The 107th Congress saw three different Senate majorities in just two years of work.

Countries & Cities · Published 15 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Between 2001 and 2003, the United States Senate experienced a rare 50-50 split that shifted control three times. From the final weeks of the Clinton presidency to the early years of the Bush administration, this legislative session navigated unprecedented political volatility, national tragedy, and significant shifts in federal law.

The 107th Congress, which convened from January 3, 2001, to January 3, 2003, was defined by its razor-thin margins. Initially, the Senate was evenly divided between the two major parties. Vice President Al Gore provided a tie-breaking vote for Democrats for 17 days, until Dick Cheney was sworn in as Vice President on January 20, 2001, handing the majority to Republicans. This shift established a federal trifecta, with Republicans controlling both chambers of Congress and the presidency for the first time since 1955.

The balance of power shifted again on June 6, 2001, when Senator Jim Jeffords of Vermont left the Republican Party to become an independent. By caucusing with the Democrats, he gave them a 51-49 majority for the remainder of the session. This period was marked by intense legislative activity, including the passage of the USA PATRIOT Act in October 2001 and the No Child Left Behind Act in January 2002. The Congress also responded to the September 11 attacks, which occurred during the session and prompted a joint address by President Bush on September 20, 2001.

The session faced further instability toward its end. Following the death of Senator Paul Wellstone in October 2002, the appointment of an independent member and a subsequent special election victory by Jim Talent in November 2002 returned the Senate majority to Republicans. These rapid changes in leadership occurred against a backdrop of significant national events, including the emergence of major corporate accounting scandals involving Enron and WorldCom, and the initiation of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.

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