110th United States Congress

110th United States Congress
	109th ← → 111th
	United States Capitol (2007)
January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2009
Senate President	Dick Cheney (R)
Senate Pres. pro tem	Robert Byrd (D)
House Speaker	Nancy Pelosi (D)
Members	100 senators; 435 representatives; 5 non-voting delegates
Senate Majority	Democratic (coalition)
House Majority	Democratic
Sessions
	1st: January 4, 2007 – December 19, 2007; 2nd: January 3, 2008 – January 3, 2009

The 110th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, between January 3, 2007, and January 3, 2009, during the last two years of the second term of President George W. Bush. It was composed of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The apportionment of seats in the House was based on the 2000 U.S. Census.^[1]

The Democratic Party controlled a majority in both chambers for the first time since the end of the 103rd Congress in 1995. Although the Democrats held fewer than 50 Senate seats, they had an operational majority because the two independent senators caucused with the Democrats for organizational purposes. No Democratic-held seats had fallen to the Republican Party in the 2006 elections.^[2] Democrat Nancy Pelosi became the first female Speaker of the House.^[3] The House also received the first Muslim (Keith Ellison)^[4]^[5] and Buddhist (Hank Johnson and Mazie Hirono)^[6] members of Congress.

110th United States Congress Intro articles: 13

1 Majority

A majority, also called a simple majority to distinguish it from similar terms, is the greater part, or more than half, of the total. It is a subset of a set consisting of more than half of the set's elements. For example, if a group consists of 20 individuals, a majority would be 11 or more individuals, while having 10 or fewer individuals would not constitute a majority. "Majority" can be used to specify the voting requirement, as in a "majority vote", which means more than half of the votes cast.More

2 103rd United States Congress

The 103rd 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, D.C. from January 3, 1993, to January 3, 1995, during the final weeks of George H. W. Bush's presidency and the first two years of Bill Clinton's presidency. The apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the Twenty-first Census of the United States in 1990. Both chambers had a Democratic majority. This would prove the last Congress until the 110th when the Democratic Party had majorities in either chamber, apart from a brief portion of the 107th.More

3 Independent politician

An independent or nonpartisan politician is a politician not affiliated with any political party. There are numerous reasons why someone may stand for office as an independent.More

4 Congressional caucus

A congressional caucus is a group of members of the United States Congress that meet to pursue common legislative objectives. Formally, caucuses are formed as congressional member organizations (CMOs) through the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate and governed under the rules of these chambers. In addition to the term caucus, they are sometimes called conferences, coalitions, study groups, task forces, or working groups. Many other countries use the term parliamentary group—for example, the Parliament of the United Kingdom has many all-party parliamentary groups.More

5 Republican Party (United States)

The Republican Party, also referred to as the GOP, is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with its main, historic rival, the Democratic Party.More

6 2006 United States elections

The 2006 United States elections were held on Tuesday, November 7, 2006 in the middle of Republican President George W. Bush's second term. Democrats won control of both houses of Congress, which was the first time either party did so since the 1994 elections.More

7 Nancy Pelosi

Nancy Patricia Pelosi is an American politician serving as Speaker of the United States House of Representatives since 2019, and previously from 2007 to 2011. Pelosi has served as a U.S. representative from California since 1987. A member of the Democratic Party, she is the only woman in U.S. history to serve as Speaker and, until the Inauguration, is the highest-ranking female elected official in United States history. As House speaker, Pelosi is second in the presidential line of succession, after the vice president.More

8 Speaker of the United States House of Representatives

The speaker of the United States House of Representatives is the presiding officer of the United States House of Representatives. The office was established in 1789 by Article I, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution. The speaker is the political and parliamentary leader of the House of Representatives, and is simultaneously the House's presiding officer, de facto leader of the body's majority party, and the institution's administrative head. Speakers also perform various other administrative and procedural functions. Given these several roles and responsibilities, the speaker usually does not personally preside over debates. That duty is instead delegated to members of the House from the majority party. Neither does the speaker regularly participate in floor debates.More

9 Islam

Islam is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion teaching that Muhammad is a messenger of God. It is the world's second-largest religion with 1.8 billion followers or 24.1% of the world's population, known as Muslims. Muslims make up a majority of the population in 49 countries. Islam teaches that God (Allāh) is alone, merciful, all-powerful, and unique, and has guided humanity through prophets, revealed scriptures, and natural signs. The primary scriptures of Islam are the Quran, believed to be the verbatim word of God, as well as the teachings and actions of Muhammad.More

10 Keith Ellison

Keith Maurice Ellison is an American politician and lawyer serving as the 30th Attorney General of Minnesota. A member of the Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL), Ellison was the U.S. Representative for Minnesota's 5th congressional district from 2007 to 2019. He also served as the titular Deputy Chair of the Democratic National Committee from 2017 to 2018. In Congress, Ellison was a vice-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and a Chief Deputy Whip. He also sat on the House Committee on Financial Services. Ellison was the first Muslim to be elected to Congress and the first African American representative from Minnesota.More

11 Buddhism

Buddhism is the world's fourth-largest religion with over 520 million followers, or over 7% of the global population, known as Buddhists. Buddhism encompasses a variety of traditions, beliefs and spiritual practices largely based on original teachings attributed to the Buddha and resulting interpreted philosophies. It originated in ancient India as a Sramana tradition sometime between the 6th and 4th centuries BCE, spreading through much of Asia. Two major extant branches of Buddhism are generally recognized by scholars: Theravāda and Mahāyāna.More

