34th United States Congress
The Thirty-fourth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, comprised of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from March 4 1855 to March 3 1857, during the last two years of the administration of U.S. President Franklin Pierce.
The apportionment of seats in this House of Representatives was based on the Seventh Census of the United States in 1850. The Senate had a Democratic majority, and the House had an anti-Democratic, coalition majority.
Dates of sessions
- First session: December 3 1855 - August 18 1856
- Second session: August 21 1856 - August 30 1856
- Third session: December 1 1856 - March 3 1857 — a lame duck session
Previous congress: 33rd Congress
Next congress: 35th Congress
Party summary
The count below identifies party affiliations at the beginning of the first session of this Congress, and includes members from vacancies and newly admitted states, when they were first seated. Changes resulting from subsequent replacements are shown below in the "Changes in membership" section.
During the time of the elections for the Thirty-Fourth Congress opponents to the Democrats used the Whig party label inconsistently and not all in some states. Hence in this Congress, and in accordance with the practice of the Senate and House, representatives not associated with the Democratic Party or the American Party are labeled as “Opposition.”
TOTAL members: 62 |
TOTAL members: 234 |
Leadership
- Senate
- Vice President of the United States (President of the
Senate):
- vacant
- President pro tempore of the Senate:
- Jesse D. Bright, Democrat of Indiana, elected December 3 1855
- Charles E. Stuart, Democrat of Michigan, elected June 9 1856
- James M. Mason, Democrat of Virginia, elected June 11 1856
- House of Representatives
Major events
- Main article: Events of 1855; Events of 1856; Events of 1857
Major legislation
- August 18 1856 - Guano Islands Act, ch. 164, 11 Stat. 119
Members
This list is arranged by chamber, then by state. Senators are listed in order of seniority, and Representatives are listed by district.
- See also: 34th United States Congress - political parties
- See also: 34th United States Congress - State Delegations
- See also: United States House elections, 1854
Senate
Senators were elected by the state legislatures every two years, with one-third beginning new six year terms with each Congress. Preceding the names in the list below are Senate class numbers, which indicate the cycle of their election. In this Congress, Class 1 meant their term ended with this Congress, requiring reelection in 1856; Class 2 meant their term began in the last Congress, requiring reelection in 1858; and Class 3 meant their term began in this Congress, requiring reelection in 1860.
- See also: Category:United States Senators
- See also: Category:United States Congressional Delegations by state
House of Representatives
The names of members of the House of Representatives elected statewide on the general ticket or otherwise at-large, are preceded by an "A/L," and the names of those elected from districts, whether plural or single member, are preceded by their district numbers.
Many of the congressional district numbers are linked to articles describing the district itself. Since the boundaries of the districts have changed often and substantially, the linked article may only describe the district as it exists today, and not as it was at the time of this Congress.
- See also: Category:Members of the United States House of Representatives
- See also: Category:United States Congressional Delegations by state