This is an unhealthy tendency,” the report continued.
56 President Roosevelt recommended the legislation in his State of the Union message and various other subsequent communications, including personal letters to chairmen of the committees handling the bill.
57 The House adopted the conference report by a vote of 167 to 160, but the Senate rejected it by a vote of 29 to 46, after several days of debate. The vote in the Senate showed 18 Democrats and 11 Republicans voting for the report and 21 Democrats, 24 Republicans, and 1 Progressive voting against it. Under unanimous consent, the House then returned the whole issue to the House Military Affairs Committee, and no further action was taken on it (see Record for Apr. 23, 1945).
58 In his State of the Union message, he told Congress that “the need is too pressing to await the outcome of further efforts at recruiting.”
59 See action on H.R. 2277.
60 See State of Union message.
61 For details of recommendations by President Truman, see his messages to Congress dated Apr. 16, June 1, Sept. 6, Nov. 19, May 24, Dec. 3, and Oct. 3.
62 The bill as enacted was not in keeping with all of the recommendations of the Treasury Department.
63 S. 1274.
64 S. 380.
65 S. 101 and H.R. 2232.
66 H.R. 4437.
67 S. 1661 and H.R. 4908.
68 S. 1606 and H.R. 4730.
69 S. 1349, etc.
70 S. 1592.
71 H.R. 3587.
72 S. 1050 and H.R. 3293.
73 S. J. Res. 104.
74 S. 555.
75 H.R. 515, S. 188, and S. 1473.
76 S. 84.
77 Most of the bills vetoed were private.
78 C.R., 79–1, pp. 4223–4233.
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