12 Hank Johnson

Henry Calvin Johnson Jr. is an American politician serving as the U.S. Representative for Georgia's 4th congressional district since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district is based in DeKalb County, a largely suburban county east of Atlanta. It also includes portions of Gwinnett, Newton, and all of Rockdale counties; the district's boundaries have been redrawn, in accordance with the results of the 2010 United States Census, since Congressman Johnson's initial election victory in 2006. He is one of only three Buddhists, along with Hawaii Senator Mazie Hirono and former Hawaii Representative Colleen Hanabusa, to have ever served in the United States Congress.More

13 Mazie Hirono

Mazie Keiko Hirono is an American politician serving since 2013 as the junior United States Senator from Hawaii. She is a member of the Democratic Party. Hirono served as a member of the Hawaii House of Representatives from 1981 to 1995 and as Hawaii's ninth lieutenant governor from 1994 to 2002, under Ben Cayetano. The Democratic nominee for governor of Hawaii in 2002, Hirono was defeated by Republican Linda Lingle. From 2007 to 2013, she served as a member of the United States House of Representatives for Hawaii's 2nd congressional district.More

Major events

Members debated initiatives such as the Democrats' 100-Hour Plan and the Iraq War troop surge of 2007.^[7]^[8]^[9]

President Bush delivered the 2007 State of the Union Address on January 23, 2007

President Bush delivered the 2008 State of the Union Address on January 28, 2008

Support for the Iraq War

Following President Bush's 2007 State of the Union Address, Congress debated his proposal to create a troop surge to increase security in Iraq. The House of Representatives passed a non-binding measure opposing the surge and then a $124 billion emergency spending measure to fund the war, which included language that dictated troop levels and withdrawal schedules. President Bush, however, vetoed the bill as promised, making this his second veto while in office. Both houses of Congress subsequently passed a bill funding the war without timelines, but with benchmarks for the Iraqi government and money for other spending projects like disaster relief.

Other events

January 23, 2007: President Bush delivered the 2007 State of the Union Address
August 2, 2007: The Republican minority disputed the results of a vote to recommit. This led to an investigation by the House Select Committee on Voting Irregularities.^[10]
December 18, 2007: The Senate set a record for the most cloture votes.^[11]
January 2008: Start of the Great Recession
January 28, 2008: President Bush delivered the 2008 State of the Union Address
September 15, 2008: The precipitation of global financial crisis intensifies a recession that began in January.
November 4, 2008: General elections - Democrats increased their congressional majorities and Senator Barack Obama was elected President.

110th United States Congress Major events articles: 20

1 100-Hour Plan

The 100-Hour Plan was a United States Democratic Party political strategy detailing the actions the party pursued upon assuming leadership of the 110th Congress on January 4, 2007. The strategy was announced before the 2006 midterm elections. Speaker Nancy Pelosi pledged that her party would continue to pursue these goals upon her assumption of leadership. The 100-hour time period refers to business hours and not actual time, and has alternately been termed "100 legislative hours"; Pelosi's spokesman Brendan Daly defined the starting point this way: "It's when the House convenes, after the one-minutes and before the special orders."More

2 Iraq War

The Iraq War was a protracted armed conflict that began in 2003 with the invasion of Iraq by a United States-led coalition that overthrew the government of Saddam Hussein. The conflict continued for much of the next decade as an insurgency emerged to oppose the occupying forces and the post-invasion Iraqi government. An estimated 151,000 to 1,033,000 Iraqis were killed in the first three to four years of conflict. US troops were officially withdrawn in 2011. However, following the spread of the Syrian civil war and the territorial gains of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), the Obama administration decided to redeploy US forces to Iraq in 2014. Many former soldiers are employed by defense contractors and private military companies. The U.S. became re-involved in 2014 at the head of a new coalition; the insurgency and many dimensions of the armed conflict continue. The invasion occurred as part of the George W. Bush administration's War on Terror, following the September 11 attacks.More

3 Iraq War troop surge of 2007

In the context of the Iraq War, the surge refers to United States President George W. Bush's 2007 increase in the number of American troops in order to provide security to Baghdad and Al Anbar Governorate.More

4 2007 State of the Union Address

The 2007 State of the Union Address was given by the 43rd President of the United States, George W. Bush, on Tuesday, January 23, 2007, at 9 p.m. EST, in the chamber of the United States House of Representatives to the 110th United States Congress. It was Bush's sixth State of the Union Address and his seventh speech to a joint session of the United States Congress. Presiding over this joint session was the House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, accompanied by Dick Cheney, the Vice President of the United States.More

5 2008 State of the Union Address

The 2008 State of the Union Address was given by the 43rd President of the United States, George W. Bush, on Monday, January 28, 2008, at 9 p.m. EST, in the chamber of the United States House of Representatives to the 110th United States Congress. It was Bush's seventh and final State of the Union Address and his eighth and final speech to a joint session of the United States Congress. Presiding over this joint session was the House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, accompanied by Dick Cheney, the Vice President of the United States.More

6 National security

National security or national defence is the security and defence of a nation state, including its citizens, economy, and institutions, which is regarded as a duty of government.More

7 United States dollar

The United States dollar is the official currency of the United States and its territories per the Coinage Act of 1792. One dollar is divided into 100 cents, or into 1000 mills for accounting and taxation purposes. The Coinage Act of 1792 created a decimal currency by creating the dime, nickel, and penny coins, as well as the dollar, half dollar, and quarter dollar coins, all of which are still minted in 2020.More

8 Veto

A veto is the power to unilaterally stop an official action, especially the enactment of legislation. A veto can be absolute, as for instance in the United Nations Security Council, whose permanent members can block any resolution, or it can be limited, as in the legislative process of the United States, where a two-thirds vote in both the House and Senate will override a presidential veto of legislation. A veto may give power only to stop changes, like the US legislative veto, or to also adopt them, like the legislative veto of the Indian President, which allows him to propose amendments to bills returned to Parliament for reconsideration.More

