72nd Congress (1931 - 1933)

House of Representatives

House Majority: Democrat

House Majority Seats: 217 out of 435

House Speaker: Rep. John Nance Garner (D-TX)

Senate

Senate Majority: Republican

Senate Majority Seats: 48 out of 96

Senate Majority Leader: Sen. James E. Watson (R-IN)

Executive

President: Herbert Hoover (R-CA)

Vice President: Charles Curtis (R-KS)

portrait

Member Spotlight

Featured: Speaker of the House John Nance “Cactus Jack” Garner (D-TX) was a charismatic and influential legislator known for his sharp wit and political acumen. Born in 1868, he served in the House of Representatives from 1903 to 1933 and held the speakership from 1931 to 1933, during the onset of the Great Depression. Garner was deeply involved in shaping New Deal legislation while balancing the competing interests of southern Democrats and progressive reformers. His skillful leadership and earthy personality earned him widespread respect, paving the way for his election as Vice President under Franklin D. Roosevelt from 1933 to 1941.

Enactments