Record of the 77th Congress

Report Outline
Congress and the War Emergency
Revenues, Expenditures, Deficits
Aid to Nations Combatting Aggression
Rearmament; Selective Service Control of Sabotage
Economic Mobilization; Defense Area Facilities; Power and Navigation Projects
Price Control, Farm and Labor Measures
Action After Declarations of War
Special Focus

Congress and the War Emergency

Declarations of War on Japan, Germany, Italy

Problems raised by American participation in the war against the Axis are expected to keep the 77th Congress in continuous session until the expiration of its term on January 3, 1943.

Existence of a state of war with Japan was formally declared by Congress on December 8. Existence of a state of war with Germany and Italy was declared on December 11. In all three cases the action was taken by virtually unanimous vote of the Senate and House after declarations of war against the United States had been issued by the three Axis powers. In the American war declarations, Congress pledged all the resources of the country to carry on war against Japan, Germany and Italy, and to bring the conflict to a successful termination.

The wide differences over foreign policy which had existed during the period of American non-belligerency disappeared Sunday, December 7, when first word was received of the surprise Japanese air attack on the American naval base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. With the outbreak of hostilities in the Pacific, such opposition as had been encountered earlier in the 1941 session by the Lend-Lease bill and the President's proposals for revision of the Neutrality Act took its place as part of a chapter that was closed.