9 U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Care, Katrina Recovery, and Iraq Accountability Appropriations Act, 2007

The U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Care, Katrina Recovery, and Iraq Accountability Appropriations Act, 2007,, is an emergency appropriations act passed by the 110th United States Congress that provides funding for the Iraq War through September 30, 2007. A prior version of the act, H.R. 1591, included a timeline for withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq. H.R. 1591 was passed by Congress but vetoed by President George W. Bush. While the veto of H.R. 1591 could have caused delays for Iraq war expenditures, the availability of funds resulting from the passage of the Defense Appropriations Act on September 29, 2006, allowed the Department of Defense to continue Iraq War spending in the interim period between the veto of H.R. 1591 and the President's signature of approval for H.R. 2206. The Feed and Forage Act was not invoked by the U.S. government in the days prior to the passage of H.R. 2206.More

10 U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Care, Katrina Recovery, and Iraq Accountability Appropriations Act, 2007

The U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Care, Katrina Recovery, and Iraq Accountability Appropriations Act, 2007,, is an emergency appropriations act passed by the 110th United States Congress that provides funding for the Iraq War through September 30, 2007. A prior version of the act, H.R. 1591, included a timeline for withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq. H.R. 1591 was passed by Congress but vetoed by President George W. Bush. While the veto of H.R. 1591 could have caused delays for Iraq war expenditures, the availability of funds resulting from the passage of the Defense Appropriations Act on September 29, 2006, allowed the Department of Defense to continue Iraq War spending in the interim period between the veto of H.R. 1591 and the President's signature of approval for H.R. 2206. The Feed and Forage Act was not invoked by the U.S. government in the days prior to the passage of H.R. 2206.More

11 Politics of Iraq

The politics of Iraq take place in a framework of a federal parliamentary representative democratic republic. It is a multi-party system whereby the executive power is exercised by the Prime Minister of the Council of Ministers as the head of government, as well as the President of Iraq, and legislative power is vested in the Council of Representatives and the Federation Council.More

12 Emergency management

Emergency management is the organization and management of the resources and responsibilities for dealing with all humanitarian aspects of emergencies. The aim is to reduce the harmful effects of all hazards, including disasters.More

13 2007 in the United States

Events from the year 2007 in the United States.More

14 2008 in the United States

Events from the year 2008 in the United States of America.More

15 United States House Select Committee on the Voting Irregularities of August 2, 2007

The House Select Committee on the Voting Irregularities of August 2, 2007 is a defunct select committee of the U.S. House of Representatives. It was established August 3, 2007 when the House adopted resolution H.Res. 611, introduced by House Republican leader John Boehner of Ohio. As a select committee, it operated only during the 110th Congress, and only for the purposes for which it was established.More

16 Cloture

Cloture, closure or, informally, a guillotine, is a motion or process in parliamentary procedure aimed at bringing debate to a quick end. The cloture procedure originated in the French National Assembly, from which the name is taken. Clôture is French for "the act of terminating something". It was introduced into the Parliament of the United Kingdom by William Ewart Gladstone to overcome the obstructionism of the Irish Parliamentary Party and was made permanent in 1887. It was subsequently adopted by the United States Senate and other legislatures. The name cloture remains in the United States; in Commonwealth countries it is usually closure or, informally, guillotine; in the United Kingdom closure and guillotine are distinct motions.More

17 Great Recession

The Great Recession was a period of marked general decline (recession) observed in national economies globally that occurred between 2007 and 2009. The scale and timing of the recession varied from country to country. At the time, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) concluded that it was the most severe economic and financial meltdown since the Great Depression.More

18 Financial crisis of 2007–2008

The financial crisis of 2007–2008, also known as the global financial crisis (GFC), was a severe worldwide financial crisis. Excessive risk-taking by banks combined with the bursting of the United States housing bubble caused the values of securities tied to U.S. real estate to plummet, damaging financial institutions globally, culminating with the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers on September 15, 2008, and an international banking crisis. The crisis sparked the Great Recession, which, at the time, was the most severe global recession since the Great Depression. It was also followed by the European debt crisis, which began with a deficit in Greece in late 2009, and the 2008–2011 Icelandic financial crisis, which involved the bank failure of all three of the major banks in Iceland and, relative to the size of its economy, was the largest economic collapse suffered by any country in economic history. It was among the five worst financial crisis the world had experienced and led to a loss of more than $2 trillion from the global economy. U.S. home mortgage debt relative to GDP increased from an average of 46% during the 1990s to 73% during 2008, reaching $10.5 trillion. The increase in cash out refinancings, as home values rose, fueled an increase in consumption that could no longer be sustained when home prices declined. Many financial institutions owned investments whose value was based on home mortgages such as mortgage-backed securities, or credit derivatives used to insure them against failure, which declined in value significantly. The International Monetary Fund estimated that large U.S. and European banks lost more than $1 trillion on toxic assets and from bad loans from January 2007 to September 2009.More

19 Election Day (United States)

In the United States, Election Day is the annual day set by law for the general elections of federal public officials. It is statutorily set by the Federal Government as "the Tuesday next after the first Monday in the month of November" equaling the Tuesday occurring within November 2 to November 8.More

20 2008 United States elections

The 2008 United States elections were held on November 4. Democratic Senator Barack Obama of Illinois won the presidential election, and Democrats bolstered their majority in both houses of Congress.More

Major legislation

Contents: Enacted Pending or failed Vetoed

These are partial lists of prominent enacted legislation and pending bills.

