The time is now, both to clarify that a vice president cannot unilaterally throw out states’ electoral votes, and to raise the number of votes needed in Congress to contest any state’s electors.Įlection deniers’ ongoing fights in Arizona and Pennsylvania over those battleground states’ recent election results underscore the need for action. 6, 2021.Īs with the same-sex marriage bill, bipartisan legislation revising the 19th century Electoral Count Act wasn’t politically possible before the midterm elections and wouldn’t be once Trumpian Republicans are in charge of the House schedule in four weeks. Meanwhile, either the spending bill or another priority - a must-pass bill authorizing defense programs - could be the vehicle to carry other vital legislation: relief for areas hit by natural disasters, further aid to Ukraine and a tightening of a 1887 elections law that Donald Trump and his would-be coup plotters misconstrued on Jan. Whether they succeed remains to be seen, but the motivation is there: Democratic and Republican leaders alike are pessimistic that a Republican-run House can pass much of anything next year beyond resolutions to impeach Joe Biden and investigate his son Hunter. But after a White House meeting this week, the leaders of both parties committed to trying to pass a full-year package rather than a stopgap measure that would punt the final spending decisions into 2023. There’s still no agreement on spending bills for a fiscal year that’s already 2 months old, and without passage by Dec.
The Senate advanced a landmark bill to legalize same-sex marriage nationwide and codify some protections of the 2015 Supreme Court ruling.Įven Congress’ typical eleventh-hour budget brinkmanship might turn out better than expected. Politics Senate advances bipartisan same-sex marriage bill, kicking off lame-duck agenda But once again a lame duck bipartisan majority proved more willing than usual to stand up to special interests. Some rail workers had held out for more guaranteed days of paid sick leave, and many pro-union Democrats in Congress supported them, along with a few conservative Republicans eager to newly position theirs as the party of the working class. In back-to-back votes Wednesday and Thursday, first the House and then the Senate voted with rare speed and bipartisanship to put the contract into force, just a week before a strike deadline that would have halted the rail lines and commerce. Politico reported that Republicans privately acknowledged that as many as 30 Republican senators wanted the bill to pass, yet most caved to the right.įor pro-labor Democrats, this postelection period has proved conducive to their going along - if reluctantly - with Biden’s call to impose on balky rail unions the contract that the administration brokered in September. So, the time between early November and January 3rd, 2011 (which will be the tail end of the 111th United States Congress) will officially be known as a "lame duck session".ĭavemanuel.Even given that compromise, only a dozen Republican senators supported the bill in the end, and three of them are retiring - each to be replaced by more conservative Republicans.
The 112th United States Congress will begin on January 3rd, 2011. Now - a "lame duck session" of Congress occurs in the time between an election and when the next Congressional term begins.įor instance, the most recent midterm elections took place in early November. In the time between the election and January 3rd, John Smith is considered to be a "lame duck" because he is still technically on the Fakeschool Board of Trustees, but he will not be continuing after January 3rd. These members are scheduled to take their seats on January 3rd. There is an election, and a new slate of members are voted in. The dictionary also defines a "lame duck" as a disabled or helpless person or thing.įor instance, John Smith is sits on the University of Fakeschool Board of Trustees. What is a "lame duck session"? What is the definition of the term "lame duck session"?įirst off, before we define the term "lame duck session", let's define the term "lame duck".Ī "lame duck" is an elected official who remains in office after his successor has already been elected.
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