July 28, 1981
Congress Profiles
97th Congress (1981–1983)
Congressional Profile
Total Membership:
- 435 Representatives
- 4 Delegates
- 1 Resident Commissioner
Party Divisions:*
- 243 Democrats
- 192 Republicans
*Party division totals are based on election day results.
- Election Statistics, 1980 [PDF]
About this object Serving 17 Congresses, Thomas "Tip" O'Neill of Massachusetts spent eight in a leadership position.
Congress Overview
Republicans swept into the White House and took over the Senate after the 1980 elections. Democrats maintained a diminished House majority. President Ronald Reagan survived an assassination attempt and Congress quickly passed a series of tax and domestic spending cuts, deregulated certain industries, and added defense spending during the first session of the 97th Congress (1981–1983). But the resulting budget deficit led Congress to increase taxes and reduce the gap between spending and revenues during its second session.
Member Information
- Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress, (1774–2005), Official Annotated Membership Roster by State with Vacancy and Special Election Information for the 97th Congress [PDF]
- Learn more about the House of Representatives with an interactive map
Learn more about the People of the People's House
Leadership & Officers
- Speaker of the House:
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Thomas P. O'Neill, Jr. (D–Massachusetts)
- Majority Leader:
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James C. Wright, Jr (D–Texas)
- Minority Leader:
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Robert H. Michel (R–Illinois)
- Democratic Whip:
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Thomas S. Foley (D–Washington)
- Republican Whip:
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Trent Lott (R–Mississippi)
- Democratic Caucus Chairman:
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Gillis W. Long (D–Louisiana)
- Republican Conference Chairman:
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Jack Kemp (R–New York)
- Clerk of the House:
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Edmund L. Henshaw, Jr.
- Sergeant at Arms:
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Benjamin J. Guthrie
- Chaplain of the House:
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James D. Ford – Lutheran
- Doorkeeper:
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James T. Molloy
- Postmaster:
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Robert V. Rota
- Parliamentarian:
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William Holmes Brown
To view complete lists of individuals who have served in these leadership and official positions since the 1st Congress, visit the People section
Legislative Activities
- Legislation of the 97th Congress (Congress.gov):
- Bill Summary & Status for the 97th Congress
- Résumés of Congressional Activity:
- Résumés of Congressional Activity for the 97th Congress
- Public Laws (Congress.gov):
- Public Laws 97th Congress
- House and Senate Days-In-Session Calendars (Congress.gov):
- Days-in-Session Calendars for the 97th Congress
- For information on the current Congress, please visit the Office of the Clerk’s website.