See also: 2008 Congressional Record, Vol. 154, Page D845 , Resume of Congressional Activity

Enacted

February 2, 2007 — House Page Board Revision Act of 2007, Pub.L. 110–2 (text) (pdf), 121 Stat. 4
May 25, 2007 — U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Care, Katrina Recovery, and Iraq Accountability Appropriations Act, 2007, Pub.L. 110–28 (text) (pdf), 121 Stat. 112, including Title VIII: Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007, 121 Stat. 188
June 14, 2007 — Preserving United States Attorney Independence Act of 2007, Pub.L. 110–34 (text) (pdf), 121 Stat. 224
July 26, 2007 — Foreign Investment and National Security Act of 2007, Pub.L. 110–49 (text) (pdf), 121 Stat. 246
August 3, 2007 — Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007, Pub.L. 110–53 (text) (pdf), 121 Stat. 266
August 5, 2007 — Protect America Act of 2007, Pub.L. 110–55 (text) (pdf), 121 Stat. 552
September 14, 2007 — Honest Leadership and Open Government Act, Pub.L. 110–81 (text) (pdf), 121 Stat. 735
November 8, 2007 — Water Resources Development Act of 2007, Pub.L. 110–114 (text) (pdf), 121 Stat. 1041 (Veto overridden)
December 19, 2007 — Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, Pub.L. 110–140 (text) (pdf), 121 Stat. 1492
February 13, 2008 — Economic Stimulus Act of 2008, Pub.L. 110–185 (text) (pdf), 122 Stat. 613
May 21, 2008 — Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, Pub.L. 110–233 (text) (pdf), 122 Stat. 881
May 22, 2008 — Food and Energy Security Act of 2007 (2007 Farm Bill), Pub.L. 110–234 (text) (pdf), 122 Stat. 923 (Veto overridden)
June 30, 2008 — Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2008, Pub.L. 110–252 (text) (pdf), 122 Stat. 2323, including Title V: Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008 ("G.I. Bill 2008")
July 10, 2008 — FISA Amendments Act of 2008, Pub.L. 110–261 (text) (pdf), 122 Stat. 2436
July 29, 2008 — Tom Lantos Block Burmese JADE (Junta's Anti-Democratic Efforts) Act of 2008, Pub.L. 110–286 (text) (pdf), 122 Stat. 2632
July 30, 2008 — Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008, Pub.L. 110–289 (text) (pdf), 122 Stat. 2654

House in Salinas, California under foreclosure, following the bursting of the U.S. real estate bubble.

October 3, 2008 — Public Law 110-343 (Pub.L. 110–343 (text) (pdf)), 122 Stat. 3765, including:
- Div. A: Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, H.R. 1424;
- Div. B: Energy Improvement and Extension Act of 2008; and
- Div. C: Tax Extenders and Alternative Minimum Tax Relief Act of 2008
October 15, 2008 — Pub.L. 110–430 (text) (pdf): Setting the beginning of the first session of the 111th Congress and the date for counting Electoral College votes, 122 Stat. 4846
December 19, 2008 — Pub.L. 110–455 (text) (pdf): A Saxbe fix, reducing the compensation and other emoluments attached to the office of Secretary of State to that which was in effect on January 1, 2007: allowing Hillary Clinton to serve as Secretary of State despite the Ineligibility Clause of the United States Constitution.

More information: Public Laws for the 110th Congress and Complete index of Public and Private Laws for 110th Congress at GPO

Proposed, but not enacted

in (alphabetical order)

Vetoed

110th United States Congress Major legislation articles: 49

1 Congressional Record

The Congressional Record is the official record of the proceedings and debates of the United States Congress, published by the United States Government Publishing Office and issued when Congress is in session. Indexes are issued approximately every two weeks. At the end of a session of Congress, the daily editions are compiled in bound volumes constituting the permanent edition. Chapter 9 of Title 44 of the United States Code authorizes publication of the Congressional Record.More

2 Page of the United States House of Representatives

United States House of Representatives Page Program was a program run by the United States House of Representatives, under the office of the Clerk of the House, in which high school students acted as non-partisan federal employees in the House of Representatives, providing supplemental administrative support to House operations in a variety of capacities in Washington, D.C., at the United States Capitol. The program ended in 2011, although the Senate Page program continued. Pages served within the U.S. House of Representatives for over 180 years.More

3 Act of Congress

An Act of Congress is a statute enacted by Congress. Acts can affect only individual entities, or the general public. For a bill to become an act, the text must pass through both houses with a majority, then be either signed into law by the president of the United States or receive congressional override against a presidential veto.More

4 United States Statutes at Large

The United States Statutes at Large, commonly referred to as the Statutes at Large and abbreviated Stat., are an official record of Acts of Congress and concurrent resolutions passed by the United States Congress. Each act and resolution of Congress is originally published as a slip law, which is classified as either public law or private law (Pvt.L.), and designated and numbered accordingly. At the end of a Congressional session, the statutes enacted during that session are compiled into bound books, known as "session law" publications. The session law publication for U.S. Federal statutes is called the United States Statutes at Large. In that publication, the public laws and private laws are numbered and organized in chronological order. U.S. Federal statutes are published in a three-part process, consisting of slip laws, session laws, and codification.More

5 Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007

The Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007 is a US Act of Congress that amended the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to gradually raise the federal minimum wage from $5.15 per hour to $7.25 per hour. It was signed into law on May 25, 2007 as part of the U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Care, Katrina Recovery, and Iraq Accountability Appropriations Act, 2007. The act raised the federal minimum wage in 3 increments: to $5.85 per hour 60 days after enactment, to $6.55 per hour a year later, and finally to $7.25 per hour two years later. In addition, the act provided for the Northern Mariana Islands and American Samoa to make the transition to the federal minimum wage on alternate timetables.More

