House of Representatives 1960s and 1970s in the United States
U.S. House of Representatives: History of the U.S. House of Representatives: The 1960s and 1970s
Introduction to House of Representatives 1960s and 1970s
Congress approved a flurry of new legislation in the 1960s, but the House saw few organizational changes in this period. Committees remained the focus of legislative activity, and committee appointments continued to follow the seniority rule. Until the 1960s the seniority system permitted a small number of conservative Southern Democrats to scuttle many civil rights and social welfare bills. The hammerlock control of the aging Southerners prompted the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1970. This act marked the beginning of a series of structural changes in the 1970s that weakened the seniority system. In 1975 the parties changed their rules to allow party leaders to nominate committee chairs, with the final choice made by a secret ballot. This reform, which replaced a rule dating to the early 20th century, further undercut the seniority system and curtailed the nearly dictatorial control enjoyed by committee chairs. When they took control of the House in 1995, Republicans imposed a rule limiting individuals to a maximum of six years as chair of any one committee.
In 1974 the House Judiciary Committee conducted an inquiry into the role of President Richard Nixon in the Watergate scandal. The allegations of White House-directed burglary, conspiracy, and obstruction of justice were among the most stunning testimony in the history of the House. The Judiciary Committee passed a resolution calling for Nixon’s impeachment, and the president resigned within weeks to forestall a full vote in the House. Nixon’s resignation brought an end to the House’s impeachment proceedings against him. Although the scandal implicated only White House officials, Watergate heightened public distrust of government institutions, including the House of Representatives.” (1)
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