The 65th 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 March 4, 1917, to March 4, 1919, during the fifth and sixth years of Woodrow Wilson's presidency. The apportionment of seats in this House of Representatives was based on the 1910 United States census.

The Senate maintained a Democratic majority. In the House, the Republicans had actually won a plurality, but as the Progressives and Socialist Representative Meyer London caucused with the Democrats, this gave them the operational majority of the nearly evenly divided chamber, thus giving the Democrats full control of Congress, and along with President Wilson maintaining an overall federal government trifecta.

Major events

March 4, 1917: Jeannette Rankin of Montana became the first woman member of the United States House of Representatives. March 8, 1917: The United States Senate adopted the cloture rule to limit filibusters. March 31, 1917: The United States takes possession of the Danish West Indies, which become the US Virgin Islands, after paying $25 million to Denmark. April 2, 1917: World War I: President Woodrow Wilson asks the U.S. Congress for a declaration of war on Germany. December 4, 1917: World War I: President Woodrow Wilson delivers the State of the Union Address and requests declaration of war on Austria-Hungary. March 4, 1918: A soldier at Camp Funston, Kansas, fell sick with the first confirmed case of the Spanish flu. November 11, 1918: World War I ends.

Major legislation

April 6, 1917: Declaration of war against Germany, Sess. 1 ch. 1, April 24, 1917: First Liberty Bond Act, Sess. 1, ch. 4, May 12, 1917: Enemy Vessel Confiscation Joint Resolution, , May 12, 1917: First Army Appropriations Act of 1917, May 18, 1917: Selective Service Act of 1917, Sess. 1, ch. 15, May 29, 1917: Esch Car Service Act of 1917, Sess. 1, ch. 23, June 15, 1917: Emergency Shipping Fund Act of 1917, c. 29, June 15, 1917: Second Army Appropriations Act of 1917, June 15, 1917: Espionage Act of 1917, Sess. 1, ch. 30, (incl. title XI: Search Warrant Act of 1917) July 24, 1917: Aviation Act of 1917, ch. 40, August 8, 1917: River and Harbor Act of 1917, Sess. 1, ch. 49, August 10, 1917: Priority of Shipments Act of 1917 (Obstruction of Interstate Commerce Act of 1917), Sess. 1, ch. 51, August 10, 1917: Food and Fuel Control Act (Lever Act), Sess. 1, ch. 53, October 1, 1917: Second Liberty Bond Act, Sess. 1, ch. 56, October 1, 1917: Aircraft Board Act of 1917, Sess. 1, ch. 61, October 3, 1917: War Revenue Act of 1917, Sess. 1, ch. 63, October 5, 1917: Repatriation Act of 1917, Sess. 1, ch. 68, October 6, 1917: Federal Explosives Act of 1917, Sess. 1, ch. 83, October 6, 1917: War Risk Insurance Act of 1917, Sess. 1, ch. 105, October 6, 1917: International Emergency Economic Powers Act (Trading with the Enemy Act), Sess. 1, ch. 106, December 7, 1917: Declaration of war against Austria–Hungary, Sess. 2, ch. 1, February 24, 1918: Revenue Act of 1918, Sess. 2, ch. 18, March 8, 1918: Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief Act, Sess. 2, ch. 20, March 19, 1918: Standard Time Act of 1918 (Calder Act), Sess. 2, ch. 24, March 21, 1918: Federal Control Act of 1918, Sess. 2, ch. 25, April 4, 1918: Third Liberty Bond Act, Sess. 2, ch. 44, April 5, 1918: War Finance Corporation Act, Sess. 2, ch. 45, April 10, 1918: Webb–Pomerene Act, Sess. 2, ch. 50, April 18, 1918: American Forces Abroad Indemnity Act, Sess. 2, ch. 57, April 20, 1918: Destruction of War Materials Act, Sess. 2, ch. 59, April 23, 1918: Pittman Act, Sess. 2, ch. 63, May 9, 1918: Alien Naturalization Act, Sess. 2, ch. 69, May 16, 1918: Housing Act, Sess. 2, ch. 74, May 16, 1918: Sedition Act of 1918, Sess. 2, ch. 75, May 20, 1918: Departmental Reorganization Act (Overman Act), Sess. 2, ch. 78, May 22, 1918: Wartime Measure Act of 1918, Sess. 2, ch. 81, May 31, 1918: Saulsbury Resolution, Sess. 2, ch. 90, June 27, 1918: Veterans Rehabilitation Act (Smith–Sears Act), Sess. 2, ch. 107, July 3, 1918: Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, Sess. 2, ch. 128, July 9, 1918: Fourth Liberty Bond Act, Sess. 2, ch. 142, July 9, 1918: Army Appropriations Act of 1918, Sess. 2, ch. 143, (incl. ch. 15: Public Health and Research Act of 1918 (Chamberlain–Kahn Act)) July 18, 1918: River and Harbor Act of 1918, Sess. 2, ch. 155, July 18, 1918: Charter Rate and Requisition Act of 1918, Sess. 2, ch. 157, October 16, 1918: Immigration Act of 1918 (Dillingham–Hardwick Act), Sess. 2, ch. 186, October 16, 1918: Corrupt Practices Act of 1918 (Gerry Act), Sess. 2, ch. 187, November 7, 1918: National Bank Consolidation Act of 1918, Sess. 2, ch. 209, November 21, 1918: Food Production Stimulation Act (War–Time Prohibition Act), Sess. 2, ch. 212, February 24, 1919: Child Labor Act of 1919, Sess. 3, ch. 18, February 26, 1919: Grand Canyon National Park Act of 1919, Sess. 3, ch. 44, February 26, 1919: Acadia National Park Act of 1919, Sess. 3, ch. 45, March 2, 1919: War Risk Insurance Act of 1919 (War Minerals Relief Act of 1919, Dent Act), Sess. 3, ch. 94, March 2, 1919: River and Harbors Act of 1919, Sess. 3, ch. 95, March 3, 1919: Hospitalization Act of 1919, Sess. 3, ch. 98, March 3, 1919: Fifth Liberty Bond Act, Sess. 3, ch. 100, March 4, 1919: Wheat Price Guarantee Act, Sess. 3, ch. 125,

