76th United States Congress
The 76th 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.[1][2] It met in Washington, D.C., from January 3, 1939, to January 3, 1941, during the seventh and eighth years of Franklin D. Roosevelt's presidency. The apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the 1930 United States census.
| 76th United States Congress | |
|---|---|
75th ← → 77th | |
 United States Capitol (1956) | |
January 3, 1939 – January 3, 1941 | |
| Members | 96 senators 435 representatives 5 non-voting delegates |
| Senate majority | Democratic |
| Senate President | John N. Garner (D) |
| House majority | Democratic |
| House Speaker | William B. Bankhead (D) (until September 15, 1940) Sam Rayburn (D) (from September 16, 1940) |
| Sessions | |
| 1st: January 3, 1939 – August 5, 1939 2nd: September 21, 1939 – November 3, 1939 3rd: January 3, 1940 – January 3, 1941 | |
Both chambers had a Democratic majority - holding a supermajority in the Senate, but a greatly reduced majority in the House, thus losing the supermajority there. With President Roosevelt, the Democrats maintained an overall federal government trifecta.
The 76th is also the most recent Congress to have held a third session.
Chaplain of the United States Senate ZeBarney Thorne Phillips delivering prayer to open the session
Major events
President Roosevelt signing the Selective Training and Service Act of 1940, September 16, 1940.
- April 9, 1939: African-American singer Marian Anderson performs before 75,000 people at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., after having been denied the use both of Constitution Hall by the Daughters of the American Revolution, and of a public high school by the federally controlled District of Columbia.
- August 2, 1939: Albert Einstein wrote to President Franklin Roosevelt about developing the atomic bomb using uranium. This led to the creation of the Manhattan Project.
- September 5, 1939: World War II: The United States declares its neutrality in the war.
- November 4, 1939: World War II: President Roosevelt ordered the United States Customs Service to implement the Neutrality Act of 1939, allowing cash-and-carry purchases of weapons to non-belligerent nations.
- November 15, 1939: President Roosevelt laid the cornerstone of the Jefferson Memorial.
- April 1, 1940: April Fools' Day was also the census date for the 16th U.S. Census.
- May 16, 1940: World War II: President Roosevelt, addressed a joint session of Congress, asking for an extraordinary credit of approximately $900 million to finance construction of at least 50,000 airplanes per year.
- June 5, 1940: World War II: The United States Senate passes bill S4025 which allows the Department of Defense to sell outdated equipment to belligerents in wartime. In practice this allows the Roosevelt administration to sell certain navy vessels to Great Britain. The vote is watched closely by both the United Kingdom and Nazi Germany. The Nazis hope that the bill does not pass, the British hope that it will. The bill passes 67-18 in the United States Senate.[3]
- June 10, 1940: World War II: President Roosevelt denounced Italy's actions with his "Stab in the Back" speech during the graduation ceremonies of the University of Virginia.
- July 10, 1940: World War II: The United States Senate votes to confirm Frank Knox as Secretary of the Navy. The British hope he will be confirmed as he was openly sympathetic to them. Islationist Senators such as Burton K. Wheeler and Ellison D. Smith vote against the confirmation.[4]
- August 4, 1940: World War II: Gen. John J. Pershing, in a nationwide radio broadcast, urges all-out aid to Britain in order to defend the Americas, while Charles Lindbergh speaks to an isolationist rally at Soldier Field in Chicago.
- September, 1940: The Army's 45th Infantry Division (previously a National Guard Division in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Oklahoma), was activated and ordered into federal service for 1 year, to engage in a training program in Ft. Sill and Louisiana, prior to serving in World War II.
- September 2, 1940: World War II: An agreement between America and Great Britain was announced to the effect that 50 U.S. destroyers needed for escort work would be transferred to Great Britain. In return, America gained 99-year leases on British bases in the North Atlantic, West Indies and Bermuda.
- September 26, 1940: World War II: The United States imposed a total embargo on all scrap metal shipments to Japan.
- October 16, 1940: The draft registration of approximately 16 million men began in the United States.