6 Dismissal of U.S. attorneys controversy

On December 7, 2006, the George W. Bush Administration's Department of Justice ordered the unprecedented midterm dismissal of seven United States attorneys. Congressional investigations focused on whether the Department of Justice and the White House were using the U.S. Attorney positions for political advantage. Allegations were that some of the attorneys were targeted for dismissal to impede investigations of Republican politicians or that some were targeted for their failure to initiate investigations that would damage Democratic politicians or hamper Democratic-leaning voters. The U.S. attorneys were replaced with interim appointees, under provisions in the 2005 USA PATRIOT Act reauthorization.More

7 Foreign Investment and National Security Act of 2007

Foreign Investment and National Security Act of 2007 is an Act of the United States Congress.More

8 Protect America Act of 2007

The Protect America Act of 2007 (PAA),, is a controversial amendment to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) that was signed into law by U.S. President George W. Bush on August 5, 2007. It removed the warrant requirement for government surveillance of foreign intelligence targets "reasonably believed" to be outside the United States. The FISA Amendments Act of 2008 reauthorized many provisions of the Protect America Act in Title VII of FISA.More

9 Honest Leadership and Open Government Act

The Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007 is a law of the United States federal government that amended parts of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995. It strengthens public disclosure requirements concerning lobbying activity and funding, places more restrictions on gifts for members of Congress and their staff, and provides for mandatory disclosure of earmarks in expenditure bills. The bill was signed into law by President George W. Bush on September 14, 2007.More

10 Water Resources Development Act of 2007

The Water Resources Development Act of 2007 or WRDA 2007 is a United States law that reauthorized the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), and authorized flood control, navigation, and environmental projects and studies by the United States Army Corps of Engineers. However, the law does not appropriate funds for those projects and programs. It was passed by the 110th United States Congress on November 8, 2007 over President George W. Bush's veto.More

11 Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007

The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, originally named the Clean Energy Act of 2007, is an Act of Congress concerning the energy policy of the United States. As part of the Democratic Party's 100-Hour Plan during the 110th Congress, it was introduced in the United States House of Representatives by Representative Nick Rahall of West Virginia, along with 198 cosponsors. Even though Rahall was 1 of only 4 Democrats to oppose the final bill, it passed in the House without amendment in January 2007. When the Act was introduced in the Senate in June 2007, it was combined with Senate Bill S. 1419: Renewable Fuels, Consumer Protection, and Energy Efficiency Act of 2007. This amended version passed the Senate on June 21, 2007. After further amendments and negotiation between the House and Senate, a revised bill passed both houses on December 18, 2007 and President Bush, a Republican, signed it into law on December 19, 2007, in response to his "Twenty in Ten" challenge to reduce gasoline consumption by 20% in 10 years.More

12 Economic Stimulus Act of 2008

The Economic Stimulus Act of 2008 was an Act of Congress providing for several kinds of economic stimuli intended to boost the United States economy in 2008 and to avert a recession, or ameliorate economic conditions. The stimulus package was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives on January 29, 2008, and in a slightly different version by the U.S. Senate on February 7, 2008. The Senate version was then approved in the House the same day. It was signed into law on February 13, 2008 by President Bush with the support of both Democratic and Republican lawmakers. The law provides for tax rebates to low- and middle-income U.S. taxpayers, tax incentives to stimulate business investment, and an increase in the limits imposed on mortgages eligible for purchase by government-sponsored enterprises. The total cost of this bill was projected at $152 billion for 2008.More

13 Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act

The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008, is an Act of Congress in the United States designed to prohibit some types of genetic discrimination. The act bars the use of genetic information in health insurance and employment: it prohibits group health plans and health insurers from denying coverage to a healthy individual or charging that person higher premiums based solely on a genetic predisposition to developing a disease in the future, and it bars employers from using individuals' genetic information when making hiring, firing, job placement, or promotion decisions. Senator Ted Kennedy called it the "first major new civil rights bill of the new century." The Act contains amendments to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.More

14 Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008

The Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 was a $288 billion, five-year agricultural policy bill that was passed into law by the United States Congress on May 22, 2008. The bill was a continuation of the 2002 Farm Bill. It continues the United States' long history of agricultural subsidies as well as pursuing areas such as energy, conservation, nutrition, and rural development. Some specific initiatives in the bill include increases in Food Stamp benefits, increased support for the production of cellulosic ethanol, and money for the research of pests, diseases and other agricultural problems.More

15 Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2008

The Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2008, which was signed into law on June 30, 2008, is an Act of Congress that appropriated $250 billion for ongoing military operations and domestic programs. This law is an example of an Appropriation bill, a bill that grants the government permission to spend a certain amount of money.More

16 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 Amendments Act of 2008

The FISA Amendments Act of 2008, also called the FAA and Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 Amendments Act of 2008, is an Act of Congress that amended the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. It has been used as the legal basis for surveillance programs disclosed by Edward Snowden in 2013, including PRISM.More

17 Tom Lantos Block Burmese JADE (Junta's Anti-Democratic Efforts) Act of 2008

The Tom Lantos Block Burmese JADE Act of 2008 is a United States act of Congress, that bars gemstones -- specifically rubies and jadeite -- from Burma from entering the United States via third party countries.More

18 Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008

The United States Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 was designed primarily to address the subprime mortgage crisis. It authorized the Federal Housing Administration to guarantee up to $300 billion in new 30-year fixed rate mortgages for subprime borrowers if lenders wrote down principal loan balances to 90 percent of current appraisal value. It was intended to restore confidence in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac by strengthening regulations and injecting capital into the two large U.S. suppliers of mortgage funding. States are authorized to refinance subprime loans using mortgage revenue bonds. Enactment of the Act led to the government conservatorship of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.More

