The 114th Congress: A Record of Republican Dominance and Firsts

Countries & Cities · Published 16 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: From 2015 to 2017, the 114th United States Congress operated under a unique political landscape. It marked the first time since the 1920s that Republicans held the largest majority in both chambers, creating a legislative era defined by historic firsts and intense partisan friction.

The 114th Congress began on January 3, 2015, following the 2014 elections which handed Republicans control of both the House and the Senate. This shift was significant because it produced the largest Republican majority in the House since the 71st Congress of 1929–1931. By 2025, this period stood as the latest instance where the president's rival party held Senate authority throughout the full term. The term was characterized by high-profile international diplomacy and symbolic firsts. It saw the first address by a Japanese leader, Shinzō Abe, and the first-ever address by Pope Francis to a joint session of Congress. Domestically, the period was marked by internal leadership shifts; Speaker John Boehner was re-elected in January 2015 despite a lack of support from several of his own party members, only to resign in October 2015.

He was succeeded by Paul Ryan, who became the youngest Speaker since 1869. Legislatively, the Congress navigated a wide array of issues ranging from the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015 to the Microbead-Free Waters Act of 2015. It also grappled with immediate national crises, such as the 2016 Orlando nightclub shooting, which triggered intense debates on gun control and led to a Democratic sit-in that halted business in the House chamber for over 24 hours. The term concluded as the Republican majority remained intact through the 2016 presidential election of Donald Trump.

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