- October 29, 1940: The Selective Service System lottery was held in Washington, D.C.
- November 5, 1940: U.S. presidential election, 1940: Democratic incumbent Franklin D. Roosevelt defeated Republican challenger Wendell Willkie and became the United States's first and only third-term president.
- November 12, 1940: Case of Hansberry v. Lee, 311 U.S. 32 (1940), decided, allowing a racially restrictive covenant to be lifted.
- December 17, 1940: President Roosevelt, at his regular press conference, first outlined his plan to send aid to Great Britain that will become known as Lend-Lease.
- December 29, 1940: Franklin D. Roosevelt, in a fireside chat to the nation, declared that the United States must become "the great arsenal of democracy."
- January 13, 1941: All persons born in Puerto Rico after this day were declared U.S. citizens by birth, through federal law 8 U.S.C. § 1402.
- January 20, 1941: Chief Justice Charles Evans Hughes swore in President Roosevelt for a third term.
- January 27, 1941: World War II: U.S. Ambassador to Japan Joseph C. Grew passed on to Washington a rumor overheard at a diplomatic reception about a planned surprise attack upon Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
- February 4, 1941: World War II: The United Service Organization (USO) was created to entertain American troops.
Hearings
- January 23, 1941: Aviator Charles Lindbergh testified before the Congress and recommends that the United States negotiate a neutrality pact with Adolf Hitler.
Major legislation
- April 3, 1939: Reorganization Act of 1939, Pub. L.Tooltip Public Law (United States) 76–19, 53 Stat. 561
- August 2, 1939: Hatch Act of 1939 ("Hatch Political Activity Act", "An Act to Prevent Pernicious Political Activities"), ch. 410, 53 Stat. 1147
- November 4, 1939: Neutrality Act of 1939, ("Cash and Carry Act"), ch. 2, 54 Stat. 4
- June 29, 1940: Alien Registration Act (Smith Act), 3d sess. ch. 439, 54 Stat. 670
- August 22, 1940: Act of August 22, 1940, ch. 686, Pub. L.Tooltip Public Law (United States) 76–768, 54 Stat. 789 (including Investment Company Act of 1940, Investment Advisers Act of 1940)
- September 16, 1940: Selective Training and Service Act of 1940, Pub. L.Tooltip Public Law (United States) 76–783
Party summary
Senate
| Party (shading shows control) |
Total | Vacant | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic (D) |
Farmer– Labor (FL) | Wisconsin Progressive (P) | Republican (R) | Independent (I) | |||
| End of previous congress | 74 | 2 | 1 | 18 | 1 | 96 | 0 |
| Begin | 69 | 2 | 1 | 23 | 1 | 96 | 0 |
| End | 68 | 1 | 25 | ||||
| Final voting share | 70.8% | 1.0% | 1.0% | 26.0% | 1.0% | ||
| Beginning of next congress | 66 | 0 | 1 | 27 | 1 | 95 | 1 |
House of Representatives
| House seats by party holding plurality in state | |
|---|---|
80+% to 100% Democratic |
80+% to 100% Republican |
60+% to 80% Democratic |
60+% to 80% Republican |
Up to 60% Democratic |
Up to 60% Republican |
| Party (shading shows control) |
Total | Vacant | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic (D) |
Farmer– Labor (FL) | American Labor (AL) | Wisconsin Progressive (WP) | Republican (R) | Other (O) | |||
| End of previous congress | 324 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 89 | 1[lower-alpha 1] | 426 | 9 |
| Begin | 260 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 169 | 1 | 434 | 1 |
| End | 256 | 167 | 428 | 7 | ||||
| Final voting share | 59.8% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.5% | 39.0% | 0.2% | ||
| Beginning of next congress | 268 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 162 | 0 | 435 | 0 |
Leadership
Senate
- President: John N. Garner (D)
- President pro tempore: Key Pittman (D), until November 10, 1940 (died)
- William H. King (D), from November 19, 1940
Majority (Democratic) leadership
Minority (Republican) leadership
House of Representatives
- Speaker: William B. Bankhead (D), until September 15, 1940 (died)
- Sam Rayburn (D), from September 16, 1940
Majority (Democratic) leadership
- Majority Leader: Sam Rayburn, until September 16, 1940
- John W. McCormack, from September 16, 1940
- Democratic Whip: Patrick J. Boland
- Democratic Caucus Chairman: John W. McCormack, until September 16, 1940
- Democratic Campaign Committee Chairman: Patrick H. Drewry
Members
Senate
Senators were popularly elected statewide every two years, with one-third beginning new six-year terms with each Congress. Preceding the names in the list below are Senate class numbers, which indicate the cycle of their election, In this Congress, Class 1 meant their term ended with this Congress, requiring reelection in 1940; Class 2 meant their term began in the last Congress, requiring reelection in 1942; and Class 3 meant their term began in this Congress, requiring reelection in 1944.
