Congress is once again in a lame duck session. The Senate’s Virtual Reference Desk Glossary website defines a lame duck session as:
When Congress (or either chamber) reconvenes in an even-numbered year following the November general elections to consider various items of business. Some lawmakers who return for this session will not be in the next Congress. Hence, they are informally called “lame duck” members participating in a “lame duck” session.
However, a lame duck Congress can and does pass important legislation and since Election Day, the 112th Congress has passed several significant bills into law:
- S. 743: Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act of 2012
- H.R. 4114: Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2012
- S. 2038: STOCK Act
You can find a complete list of the laws passed by the 112th Congress through our Congress.gov website.
Comments (2)
Wasn’t the STOCK act passed in the spring?
Looks as if they will not pass a budget again this year, this is going on for 5 years now. will you write about this? Margaret this a good article please respond to to no budget being passed.
thanks for responding