The Republican Party retained their majority in both the House and the Senate, and, with inauguration of Donald Trump on January 20, 2017, attained an overall federal government trifecta for the first time since the 109th Congress in 2005. This remains the last Congress to date in which the Republican Party held a trifecta.
Several political scientists described the legislative accomplishments of this Congress as modest, considering that both Congress and the presidency were under unified Republican Party control.[2][3][4][5]
As of 2024, this is the most recent Congress in which Democrats held Senate seats in Florida, Missouri, Indiana and North Dakota, and the last time Republicans held a House seat in Maine, a Senate seat in Nevada, and both of Arizona's Senate seats.
January 11–12, 2017: Senate, in an all-night session, took first steps to repeal the Affordable Care Act, (ACA).[8] The final vote was 51 to 48 to approve a budget resolution to allow "broad swaths of the Affordable Care Act to be repealed through a process known as budget reconciliation."[9]
September 1, 2017: The Parliamentarian of the United States Senate decreed that the Senate had until the end of the month to pass ACA repeal via the reconciliation process, or the option would no longer be viable.
Allegations that Democratic Congressman Ruben Kihuen sexually harassed a campaign staffer led some in congressional leadership to call for his resignation. Kihuen later announced he would not seek another term in office.[12][13]
Democratic senator Al Franken announced he would resign "in the coming weeks" after photographs were made public suggesting that he sexually assaulted (groped) a Los Angeles-based radio personality during a USO tour in Iraq in 2006. He was also accused by multiple female constituents of groping at various Minnesota fair appearances that he attended.[14]
Allegations that House member Blake Farenthold sexually harassed a former staffer resulted in the commencement of an investigation by the House Ethics Committee and his announcement he would not seek re-election in 2018.[20][21] He subsequently resigned on April 6, 2018.[22]
Note: Demographics are accurate as of the commencement of the 115th Congress on January 3, 2017.
Democratic women in the House of Representatives wearing white to honor women's suffrage. (March 2017)
The average age of members of the House of Representatives during the 115th Congress was 57.8 years, while the average age of U.S. senators was 61.8 years.[33]
Religious affiliation
Senate affiliation
House affiliation
The most common occupation of senators prior to being elected to their posts was law, followed by public service/politics and business. In the House of Representatives, business was the dominant prior occupation, followed by public service/politics and law.[33] In the 115th Congress, 94.1% of House members and 100% of senators had attained a bachelor's degree or a higher degree; this was a historically high level of education for a United States Congress. In addition, 167 members of the House and 55 members of the Senate had law degrees. Only 18 members of Congress had no college education.[33]
The majority of the 115th Congress was religiously affiliated, with 90.7% identifying as Christians. Approximately half of the Christians were Protestant. Other religious faiths of congressmembers in the 115th Congress included Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism.[33]
The numbers refer to their Senate classes. All of the class 3 seats were contested in the November 2016 elections. Class 1 terms end with this Congress, requiring re-election in 2018; Class 2 began in the last Congress, requiring re-election in 2020; and Class 3 began in this Congress, requiring re-election in 2022.
Results of the 2016 elections that were first seated in this Congress. Pale blue are Democratic holds; pale red are Republican holds; bright blue are Democratic gains; bright red are Republican gains.
Resigned January 2, 2018, amid a sexual misconduct scandal.[40] Successor appointed January 2, 2018, to continue the term.[37] Appointee was later elected to finish the term ending January 3, 2021.
Appointment expired January 3, 2018, following a special election.[41][42] Successor elected December 12, 2017, and seated January 3, 2018 to finish the term ending January 3, 2021.[43]
Resigned April 1, 2018, for health reasons.[44] Successor appointed April 2, 2018, to continue the term.[k] Appointee was later elected to finish the term ending January 3, 2021.
^ abc In Alabama, senator Jeff Sessions (R) resigned February 8, 2017. Luther Strange (R) was appointed February 9, 2017, to continue the term. Doug Jones (D) was elected to finish the term and qualified January 3, 2018.
^ ab In Minnesota, senator Al Franken (D) resigned January 2, 2018. Tina Smith (D) was appointed January 3, 2018, to continue the term.
^ abc In Arizona, senator John McCain (R) died August 25, 2018. Jon Kyl (R) was appointed September 4, 2018, to continue the term. Kyl announced his resignation, effective December 31, 2018.[28]
^Lee, Frances E. (July 31, 2018). "The 115th Congress and Questions of Party Unity in a Polarized Era". The Journal of Politics. 80 (4): 1464–1473. doi:10.1086/699335. ISSN0022-3816. S2CID158939160.
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