19 Salinas, California

Salinas is a city in Monterey County, California, United States. With a population of 155,564, Salinas is the most populous city in Monterey County, as well as its county seat. Salinas is an urban area located just outside the southern portion of the Greater Bay Area and 10 miles (16 km) southeast of the mouth of the Salinas River. The city is located at the mouth of the Salinas Valley, roughly eight miles from the Pacific Ocean, and it has a climate more influenced by the ocean than the interior.More

20 Public Law 110-343

Public Law 110-343 is a US Act of Congress signed into law by U.S. President George W. Bush, which was designed to mitigate the growing financial crisis of the late-2000s by giving relief to so-called "Troubled Assets."More

21 Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008

The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, often called the "bank bailout of 2008," was proposed by Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, passed by the 110th United States Congress, and signed into law by President George W. Bush. The act became law as part of Public Law 110-343 on October 3, 2008, in the midst of the financial crisis of 2007–08. The law created the $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) to purchase toxic assets from banks. The funds for purchase of distressed assets were mostly redirected to inject capital into banks and other financial institutions while the Treasury continued to examine the usefulness of targeted asset purchases.More

22 Public Law 110-343

Public Law 110-343 is a US Act of Congress signed into law by U.S. President George W. Bush, which was designed to mitigate the growing financial crisis of the late-2000s by giving relief to so-called "Troubled Assets."More

23 Public Law 110-343

Public Law 110-343 is a US Act of Congress signed into law by U.S. President George W. Bush, which was designed to mitigate the growing financial crisis of the late-2000s by giving relief to so-called "Troubled Assets."More

24 Saxbe fix

The Saxbe fix, or salary rollback, is a mechanism by which the President of the United States, in appointing a current or former member of the United States Congress whose elected term has not yet expired, can avoid the restriction of the United States Constitution's Ineligibility Clause. That clause prohibits the President from appointing a current or former member of Congress to a civil office position that was created, or to a civil office position for which the pay or benefits were increased, during the term for which that member was elected until the term has expired. The rollback, first implemented by an Act of Congress in 1909, reverts the emoluments of the office to the amount they were when that member began his or her elected term.More

25 Hillary Clinton

Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton is an American politician, diplomat, lawyer, writer, and public speaker who served as the 67th United States secretary of state from 2009 to 2013, as a United States senator from New York from 2001 to 2009, and as First Lady of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Clinton became the first woman to be nominated for president of the United States by a major political party when she won the Democratic Party nomination in 2016. She was the first woman to win the popular vote in an American presidential election, which she lost to Donald Trump.More

26 United States Secretary of State

The secretary of state is the head of the United States Department of State which is concerned with foreign affairs and is a member of the Cabinet of the United States. Created in 1789, the position is analogous to a foreign minister in other countries.More

27 Ineligibility Clause

The Ineligibility Clause is a provision in Article 1, Section 6, Clause 2 of the United States Constitution that makes each incumbent member of Congress ineligible to hold an office established by the federal government during their tenure in Congress; it also bars officials in the federal government's executive and judicial branches from simultaneously serving in either the U.S. House or Senate. The purpose of the clause is twofold: first, to protect the separation of powers philosophy ; and second, to prevent Congress from conspiring to create offices or increase federal officials' salaries with the expectation that members of Congress would later be appointed to these posts.More

28 Constitution of the United States

The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. The Constitution, originally comprising seven articles, delineates the national frame of government. Its first three articles embody the doctrine of the separation of powers, whereby the federal government is divided into three branches: the legislative, consisting of the bicameral Congress ; the executive, consisting of the president and subordinate officers ; and the judicial, consisting of the Supreme Court and other federal courts. Article IV, Article V and Article VI embody concepts of federalism, describing the rights and responsibilities of state governments, the states in relationship to the federal government, and the shared process of constitutional amendment. Article VII establishes the procedure subsequently used by the thirteen States to ratify it. It is regarded as the oldest written and codified national constitution in force.More

29 America's Climate Security Act of 2007

The America's Climate Security Act of 2007 was a global warming bill that was considered by the United States Senate to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases emitted in the United States. Also known as the Lieberman–Warner bill, bill number S. 2191, the legislation was introduced by Sens. Joseph Lieberman (I-CT) and John Warner (R-VA) on October 18, 2007. The bill was approved by the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works in December 2007, and was debated in the Senate during the week of June 2. The bill would create a national cap-and-trade scheme for greenhouse gas emissions, in which polluters would mostly be allocated right-to-emit credits based on how much greenhouse gas they currently emit. The cap would get tighter over time, until by 2050, emissions would be reduced to 63% below 2005 levels. Several environmental groups expressed their encouragement at the progress in legislation on the global warming issue while at the same time expressing disappointment that the bill did not reduce emissions enough. On June 6, 2008, the bill was killed by Senate Republicans over worries that it would damage the economy.More

30 Automotive industry crisis of 2008–2010

The automotive industry crisis of 2008–2010 was a part of the financial crisis of 2007–2008 and the resulting Great Recession. The crisis affected European and Asian automobile manufacturers, but it was primarily felt in the American automobile manufacturing industry. The downturn also affected Canada by virtue of the Automotive Products Trade Agreement.More

31 Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007

The Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007 was a bill discussed in the 110th United States Congress that would have provided legal status and a path to citizenship for the approximately 12 million undocumented immigrants residing in the United States. The bill was portrayed as a compromise between providing a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants and increased border enforcement: it included funding for 300 miles (480 km) of vehicle barriers, 105 camera and radar towers, and 20,000 more Border Patrol agents, while simultaneously restructuring visa criteria around high-skilled workers. The bill also received heated criticism from both sides of the immigration debate. The bill was introduced in the United States Senate on May 9, 2007, but was never voted on, though a series of votes on amendments and cloture took place. The last vote on cloture, on June 7, 2007, 11:59 AM, failed 34–61 effectively ending the bill's chances. A related bill S. 1639, on June 28, 2007, 11:04 AM, also failed 46–53.More

