The 8th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1803, to March 4, 1805, during the last two years of Thomas Jefferson's first term in office. The apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives was based on the 1800 United States census. Both chambers had a Democratic-Republican majority.

Major events

Major legislation

Constitutional amendments

Treaties

Territories organized

Party summary

The count below identifies party affiliations at the beginning of the first session of this Congress, and includes members from vacancies and newly admitted states, when they were first seated. Changes resulting from subsequent replacements are shown below in the "Changes in membership" section.

Senate

House of Representatives

Following the 1800 census, the size of the House was increased to 142 seats from 108.

Leadership

Senate

House of Representatives

Members

This list is arranged by chamber, then by state. Senators are listed in order of seniority, and representatives are listed by district.

Senate

Senators were elected by the state legislatures every two years, with one-third beginning new six-year terms with each Congress. Preceding the names in the list below are Senate class numbers, which indicate the cycle of their election. In this Congress, Class 1 meant their term began with this Congress, requiring reelection in 1808; Class 2 meant their term ended in this Congress, requiring reelection in 1804; and Class 3 meant their term began in the last Congress, requiring reelection in 1806.

Connecticut

Delaware

Georgia

Kentucky

Maryland

Massachusetts

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New York

North Carolina

Ohio

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

South Carolina

Tennessee

Vermont

Virginia

[Senators' party membership by state at the opening of the 8th Congress in March 1803.

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House of Representatives

The names of members of the House of Representatives are preceded by their district numbers.

Connecticut

All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

Delaware

Georgia

All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

Kentucky

Maryland

The 5th district was a plural district with two representatives.

Massachusetts

New Hampshire

All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

New Jersey

All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

New York

North Carolina

Ohio

Pennsylvania

There were four plural districts, the 1st, 2nd, & 3rd had three representatives each, the 4th had two representatives.

Rhode Island

Both representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

South Carolina

Tennessee

All representatives were elected statewide on a general ticket.

Vermont

Virginia

Non-voting members

Changes in membership

The count below reflects changes from the beginning of the first session of this Congress.

Senate

House of Representatives

Committees

Lists of committees and their party leaders.

Senate

House of Representatives

Joint committees

Officers

Legislative branch agency directors

Senate

House of Representatives