Major Events
A rare even split in the United States Senate and the defection of a single Senator led to three changes in majorities. Major security events occurred. The September 11 attacks were highly disruptive. Some Senators were targeted by anthrax attacks. The Congress voted to allow the President to invade Iraq.
- January 3, 2001: Senate was evenly split, 50-50, between two parties. Democrat Al Gore was still Vice President giving the Democrats a slim majority for the 17 days between the January 3 swearing-in of the new Congress and the January 20 inauguration of Republican Vice President Dick Cheney. Hillary Rodham Clinton, wife of outgoing Democratic President Bill Clinton, became the first presidential spouse to serve in Congress.
- January 20, 2001: George W. Bush and Dick Cheney were sworn-in as President of the United States and Vice President of the United States, respectively, giving the Republicans a narrow majority in the Senate with Cheney's tie-breaking power.
- June 6, 2001: Senator Jim Jeffords, previously a Republican, declared himself an independent and announced he would join the Democratic caucus, giving Democrats control in the Senate with a one-seat advantage. Democrat Tom Daschle became Senate Majority Leader.
- September 11, 2001: September 11 attacks
- September 20, 2001: George W. Bush reported to a joint session of Congress on the investigation into the September 11 attacks and officially announces the War on Terrorism
- October 7, 2001: Operation Enduring Freedom began
- October 9, 2001: Anthrax attacks were executed against members of the Senate, including Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle.
- December 2001: Corporate financial scandals, including Enron and MCI
- June 12, 2002: Prime Minister of Australia John Howard addressed a joint session of Congress. The address was originally scheduled for September 12, 2001, but was interrupted by the September 11 attacks. Already in Washington at the time, he sat in on Congressional sessions on September 12 instead.
Read more about this topic: 107th United States Congress
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