10-20-2016, 01:50 PM
Ombligo wrote:
[quote=Speedy]
[quote=Ombligo]Then even as a Senator, she was one of 100, and was never in the majority party during her term.
A correction, she was in the majority for each of her first and last two years in the Senate.
Well, she did have opportunity although the president was a Republican as was the majority in the House so not much opportunity to see legislation become law:
The 107th US Congress was evenly split with 50 senators from each party. Vice President Dick Chaney, a Republican, was the deciding vote in ties. The President Pro Tem was a Republican. So Democrats were not the majority.
The 110th congress is arguable as it was split 49-49, with 2 independents who caucused with the Democrats. Consequently the President Pro Tem was a Democrat, but still did not make them the majority power since it was based on a coalition. Either independent could have switched at any time and he rule of the Senate would have switched.
January 3, 2001: Senate was evenly split (50-50) between the two parties. Democrat Al Gore - who was still Vice President - gave the Democrats the tie-breaker and majority control for the 17 days between the January 3 swearing-in of the new Congress and the January 20 inauguration of Republican Vice President Dick Cheney. Hillary Clinton, wife of President Bill Clinton, became the first presidential spouse to serve in Congress.
January 20, 2001: George W. Bush and Dick Cheney were sworn-in as President of the United States and Vice President of the United States respectively, giving the Republicans the tie-breaker and majority control. Trent Lott becomes Senate Majority Leader.
June 6, 2001: Senator Jim Jeffords, previously a Republican, declared himself an independent and announced he would join the Democratic caucus, giving the Democrats majority control. Democrat Tom Daschle became Senate Majority Leader.
November 25, 2002: Jim Talent wins special election for Senate in Missouri, effectively giving Republicans a majority. Reorganization delayed till Senate returned to session in the next term.
November 30 - December 2, 2002: Outgoing Sen. Phil Gramm (R-Texas) resigns weeks before his final term expires; Sen.-elect John Cornyn appointed to finish Gramm's term.