Senate pro forma session definition11/25/2023 ![]() And, since sitting lawmakers tended to take a break during the summer and reconvene after an election, the last session of Congress, which began in December and ran until March, was always a lame duck. Under this system, the new Congress chosen in a November election wouldn’t start its term until the following March. The Constitution originally dictated that the congressional term began and ended in March of odd-numbered years. Nevertheless, when considering absences for Thanksgiving and Christmas and the fact that members only meet two or three days per week, these sessions are even shorter in practice. In 2020, for instance, the House’s lame duck session lasted 49 days, while the Senate’s lasted 56 days. ![]() On average, they last 37 days, though recent years have trended toward longer sessions. The lame duck sessions often start in mid-November, shortly after Election Day, and adjourn in late December or early January. How long do lame duck sessions last?Ĭongress typically goes on one- to two-month breaks or meets less frequently during election periods. He had already made 171 recess appointments during his presidency, which was significantly more than his predecessor, Bill Clinton, but not nearly as many as Ronald Reagan’s 232. Bush’s ability to make recess appointments. The Senate took this tactic in 2008 to limit President George W. These faux meetings sometimes last only a few seconds while a designated senator opens and closes the session. To prevent these actions, Congress can avoid going on recess or adjourning and instead meet in pro forma sessions - mini sessions held twice a week as a formality to satisfy Congress’s constitutional requirements. When Congress isn’t in session, the president has the power to veto legislation without giving lawmakers the chance to override it - known as a “pocket veto” - and to fill a vacancy automatically without congressional approval. Sometimes, Congress’s only goal during a lame duck is to simply be present. history, which wasn’t resolved until the following Congress’s regular session. This led to the longest government shutdown in U.S. In 2018, Congress struggled to pass its spending bill during the lame duck session due to a disagreement over President Trump’s request for $5 billion to fund a border wall. In recent years, postelection meetings have largely focused on negotiating government budget allocations - a frequently contentious issue. Lame duck congresses have considered a vast array of proposals, such as war-related matters, motions to censure or impeach government officials, and key trade deals. Lawmakers use these special sessions to resolve unfinished business from a regular session or deal with specific, urgent issues. president appears to have been in 1926, although the current meaning hadn’t yet solidified: Democrats hoped to turn Calvin Coolidge into a lame duck by flipping control of the Senate. The term started to be used for outgoing politicians in the 1830s. In 18th-century Britain, stockbrokers who didn’t make good on their debts were branded as lame ducks. politics, its origins come from farther afield. Though the expression is now common in U.S. More broadly, the “lame duck” label applies to any outgoing politician, such as presidents serving their final months in office and sitting lawmakers who didn’t win reelection or are retiring. ![]() Attend the Brennan Legacy Awards DinnerĪny meeting of one or both chambers of Congress that takes place after a November election and before the first day of the new Congress’s term is known as a lame duck session.Advance Constitutional Change Show / hide.National Task Force on Democracy Reform & the Rule of Law.Government Targeting of Minority Communities Show / hide.Campaign Finance in the Courts Show / hide.Gerrymandering & Fair Representation Show / hide.Ensure Every American Can Vote Show / hide. ![]()
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