56th Congress (1899 - 1901)

House of Representatives

House Majority: Republican

House Majority Seats: 187 out of 357

House Speaker: Rep. David B. Henderson (R-IA)

Senate

Senate Majority: Republican

Senate Majority Seats: 53 out of 90

Senate Majority Leader: (None)

Executive

President: William McKinley (R-OH)

Vice President: Theodore Roosevelt (R-NY)

portrait

Member Spotlight

Featured: Sen. Joseph Foraker (R-OH), author of the Foraker Act which established civil government for Puerto Rico. Born in 1846, he rose from humble beginnings to become governor of Ohio before his election to the U.S. Senate in 1896. Foraker was known for his strong advocacy of civil rights for African-Americans and his involvement in major national debates over imperialism and tariff policy. Despite his political successes, his career was marked by fierce rivalries and controversies, reflecting both his ambition and the turbulent politics of his era.

Enactments