House of Representatives
The names of members are preceded by their district numbers.
Changes in membership
The count below reflects changes from the beginning of this Congress.
Senate
| State (class) |
Vacated by | Reason for change | Successor | Date of successor's formal installation[lower-alpha 2] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois (2) |
J. Hamilton Lewis (D) | Died April 9, 1939. Successor appointed April 14, 1939, to continue the term. |
James M. Slattery (D) | April 14, 1939 |
| Kentucky (2) |
M. M. Logan (D) | Died October 3, 1939. Successor appointed October 10, 1939, to continue the term. Successor elected November 5, 1940, to finish the term. |
Happy Chandler (D) | October 10, 1939 |
| Idaho (2) |
William E. Borah (R) | Died January 19, 1940. Successor appointed January 27, 1940, to continue the term. Successor elected November 5, 1940, to finish the term. |
John Thomas (R) | January 27, 1940 |
| Vermont (3) |
Ernest W. Gibson (R) | Died June 20, 1940. Successor appointed June 24, 1940, to continue the term. |
Ernest W. Gibson Jr. (R) | June 24, 1940 |
| Minnesota (2) |
Ernest Lundeen (FL) | Died August 31, 1940. Successor appointed October 14, 1940, to continue the term. Successor lost election to finish the term. |
Joseph H. Ball (R) | October 14, 1940 |
| Nevada (1) |
Key Pittman (D) | Died November 10, 1940. Successor appointed November 27, 1940, to continue finish the term, also appointed to serve in the next term. |
Berkeley L. Bunker (D) | November 27, 1940 |
| Illinois (2) |
James M. Slattery (D) | Interim appointee lost election November 21, 1940, to finish the term. | Charles W. Brooks (R) | November 22, 1940 |
| Washington (1) |
Lewis B. Schwellenbach (D) | Resigned December 16, 1940, to become judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington. Successor appointed December 19, 1940, to finish the term. |
Monrad Wallgren (D) | December 19, 1940 |
House of Representatives
| District | Vacated by | Reason for change | Successor | Date of successor's formal installation[lower-alpha 2] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland 5th | Vacant | Rep. Stephen W. Gambrill died in previous Congress | Lansdale Sasscer (D) | February 3, 1939 |
| Arkansas 4th | William B. Cravens (D) | Died January 13, 1939 | William F. Cravens (D) | September 12, 1939 |
| Pennsylvania 4th | J. Burrwood Daly (D) | Died March 12, 1939 | John E. Sheridan (D) | November 7, 1939 |
| Tennessee 6th | Clarence W. Turner (D) | Died March 23, 1939 | W. Wirt Courtney (D) | May 11, 1939 |
| Maryland 1st | Thomas A. Goldsborough (D) | Resigned April 5, 1939, after being appointed associate justice of the District Court of the United States for the District of Columbia | David J. Ward (D) | June 8, 1939 |
| New York 34th | Bert Lord (R) | Died May 24, 1939 | Edwin A. Hall (R) | November 7, 1939 |
| Georgia 4th | Emmett M. Owen (D) | Died June 21, 1939 | A. Sidney Camp (D) | August 1, 1939 |
| Wisconsin 3rd | Harry W. Griswold (R) | Died July 4, 1939 | Vacant until the next Congress | |
| Tennessee 3rd | Sam D. McReynolds (D) | Died July 11, 1939 | Estes Kefauver (D) | September 13, 1939 |
| California 18th | Thomas M. Eaton (R) | Died September 16, 1939 | Vacant until the next Congress | |
| South Carolina 1st | Thomas S. McMillan (D) | Died September 29, 1939 | Clara G. McMillan (D) | November 7, 1939 |
