The 117th Congress has reopened for business with just a few weeks before the 118th Congress will be sworn in.
Although the 117th Congress has a lot on its plate, such as a government funding bill that needs to be passed to avert a government shutdown, it would behoove the current Congress to respect the will of the voters (as recently demonstrated in the midterm election), by doing as little as possible before the new Congress convenes on Jan. 3, 2023.
Historically, this has been the norm. Over the past century, both parties have refrained from passing major legislation during the few weeks after congressional elections, colloquially known as the “lame-duck session.”
However, this year’s lame-duck session could buck this historical trend as many Democrats are clamoring to pass substantial bills while they still hold the House of Representatives before the GOP takes over the lower chamber next year.
For instance, as House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer of Maryland recently told his congressional colleagues, “Whether it’s strengthening our economy, improving our immigration system, protecting our national security, or safeguarding democracy around the world, we have important work ahead of us in December.”