96th Congress (1979-1981)
President: Jimmy Carter (D-GA)
House Majority Party: Democrat
House Majority Seats: 278 out of 435
House Speaker: Rep. Thomas P. "Tip" O'Neill (D-MA)
Vice President: Walter Mondale (D-MN)
Senate Majority Party: Democrat
Senate Majority Seats: 59 out of 100
Senate Majority Leader: Robert C. Byrd (D-WV)
"We need it." - Sen. Bob Dole (R-KS) (above), in response to Sen. Robert Byrd's (D-WV) announcement that at some point during a filibuster the chaplain is going to have to deliver a prayer.
Enactments:
Taiwan Relations Act
Veterans Health Care Amendments of 1979
Special International Security Assistance Act of 1979
Trade Agreements Act of 1979
Panama Canal Act of 1979
Department of Education Organization Act
Second Continuing Appropriations Act of 1979
Chrysler Corporation Loan Guarantee Act
Refugee Act of 1980 Prompt Sheet
Depository Institutions Deregulation and Monetary Control Act of 1980
Crude Oil Windfall Profit Tax Act of 1980
Social Security Disability Amendments of 1979
Draft Registration Act
Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act
Energy Security Act
Enactments (cont):
Motor Carrier Act of 1980
Soft Drink Interbrand Competition Act
Privacy Protection Act of 1980
Staggers Rail Act of 1980
Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1981
Judicial Conduct and Disability Act of 1980
Foreign Service Act of 1980
Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980
Bayh-Dole Act (Patent Rights in Inventions Made with Federal Assistance)
The Agriculture Appropriations Act of 1980
Second Continuing Appropriations Act of 1980
The Tonnage Measurement Simplification Act