Lame duck members of the United States Congress are those who must complete a legislative session after failing to win re-election for the next session. Any session of Congress that includes lame duck members is known as a lame duck session, which is traditionally associated with little progress. However, some lame duck sessions have proven to be the exception to the rule. The Twentieth Amendment to the United States Constitution officially set January 20 of each year as the last day of the legislative session. During a lame duck session, Congress is often seen as having limited power to pass laws or perform basic tasks.
In the United States Congress (USA), all members who must complete a legislative session after failing to win re-election for the next session are referred to as lame ducks. This reflects the perceived loss of power or lack of motivation a member will experience knowing he will soon leave her position. Any session of Congress that includes lame duck members is known as a lame duck session. While the lame duck session doesn’t happen with every election, it does happen quite frequently in the United States. This period is traditionally associated with little progress and an inability to carry on business as usual within Congress, although some lame duck sessions have proven to be the exception to the rule.
Senators in the United States serve six-year terms, while members of the House of Representatives are elected for two-year terms. General elections are held each November, and Congress typically takes a scheduled break to handle election activities and campaigning during this time. Some members of Congress will choose not to run for re-election, while others will run and lose to an opponent. Both these lame ducks and members of Congress who have been successfully re-elected must then return to finish the legislative session, which runs from November to January 3 each year. If members of the lame duck are present during this period of time, this is called a lame duck session.
Although the lame duck sessions occurred for many years, they were not formally recognized until 1935. During this year, Congress passed the Twentieth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which officially set January 20 of each year as the last day of the legislative session. This is also the day that Lame Duck members officially lose their positions and newly elected lawmakers are recognized as sitting Senators or Congressmen. This date also serves as the end of a lame duck session, if applicable, and the start of a new, more productive session of Congress.
During a lame duck session, Congress is often seen as having limited power to pass laws or perform basic tasks. Many political commentators argue that Lame Duck members will simply go through motions during this time period and fail to make any real effort to represent their constituents. After losing an election or deciding to retire, these members may feel betrayed by their communities or may have simply lost interest in their jobs.
Even members who have been re-elected face challenges during a lame duck session. These sessions are often characterized by infighting between members of Congress, who may also intentionally try to hinder each other’s efforts during this time. This kind of infighting is especially common when the November election brings big changes, such as a shift of control from one political party to another. However, not all lame duck sessions are unproductive. Some go much smoother and allow members of Congress to complete their work normally without fighting or conflict.
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