History of party balance

Since the November 2020 elections, President Joe Biden enjoys a majority in the House, while the narrow Democratic voting majority in the Senate is only secured by Vice-President Kamala Harris, in addition to two Independent representatives who caucus with the Democrats. In fact it is relatively rare for one party to have full control of both the legislative and executive branches in this way: since 1969, it has only occurred in nine of the 27 two-year terms. Whereas George W. Bush enjoyed a majority in both chambers of Congress for six of his eight years in office, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama and Donald Trump did so only in the first two years of their terms. Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush were never in this situation, with the Democrats holding majorities in the House throughout.