The 112th Congress (2011-2012)
| | Senate | House |
| :---------- | :----- | :---- |
| Democrats | 53 | 200 |
| Republicans | 45 | 232 |
| Independents| 2 | 0 |
The Senate was controlled by the $\square$
The House of Representatives was controlled by the $\square$
Because of this, the houses of Congress likely $\square$
Answer (2)
Democrats controlled the Senate with 53 seats.
Republicans controlled the House with 232 seats.
Divided control likely led to legislative gridlock.
The houses of Congress likely experienced legislative gridlock due to the divided control. Democrats, Republicans, legislative gridlock
Explanation
Understanding the Problem We are given the composition of the 112th Congress (2011-2012) in terms of the number of Democrats, Republicans, and Independents in both the Senate and the House of Representatives. We need to determine which party controlled each house and the likely consequence of this divided control.
Senate Control First, let's determine which party controlled the Senate. The Senate had 53 Democrats, 45 Republicans, and 2 Independents. Since 53 is more than half of the 100 seats in the Senate (more than 50), the Democrats controlled the Senate.
House Control Next, let's determine which party controlled the House of Representatives. The House had 200 Democrats and 232 Republicans. Since 232 is more than half of the 435 (432 in the table) seats in the House (more than 216), the Republicans controlled the House.
Consequences of Divided Control Finally, let's consider the likely consequences of the divided control of the Senate and House. When different parties control each house, it often leads to legislative gridlock and difficulty in passing laws, as each party has different priorities and agendas.
Conclusion Therefore, the Senate was controlled by the Democrats, the House of Representatives was controlled by the Republicans, and because of this, the houses of Congress likely experienced legislative gridlock.
Examples
Imagine a scenario where a school board is composed of two parties. One party wants to increase funding for arts programs, while the other wants to focus on STEM. If each party controls a different committee, they might find it difficult to agree on a budget, leading to delays and compromises that neither side is fully satisfied with. This situation mirrors the challenges faced when different parties control different houses of Congress, impacting policy decisions and legislative progress.
In the 112th Congress, the Senate was controlled by the Democrats, while the House of Representatives was controlled by the Republicans. This division likely led to legislative gridlock, making it difficult to pass laws. Overall, the differing party controls between the two houses created obstacles in achieving legislative progress.
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