*Party division totals are based on election day results.
The 1898 elections undercut the Republican majority in the House but bolstered it in the Senate. The 56th Congress (1899–1901) dealt primarily with the consequences of the Spanish-American War. Congress formed civil governments in the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Alaska. It created the Office of the Resident Commissioner for Puerto Rico. Congress also provided a civil government and nonvoting Delegate for Hawaii, where it extended U.S. citizenship to the islands’ inhabitants as well.
Learn more about the People of the People's House
To view complete lists of individuals who have served in these leadership and official positions since the 1st Congress, visit the People section