Congress+of+1977-1981

 Congress of 1977-1981 (95th and 96th Congress) Major Legislation Passed**   **Highlights of the Congress Administration 1977-1981** 
 * [[image:P_H_Home_Congress_building_home.jpg width="316" height="207" align="right" caption="http://www.curry.edu/NR/rdonlyres/E756A3F9-0085-415C-B11C-8C731A491AAA/0/P_H_Home_Congress_building_home.JPG"]]
 * Emergency Natural Gas Act, PL 95-2, signed 2/2/77
 *  Reorganization Act of 1977, PL 95-17, signed 4/6/77
 *  Department of Energy Organization Act, PL 95-91, signed 8/4/77
 *  Senate Ratification of the Panama Canal Treaties, 3/16/78 and 4/18/78
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Civil Service Reform Act, PL 95-454, signed 10/13/78
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Airline Deregulation Act, PL 95-504, signed 10/24/78
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Full Employment and Balanced Growth Act (PL 95-523) and Comprehensive Employment and Training Act Amendments (PL 95-524) [Humphrey-Hawkins Act], signed 10/27/78
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">National Energy Act [actually five laws], PL 95-617 through 621, signed 11/9/78
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Trade Agreements Act, PL 96-39, signed 7/26/79
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Department of Education Organization Act, PL 96-88, signed 10/17/79
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Depository Institutions Deregulation and Monetary Control Act, PL 96-221, signed 3/31/80
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Crude Oil Windfall Profit Tax Act, PL 96-223, signed 4/2/80
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Energy Security Act, PL 96-294, signed 6/30/80
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Motor Carrier Act [Trucking Deregulation], PL 96-296, signed 7/1/80
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Staggers Rail Act [Rail Deregulation], PL 96-448, signed 10/14/80
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, PL 96-487, signed 12/2/80
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act [Superfund Act], PL 96-510, signed 12/11/80
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"><span style="font-size: 130%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> Established a national policy to deal with energy shortages
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"><span style="font-size: 130%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> Combated economic inflation and unemployment
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"><span style="font-size: 130%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> Fought for environmental issues and expanded the national park system by adding Alaskan lands
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"><span style="font-size: 130%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> Created the Department of Education
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"><span style="font-size: 130%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> Strengthened the Social Security system
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"><span style="font-size: 130%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> The Camp David agreement created genial relations between Egypt and Israel
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"><span style="font-size: 130%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> Approved the SALT II nuclear limitation treaty
 * <span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Ratification of the Panama Canal treaties
 * Criticisms/Pitfalls of Administration 1977-1981**
 * <span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">"The seizure of hostages of the U.S. embassy staff in Iran was all over the news during the last 14 months of the administration. The consequences of Iran's holding Americans captive, together with continuing inflation at home, contributed to Carter's defeat in 1980" (The White House).
 * <span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Refused negotiations with North Korea, possibly leading to issues of nuclear power today
 * <span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Soviets entrenchment into Afghanistan
 * <span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Iranian students holding US State Department personnel and US Marines hostage for 444 days
 * <span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Low American prestige
 * <span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Weak democratic presence for next 12 years
 * <span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Double digit inflation and impossibly high interest rates

<span style="font-size: 130%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> ** Characteristics of the 1977-1981 Congress **
 * <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"><span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Congress didn't get along with Carter and his Cabinet.
 * <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"><span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">They refused to play by the "Washington rules"
 * <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"><span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Some of his cabinet members (Frank Moore) didn't return phone calls, insulted Congress and were unwilling to trade political favors.
 * <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"><span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">This made it hard for the president to complete his agenda.
 * <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"><span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">The Presidents advisors didn't have a lot in common with the national political party, and didn't have a lot in common with Congress.
 * <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"><span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Congress thought that the President's cabinet was a "bunch of y guys".

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"><span style="font-size: 130%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> **Democratic Party ce in both House and Senate**

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> SENATE: 61-Dem, 38-Rep, 1-Other Vice-President: Walter F. Mondale (D) Majority Leader: Robert C. Byrd (D-WV) Minority Leader: Howard H. Baker, Jr.(R-TN) Speaker: Thomas P. O'Neill, Jr.(D-MA) Majority Leader: James C. Wright, Jr. (D-TX) Minority Leader: John J. Rhodes (R-AZ)\
 * HOUSE: 292-Dem, 143-Rep.**
 * Summary of the impact of Congress **

This was a time of energy crisis, and the Laws passed by Congress helped establish programs that would fix the energy problems. Congress also passed laws that inproved transportation. Significant foreign policy accomplishments of his administration included the Panama Canal treaties, the Camp David Accords, the treaty of peace between Egypt and Israel, the SALT II treaty with the Soviet Union, and the establishment of U.S. diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China. He championed human rights throughout the world. On the domestic side, the administration's achievements included a comprehensive energy program conducted by a new Department of Energy; deregulation in energy, transportation, communications, and finance; major educational programs under a new Department of Education; and major environmental protection legislation, including the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act.

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