Major resolutions April 3, 1918 American's Creed (House)

Constitutional amendments

December 18, 1917: Approved an amendment to the United States Constitution declaring the production, transport, and sale of alcohol (though not the consumption or private possession) illegal, and submitted it to the state legislatures for ratification Amendment was later ratified on January 16, 1919, becoming the Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution

Party summary

Senate

House of Representatives Affiliation Party (Shading indicates control) Total Democratic (D) Bull Moose (Prog.) Socialist (Soc.) Prohibition (Proh.) Republican (R) Other Vacant 227 4 1 1 200 1 434 1 Begin 213 3 1 1 216 0 434 1 End 211 212 428 7 Final voting share 191 0 1 1 238 1 432 3

Leadership

Senate leadership

Presiding President: Thomas R. Marshall (D) President pro tempore: Willard Saulsbury Jr. (D) Majority Whip: J. Hamilton Lewis (D) Minority Whip: Charles Curtis (R) Republican Conference Chairman: Jacob Harold Gallinger (until August 17, 1918) Henry Cabot Lodge (from 1918) Democratic Caucus Chairman : Thomas S. Martin Republican Conference Secretary: James Wolcott Wadsworth Jr. Democratic Caucus Secretary: William H. King

House leadership

Presiding Speaker: Champ Clark (D)

Majority (Democratic) leadership Majority Leader: Claude Kitchin Majority Whip: vacant Democratic Caucus Chairman: Edward W. Saunders Democratic Campaign Committee Chairman: Scott Ferris

Minority (Republican) leadership Minority Leader: James R. Mann Minority Whip: Charles M. Hamilton Republican Conference Chairman: William S. Greene Republican Campaign Committee Chairman: Frank P. Woods

Members

Skip to House of Representatives, below

Senate

Because of the 17th Amendment, starting in 1914 U.S. senators were directly elected instead of by the state legislatures. However, this did not affect the terms of U.S. senators whose terms had started before that Amendment took effect, In this Congress, Class 2 meant their term ended with this Congress, requiring reelection in 1918; Class 3 meant their term began in the last Congress, requiring reelection in 1920; and Class 1 meant their term began in this Congress, requiring reelection in 1922.

Alabama 2. John H. Bankhead (D) 3. Oscar Underwood (D)

Arizona 1. Henry F. Ashurst (D) 3. Marcus A. Smith (D)

Arkansas 2. Joseph Taylor Robinson (D) 3. William F. Kirby (D)

California 1. Hiram W. Johnson (R) 3. James D. Phelan (D)

Colorado 2. John F. Shafroth (D) 3. Charles S. Thomas (D)

Connecticut 1. George P. McLean (R) 3. Frank B. Brandegee (R)

Delaware 1. Josiah O. Wolcott (D) 2. Willard Saulsbury Jr. (D)

Florida 1. Park Trammell (D) 3. Duncan U. Fletcher (D)

Georgia 2. Thomas W. Hardwick (D) 3. Hoke Smith (D)