32 Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act

The Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act of 2007 was a bill introduced in the 110th Congress of the U.S. on January 31, 2007, by Sen. Barack Obama, Democrat of Illinois and Sen. Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York. The bill was referred to the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary and on October 4, 2007 was referred to the Senate, although it never received a vote.More

33 District of Columbia voting rights

Voting rights of citizens in the District of Columbia differ from the rights of citizens in each of the 50 U.S. states. The Constitution grants each state voting representation in both houses of the United States Congress. As the federal capital, the District of Columbia is a special federal district, not a state, and therefore does not have voting representation in Congress. The Constitution grants Congress exclusive jurisdiction over the District in "all cases whatsoever".More

34 Employee Free Choice Act

The Employee Free Choice Act is the name for several legislative bills on US labor law which have been proposed and sometimes introduced into one or both chambers of the U.S. Congress.More

35 Employment Non-Discrimination Act

The Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) is legislation proposed in the United States Congress that would prohibit discrimination in hiring and employment on the basis of sexual orientation or, depending on the version of the bill, gender identity by employers with at least 15 employees.More

36 Executive Branch Reform Act of 2007

The Executive Branch Reform Act was a bill proposed in the 110th United States Congress and would have required thousands of federal officials to report into a government database the names of persons who contact them attempting to "influence" government policies or actions.More

37 Family and Consumer Choice Act of 2007

The Family and Consumer Choice Act of 2007 is a proposed bill introduced by United States Representatives Daniel Lipinski (D-IL-3) and Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE-1) intending to allow families to choose and pay for only the cable TV television channels that they want to watch so that it will be easier to prevent their children from cable content they consider indecent. In addition, the bill would impose the same decency standards already in place on broadcast television onto cable channels, as between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. in the Eastern and Pacific time zones, any indecent type of program, including programs rated "TV-14" or "TV-MA" under the TV Parental Guidelines, may not be broadcast. Lipinski has stated that it will provide parents, who are "the first line of defense in protecting their kids... more help". Currently, all cable television operators in the United States provide their channels in packages without offering packages containing only educational, news, family, or sports channels.More

38 Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act of 2007

The Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act of 2007 was a bill proposed to amend the 1963 Clean Air Act, a bill that aimed to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide. Senators; Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Barbara Boxer (D-CA) proposed it at the 110th United States Congress on January 15, 2007. The bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works but was not enacted into law.More

39 Habeas Corpus Restoration Act of 2007

A bill, provisionally called the Habeas Corpus Restoration Act of 2007, S. 185, passed the United States Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday, June 7, 2007.More

40 Iraq War De-Escalation Act of 2007

On January 30, 2007, then-U.S. Senator Barack Obama introduced the Iraq War De-Escalation Act of 2007. The plan would have stopped the 2007 U.S. Troop Surge of 21,500 in Iraq, and would also have begun a phased redeployment of troops from Iraq with the goal of removing all combat forces by March 31, 2008. The bill was referred to committee and failed to become law in the 110th Congress.More

41 Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act

The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act is an American Act of Congress, passed on October 22, 2009, and signed into law by President Barack Obama on October 28, 2009, as a rider to the National Defense Authorization Act for 2010. Conceived as a response to the murders of Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr., both in 1998, the measure expands the 1969 United States federal hate-crime law to include crimes motivated by a victim's actual or perceived gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability.More

42 Medicare Prescription Drug Price Negotiation Act of 2007

In January 2007, the 110th United States House of Representatives approved H.R. 4, the Medicare Prescription Drug Price Negotiation Act, a bill to require federal officials to negotiate with drug companies for lower prices for the 23 million senior citizens who have signed up for Medicare's prescription drug coverage. If passed, the law would repeal a ban on letting the government negotiate with manufacturers for lower prices — a provision that was part of the GOP-sponsored 2003 measure called the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act, which created the prescription drug program.More

43 Personal Use of Marijuana by Responsible Adults Act of 2008

The Personal Use of Marijuana by Responsible Adults Act of 2008 was a bill in the United States House of Representatives introduced by Barney Frank (D-MA) in the 110th congress on April 17, 2008 as H.R. 5843. The bill had a total of 8 cosponsors. Its passage would have eliminated federal criminal penalties for possession of up to 100 grams (3.5 oz) and nonprofit transfer of up to an ounce of cannabis under the Controlled Substances Act. It does not change the regulation on the manufacturing or the sale of cannabis. It is the first bill of its kind to be introduced at the federal level in the U.S. since 1984.More

44 Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act of 2007

The Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act of 2007, introduced in the 110th Congress(H.R. 980, S. 2123), proposed to establish minimum standards for state collective bargaining laws for public safety officers.More

45 Children's Health Insurance Program

The Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) – formerly known as the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) – is a program administered by the United States Department of Health and Human Services that provides matching funds to states for health insurance to families with children. The program was designed to cover uninsured children in families with incomes that are modest but too high to qualify for Medicaid. The program was passed into law as part of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, and the statutory authority for CHIP is under title XXI of the Social Security Act.More

46 Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2008

The Department of Health and Human Services Appropriations Act of 2008 or the HHS-Labor-Education Appropriations Bill is a bill introduced in the House of Representatives during the 110th United States Congress by Rep. David Obey.More

47 Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act

Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act was the name of two similar bills that both passed through the United States House of Representatives and Senate, but were both vetoed by President George W. Bush and were not enacted into law.More

