THE GOVERNMENT EXPLORER Sources & coverage

TWO MOMENTS. A DIFFERENT PICTURE.

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Compare who held office and the party makeup of Congress on two specific dates.

FIRST DATE

July 1, 2016

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PRESIDENT

House of Representatives

434 voting members

247 Republican187 Democratic

6 delegates and resident commissioners listed separately; they are not included in the voting-member totals above.

Senate

100 senators

54 Republican44 Democratic2 Independent

SUPREME COURT8 justices in serviceChief Justice: John G. Roberts Jr.

SECOND DATE

March 2, 1865

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PRESIDENT

House of Representatives

200 voting members

91 Republican78 Democratic18 Unconditional Unionist10 Unionist2 Ind. Republican1 Conservative Republican

2 delegates and resident commissioners listed separately; they are not included in the voting-member totals above.

Senate

54 senators

37 Republican13 Democratic2 Unionist2 Unconditional Unionist

SUPREME COURT10 justices in serviceChief Justice: Salmon Portland Chase

THE PEOPLE BETWEEN THESE MOMENTS

Familiar faces. Different rosters.

0Listed on both dates

550Listed only on the first date

268Listed only on the second date

These are differences between two snapshots of Congress, the presidency, vice presidency, and Supreme Court. A person can hold a different office on each date. These counts do not measure every transition in between. Cabinet membership is excluded because historical coverage is incomplete.

Only on the first date 550 people

Only on the second date 268 people

Service history is indexed from 1789. Current Congress is checked against both official rosters. Cabinet coverage is a dated current snapshot. See coverage and methodology

Checked Sep 7, 2026

OPENING THE RECORD

See what changed.

July 1, 2016

Barack Obama

House of Representatives

Senate

March 2, 1865

Abraham Lincoln

House of Representatives

Senate

Familiar faces. Different rosters.

See what changed.

July 1, 2016

Barack Obama

House of Representatives

Senate

March 2, 1865

Abraham Lincoln

House of Representatives

Senate

Familiar faces. Different rosters.