Idaho 2. William E. Borah (R) 3. James H. Brady (R), until January 13, 1918 John F. Nugent (D), from January 22, 1918

Illinois 2. James Hamilton Lewis (D) 3. Lawrence Y. Sherman (R)

Indiana 1. Harry S. New (R) 3. James E. Watson (R)

Iowa 2. William S. Kenyon (R) 3. Albert B. Cummins (R)

Kansas 2. William H. Thompson (D) 3. Charles Curtis (R)

Kentucky 2. Ollie M. James (D), until August 28, 1918 George B. Martin (D), from September 7, 1918 3. John C. W. Beckham (D)

Louisiana 2. Joseph E. Ransdell (D) 3. Robert F. Broussard (D), until April 12, 1918 Walter Guion (D), April 22, 1918 – November 5, 1918 Edward J. Gay (D), from November 6, 1918

Maine 1. Frederick Hale (R) 2. Bert M. Fernald (R)

Maryland 1. Joseph I. France (R) 3. John W. Smith (D)

Massachusetts 1. Henry Cabot Lodge (R) 2. John W. Weeks (R)

Michigan 1. Charles E. Townsend (R) 2. William Alden Smith (R)

Minnesota 1. Frank B. Kellogg (R) 2. Knute Nelson (R)

Mississippi 1. John Sharp Williams (D) 2. James K. Vardaman (D)

Missouri 1. James A. Reed (D) 3. William J. Stone (D), until April 14, 1918 Xenophon P. Wilfley (D), April 30, 1918 – November 5, 1918 Selden P. Spencer (R), from November 6, 1918

Montana 1. Henry L. Myers (D) 2. Thomas J. Walsh (D)

Nebraska 1. Gilbert M. Hitchcock (D) 2. George W. Norris (R)

Nevada 1. Key Pittman (D) 3. Francis G. Newlands (D), until December 24, 1917 Charles B. Henderson (D), from January 12, 1918

New Hampshire 2. Henry F. Hollis (D) 3. Jacob H. Gallinger (R), until August 17, 1918 Irving W. Drew (R), September 2, 1918 – November 5, 1918 George H. Moses (R), from November 6, 1918

New Jersey 1. Joseph S. Frelinghuysen (R) 2. William Hughes (D), until January 30, 1918 David Baird (R), from February 23, 1918

New Mexico 1. Andrieus A. Jones (D) 2. Albert B. Fall (R)

New York 1. William M. Calder (R) 3. James W. Wadsworth Jr. (R)

North Carolina 2. Furnifold M. Simmons (D) 3. Lee S. Overman (D)

North Dakota 1. Porter J. McCumber (R) 3. Asle Gronna (R)

Ohio 1. Atlee Pomerene (D) 3. Warren G. Harding (R)

Oklahoma 2. Robert L. Owen (D) 3. Thomas P. Gore (D)

Oregon 2. Harry Lane (D), until May 23, 1917 Charles L. McNary (R), May 29, 1917 – November 5, 1918 Frederick W. Mulkey (R), November 6, 1918 – December 17, 1918 Charles L. McNary (R), from December 18, 1918 3. George E. Chamberlain (D)

Pennsylvania 1. Philander C. Knox (R) 3. Boies Penrose (R)

Rhode Island 1. Peter G. Gerry (D) 2. LeBaron B. Colt (R)

South Carolina 2. Benjamin R. Tillman (D), until July 3, 1918 Christie Benet (D), July 6, 1918 – November 5, 1918 William P. Pollock (D), from November 6, 1918 3. Ellison D. Smith (D)

South Dakota 2. Thomas Sterling (R) 3. Edwin S. Johnson (D)

Tennessee 1. Kenneth D. McKellar (D) 2. John K. Shields (D)

Texas 1. Charles A. Culberson (D) 2. Morris Sheppard (D)

Utah 1. William H. King (D) 3. Reed Smoot (R)

Vermont 1. Carroll S. Page (R) 3. William P. Dillingham (R)

Virginia 1. Claude A. Swanson (D) 2. Thomas S. Martin (D)

Washington 1. Miles Poindexter (R) 3. Wesley L. Jones (R)

West Virginia 1. Howard Sutherland (R) 2. Nathan Goff (R)

Wisconsin 1. Robert M. La Follette (R) 2. Paul O. Husting (D), until October 21, 1917 2. Irvine Lenroot (R), from April 8, 1918

Wyoming 1. John B. Kendrick (D) 2. Francis E. Warren (R)

House of Representatives

Alabama . Oscar Lee Gray (D) . S. Hubert Dent Jr. (D) . Henry B. Steagall (D) . Fred L. Blackmon (D) . J. Thomas Heflin (D)