48 Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008

The Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 would have authorized funding levels for the 13 government intelligence agencies and increased oversight for the U.S. intelligence community. The bill would have also applied the standards in the U.S. Army Field Manual to the entire government, effectively barring the CIA and other agencies from using tactics like waterboarding in their interrogations. The bill was sponsored by Rep. Silvestre Reyes.More

49 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008

The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 is a law in the United States signed by President George W. Bush on January 28, 2008. As a bill it was H.R. 4986 in the 110th Congress. The overall purpose of the law is to authorize funding for the defense of the United States and its interests abroad, for military construction, and for national security-related energy programs. In a controversial signing statement, President Bush instructed the executive branch to construe Sections 841, 846, 1079, and 1222 "in a manner consistent with the constitutional authority of the President".More

Treaties ratified

110-1: Land-Based Sources Protocol to Cartagena Convention (September 25, 2008)
110-2: Singapore Treaty on the Law of Trademarks (December 7, 2007)
110-3: Tax Convention with Belgium (December 14, 2007)
110-4: International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism (September 25, 2008)
110-6: Amendment to Convention on Physical Protection of Nuclear Material (September 25, 2008)
110-8: Protocols of 2005 to the Convention concerning Safety of Maritime Navigation and to the Protocol concerning Safety of Fixed Platforms on the Continental Shelf (September 25, 2008)
110-9: Protocol of Amendments to Convention on International Hydrographic Organization (July 21, 2008)
110-11: Extradition Treaty with Romania and Protocol to the Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters with Romania (September 23, 2008)
110-12: Extradition Treaty with Bulgaria and an Agreement on Certain Aspects of Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters with Bulgaria (September 23, 2008)
110-13: International Convention on Control of Harmful Anti-Fouling Systems on Ships, 2001 (September 26, 2008)
110-14: International Convention Against Doping in Sport (July 21, 2008)
110-15: Protocol Amending 1980 Tax Convention with Canada (September 23, 2008)
110-16: Amendments to the Constitution and Convention of the International Telecommunication Union (Geneva, 1992) (September 25, 2008)
110-17: Tax Convention with Iceland (September 23, 2008)
110-18: Tax Convention with Bulgaria with Proposed Protocol of Amendment (September 23, 2008)
110-20: Protocols to the North Atlantic Treaty of 1949 on Accession of Albania and Croatia (September 25, 2008)

Select committees

Hearings

Dismissal of U.S. attorneys controversy hearings - (House and Senate Judiciary Committees)

Party summary

Senate

Democratic Party: 49 members.

Republican Party: 49 members.

Independents: 2 members.

Membership changed with one death and two resignations.

Affiliation	Party (Shading indicates majority caucus)			Total

	Democratic	Independent	Republican		Vacant
End of previous Congress	44	1	55	100	0

Begin	49	2^[12]^[13]	49	100	0
June 4, 2007			48	99	1
June 25, 2007			49	100	0
December 18, 2007			48	99	1
December 31, 2007			49	100	0
November 16, 2008	48		49	99	1
Final voting share	50.5%		49.5%

Beginning of the next Congress	55	2	41	98	2

House of Representatives

Membership at the beginning of the 110th Congress:

Democratic Party: 233 members.

Republican Party: 202 members.

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Affiliation	Party (Shading indicates majority caucus)		Total

	Democratic	Republican		Vacant
End of previous Congress	203^[a]	229	432	3

Begin	233	202	435	0
February 13, 2007	233	201	434	1
April 22, 2007	232		433	2
July 1, 2007	231		432	3
July 17, 2007	231	202	433	2
August 21, 2007	232	202	434	1
September 5, 2007		201	433	2
October 10, 2007		200	432	3
October 16, 2007	233	200	433	2
November 26, 2007		199	432	3
December 11, 2007		201	434	1
December 15, 2007	232	201	433	2
December 31, 2007		200	432	3
January 14, 2008		199	431	4
February 2, 2008		198	430	5
February 11, 2008	231		429	6
March 8, 2008	232		430	5
March 11, 2008	233		431	4
April 8, 2008	234		432	3
May 3, 2008	235	199	434	1
May 13, 2008	236		435	0
May 31, 2008	235		434	1
June 17, 2008	236		435	0
August 20, 2008	235		434	1
November 18, 2008	236		435	0
November 24, 2008	236	198	434	1
January 2, 2009	235	198	433	2
Final voting share	54.3%	45.7%
Non-voting members	4	1	5	0

Beginning of next Congress	256	178	434	1

110th United States Congress
109th ← → 111th
United States Capitol (2007)
January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2009
Senate President	Dick Cheney (R)
Senate Pres. pro tem	Robert Byrd (D)
House Speaker	Nancy Pelosi (D)
Members	100 senators 435 representatives 5 non-voting delegates
Senate Majority	Democratic (coalition)
House Majority	Democratic
Sessions
1st: January 4, 2007 – December 19, 2007 2nd: January 3, 2008 – January 3, 2009

110th United States Congress

2007-2009 U.S. Congress

Top 10 110th United States Congress related articles

Contents

110th United States Congress Intro articles: 13

Major events

Support for the Iraq War

Other events

110th United States Congress Major events articles: 20

Major legislation

Enacted

Proposed, but not enacted

Vetoed

110th United States Congress Major legislation articles: 49

Treaties ratified

Select committees

Hearings

Party summary

Senate

House of Representatives

110th United States Congress Treaties ratified articles: 5

Leadership

Senate

Majority (Democratic) leadership

Minority (Republican) leadership

House of Representatives

Majority (Democratic) leadership

Minority (Republican) leadership

110th United States Congress Leadership articles: 83

Members

Senate

House of Representatives