[nicollo]

Each Congress lasts two years. If a bill doesn't make it before the end of one Congress, it must be started all over again with the next, from zero. Each Congress is a new baby.

The lame duck sessions are always dangerous. Not a few of them have laid an ugly egg upon their successors. Look at what Gov. Gleddenning has done in Maryland. He's doing his damnedest to screw things up for Erhlich. That's a danger in the system.

Your suggestion is to enact a new Congress immediately after an election. I don't see much wrong with this, other than a cooling off period. One of the great divisions of powers in the U.S. Constitution is time. Time operates differently on each branch and in different ways. Perhaps this lapse between new and old Congresses marks one of those divisions.

It doesn't have anything to do with the slowness of time in the old days. There was always a regular, second Winter session of Congress after elections. In fact, the new COngress didn't start until March. The Constitution was amended to bring it up to January. I don't know why it wasn't brought to November of the previous year.

Any thoughts?

[Iowa Granny]

Each Congress lasts two years. If a bill doesn't make it before the end of one Congress, it must be started all over again with the next, from zero. Each Congress is a new baby.

I went back to reread what I'd posted to see if I had posted something to indicate to you that I don't understand the duration of a Session. I don't see it, if I did. But it is late, I've been on the road and in meetings all day. So if you think I did,,,, well,,, I guess I will need to arm wrestle you in hopes of maintaining my honor at the end of this post. :>)

I wasn't aware new Sessions originally began later in the year and were later moved back to January.

I believe a Session (Session=Congress) beginning in November shortly after the election could be problematic.

First, and foremost, successful candidates need time to get their life in order after a campaign. There are tons of things they need to get lined up before packing up and moving out for Session. There is staff to hire,,, it would be presumptious to do it before you won the election, especially for challengers or first time candidates. There are living arrangements that need to be made. There are Bills to be filed and quite honestly, some kick back time after a grueling campaign is a must before being sent to the meat gringer.

In addition, there is much for Leadership to accomplish before gaveling in. In my previous post I indicated there are committee assignments to be made, and if a seniority system is not in place for Committee Chairs, Chairmen need to be placed in slots where they will best compliment the entire caucus. (I'm drifting off into State Government, here,,, bear with me).

In many instances, Interest Groups use the time between November and the beginning of Session to meet with elected officials to plead their cases. This can be anyone from a School Boards to Regents institutions,, from Nursing Home administrators to Dentists. You name the cause,,, they'll have a request,,, money or policy. Push it or Stop it. Everybody wants something.

Bureaucrats need time to put together updated briefing materials (this is not a very good reason,,, but if I was a Bureaucrat, I would think so,,,,)

In short. Beginning a Session/Congress immediately after an election would not be in the best interest of much of anybody. It's not likely much could be accomplished until lots of other things were accomplished first.