| Ohio 22nd | Chester C. Bolton (R) | Died October 29, 1939 | Frances P. Bolton (R) | February 27, 1940 |
| Tennessee 2nd | J. Will Taylor (R) | Died November 14, 1939 | John Jennings Jr. (R) | December 30, 1939 |
| Puerto Rico at-large | Santiago Iglesias (Coalitionist) | Died December 5, 1939 | Bolívar Pagán (Socialist) | December 26, 1939 |
| Colorado 3rd | John A. Martin (D) | Died December 23, 1939 | William E. Burney (D) | November 5, 1940 |
| Michigan 5th | Carl E. Mapes (R) | Died December 12, 1939 | Bartel J. Jonkman (R) | February 19, 1940 |
| New York 14th | William I. Sirovich (D) | Died December 17, 1939 | Morris M. Edelstein (D) | February 6, 1940 |
| Ohio 17th | William A. Ashbrook (D) | Died January 1, 1940 | J. Harry McGregor (R) | February 27, 1940 |
| Nebraska 1st | George H. Heinke (R) | Died January 2, 1940 | John H. Sweet (R) | April 19, 1940 |
| Tennessee 9th | Clift Chandler (D) | Resigned January 2, 1940, after being elected Mayor of Memphis | Clifford Davis (D) | February 15, 1940 |
| New York 31st | Wallace E. Pierce (R) | Died January 3, 1940 | Clarence E. Kilburn (R) | February 13, 1940 |
| New York 22nd | Edward W. Curley (D) | Died January 6, 1940 | Walter A. Lynch (D) | February 20, 1940 |
| Iowa 6th | Cassius C. Dowell (R) | Died February 4, 1940 | Robert K. Goodwin (R) | March 5, 1940 |
| Maine 2nd | Clyde Smith (R) | Died April 8, 1940 | Margaret Chase Smith (R) | June 3, 1940 |
| Georgia 8th | W. Benjamin Gibbs (D) | Died August 7, 1940 | Florence Reville Gibbs (D) | October 1, 1940 |
| New Jersey 8th | George N. Seger (R) | Died August 26, 1940 | Vacant until the next Congress | |
| Alabama 7th | William B. Bankhead (D) | Died September 15, 1940 | Zadoc L. Weatherford (D) | November 5, 1940 |
| North Carolina 1st | Lindsay C. Warren (D) | Resigned October 31, 1940, after being appointed Comptroller General of the United States | Herbert C. Bonner (D) | November 5, 1940 |
| Texas 18th | John Marvin Jones (D) | Resigned November 20, 1940, to become judge of the United States Court of Claims | Vacant until the next Congress | |
| Louisiana 2nd | Paul H. Maloney (D) | Resigned December 15, 1940, to become Collector of Internal Revenue for New Orleans District | Vacant until the next Congress | |
| Washington 2nd | Monrad Wallgren (D) | Resigned December 19, 1940, after being appointed to the US Senate having already been elected. | Vacant until the next Congress | |
| Missouri 11th | Thomas C. Hennings Jr. (D) | Resigned December 31, 1940, to become candidate for Circuit attorney of St. Louis | Vacant until the next Congress | |
Committees
Lists of committees and their party leaders for members of the House and Senate committees can be found through the Official Congressional Directory at the bottom of this article. The directory after the pages of terms of service lists committees of the Senate, House (Standing with Subcommittees, Select and Special) and Joint and, after that, House/Senate committee assignments. On the committees section of the House and Senate in the Official Congressional Directory, the committee's members on the first row on the left side shows the chairman of the committee and on the right side shows the ranking member of the committee.
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