72nd Congress (1931–1933)1

Congressional Profile Total Membership: 435 Representatives

2 Delegates

3 Resident Commissioners Party Divisions:* 216 Democrats

218 Republicans

1 Farmer-Labor *Party division totals are based on election day results. Election Statistics, 1930 [PDF] /tiles/non-collection/s/speaker_garner_2005_016_039.xml

About this object Collection of the U.S. House of Representatives

Congress Overview

After 14 Members-elect died between Election Day 1930 and the start of the 72nd Congress (1931–1933), Democrats won enough special elections to take control of a narrowly divided House. Republicans retained their Senate majority by one seat. Congress responded to the Great Depression and established the Reconstruction Finance Corporation to provide loans to banks and industry, but President Herbert Hoover vetoed regional public works projects. Unemployed World War I veterans marched on the capital, but Congress refused to fast-track the “bonus” payments they had been promised. Hoover later ordered the Army to evict the veterans from their Washington camps.

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 72nd Congress. [PDF]

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