LEGISLATIVE SUMMARY FOR: JANUARY 10, 1997
Office of Legislative Affairs
Room 5121 South Agriculture Bldg.
(202) 720-2771
For additional information contact:
Danny D. Sells
Douglas E. Williams
Douglas J. McKalip
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THIS WEEK:
105th Congress Convenes
The 105th Congress convened on January 7, 1996.
1923 Precedent allows Newt Gingrich to retain Speakership
House Speaker Newt Gingrich won re-election to a new term on January 7, 1996 over the opposition of the minority and a handful of dissident Republicans. Gingrich became the first Republican re-elected speaker in 68 years, however, he did so with less than a majority of House members casting ballots for him. Gingrich received 216 votes for Speaker of the House. Democratic leader Dick Gephardt (D-MO) had 205; Rep. Jim Leach (R-IA) had 2; former Republican leader Bob Michel received 1, and former Rep. Bob Walker of Pennsylvania got 1. (An individual may be elected Speaker without serving as a Member of Congress).
A total of 425 votes were cast for candidates and six members voted "present." Gingrich's 216 votes were a majority of those present but not a majority of the entire body. House parliamentarians based a decision to declare Gingrich the winner upon a 1923 case in which Frederick Gillett (R-MA) received only 215 votes but was declared the winner.
Congress Declares Clinton's Re-election
Members of the House and Senate gathered in a Joint Session on January 9, 1996, to count the votes from the Electoral College and officially declared Bill Clinton the winner of a second term as President of the United States. Members of the Senate crossed the Capitol to the House chamber, bringing with them the sealed certificates from the Electoral College voting of December 16th. Vice President Al Gore, as president of the Senate, presided over the count and will announced the winner. The ballots were counted by two members of the Senate [John Warner (R-VA), and Wendell Ford (D-KY)] and two from the House [(Bill Thomas (R-CA) and Sam Gejdenson (D-CT)]. The outcome was 379 votes for Clinton/Gore and 159 votes for Dole/Kemp.
Appropriation Committee Roster Changes
House Appropriations Committee Chairman, Robert Livingston (R-LA), and ranking member, David Obey (D-WI), announced the appropriations subcommittee rosters for the 105th Congress. (The Chairman and Ranking member are also allowed to participate on all subcommittees).
The roster for the Agriculture and Rural Development Subcommittee is as follows:
| Republicans | Democrats |
| Joe Skeen, NM (Subcommittee Chair) | Marcy Kaptur, OH |
| James T. Walsh, NY | Vic Fazio, CA |
| Jay Dickey, AR | Jose Serrano, NY |
| Kack Kingston, GA | Rosa DeLauro, CT |
| George Nethercutt, WA | |
| Henry Bonilla, TX | |
| Tom Latham, IA |
Senate Appropriations Chair, Ted Stevens (R-AK) announced the chairmen of that panel's 13 subcommittees. As expected, Thad Cochran will retain leadership at the helm of the Agriculture, Rural Development, and Related Agencies Subcommittee. Full Subcommittee rosters will be provided at a later date.
House Agriculture Committee Activity
Republicans selected three new subcommittee chairman for the House Agriculture Committee. Larry Combest (R-TX) will chair the renamed Forestry, Resource Conservation and Research Subcommittee, taking over from Wayne Allard (R-CO) who moved over to the Senate. Robert Goodlatte (R-VA) will chair the Departmental Operations, Nutrition and Foreign Agriculture Subcommittee, and Richard W. Pombo
(R-CA) will chair the Livestock, Dairy and Poultry Subcommittee.
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LOOKING AHEAD:
Congress Will Return January 20th for Inaugural Ceremonies
Following the counting of Presidential electoral votes, both chambers will adjourn until January 20th, when they will meet to participate in President Clinton's second inauguration. The Senate plans to begin legislative work on January 21st. The House will be in session on January 21st in the effort to wrap up the penalty phase of the Newt Gingrich ethics case. The House then plans to be in recess again until February 4th. Next week, some Senate Committees may hold confirmation hearings on President Clinton's nominations for Cabinet posts and other high-ranking positions.
CONGRESSIONAL SCHEDULE
105TH CONGRESS, 1st SESSION
Party leaders have announced their tentative plans for Congressional recesses for most of 1997. That schedule is as follows:
| Event | Senate | House |
| 105th Congress Convenes | January 7 | January 7 |
| Not in session | January 10-20 | January 10-Feburary 3 |
| Inauguration Day | January 20 | January 20 |
| Not in session | Februrary 14-23 | February 14-24 |
| President's Day | Februrary 17 | February 17 |
| Not in session | March 22-April 16 | March 21-April 7 |
| Easter | March 30 | March 30 |
| Not in session | April 18-22 | April 18-22 |
| Memorial Day | May 26 | May 26 |
| Not in session | May 24-June1 | May 22-June 2 |
| Memorial Day | May 26 | May 26 |
| Not in session | June 28-July7 | June 27-July7 |
| Independence Day | July 4 | July 4 |
| Not in session | August 2-31 | August 2-31 |
| Labor Day | September 1 | September 1 |
| Rosh Hashana | October 2 | October 2 |
| Not in session | October 11-19 | (to be determined) |
| Columbus Day | October 13 | October 13 |
| Target adjournment | November 14 | (to be determined) |