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Congress May End Long Tradition of Not Convening on Sunday
Townhall.com ^ | December 23, 2020 | Terry Jeffrey

Posted on 12/23/2020 7:52:13 AM PST by Kaslin

Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, the president pro tempore of the Senate and the longest-serving Republican in that body, sent out a tweet last week lamenting the imminent demise of an ancient and admirable Senate tradition.

"US Senate has NEVER convened a Congress on Sunday out of respect," said Grassley.

"Not once in 231 yrs," he said.

Grassley went on to note that the Constitution calls for Congress to convene its new sessions on Jan. 3 each year but also allows Congress to enact a law changing that date.

Historically, in those years when Jan. 3 fell on a Sunday, Congress would change it. This was "usually done," Grassley noted, "by unanimous consent."

But not this year -- and Grassley said he did not know why.

As originally ratified, the Constitution made it impossible to convene a new session of Congress on a Sunday, unless Congress specifically enacted legislation requiring that to happen. Article 1, Section 4, Clause 2 of the Constitution said: "The Congress shall assemble at least once in every year, and such meeting shall be on the first Monday in December, unless they shall by law appoint a different day."

In 1933, the states ratified the 20th Amendment to shorten the lame-duck terms of congressmen and presidents who had retired or been voted out of office. It required congressional terms to end on Jan. 3 and presidential terms to end on Jan. 20 (rather than March 4) and said this about sessions of Congress: "The Congress shall assemble at least once in every year, and such meeting shall begin at noon on the 3rd day of January, unless they shall by law appoint a different day."

Following the ratification of this amendment, according to the website of the U.S. House of Representatives, the 73rd Congress convened its 1934 session on Jan. 3. The 74th Congress also convened its 1935 session on Jan. 3 and its 1936 session on Jan. 3.

But the 75th Congress first convened on Tuesday, Jan. 5, 1937. Why? Because Jan. 3 was a Sunday.

"When the 3d of January fell on Sunday (in 1937), Congress did by law appoint a different day for its assemblage," notes a congressional website on the Constitution.

In fact, Congress has often moved the opening date for a new session even when it would not otherwise have fallen on a Sunday.

"In recent years, it has been the exception rather than the rule for a new Congress to begin on January 3," the Congressional Research Service reported in 2018. "Nine of the past 12 Congresses began on a date other than January 3."

So, why not in 2021, when Jan. 3 falls on a Sunday?

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer offered a vague reason in a press briefing on Dec. 2.

"I've put out a notice," Hoyer said that day, "which says members ought to plan on being here on the 3rd."

"But the Constitution also says we can set alternate dates," said Hoyer. "And frankly, we have set alternative dates more frequently than not."

"Unfortunately, that's a Sunday," Hoyer said of this Jan. 3. "It is inconvenient for members, but the Constitution says we can have an alternative date. But it needs to be set by law, so that we would have to pass a bill, the Senate would have to pass a bill, and the president would have to sign a bill.

"We're not sure that can be done," said Hoyer. "So, we're providing and letting members know that Sunday, the 3rd at 12 noon is the date that they ought to be expecting to show up and be sworn in to the Congress."

In the almost nine decades since ratification of the 20th Amendment, successive Congresses have been able to pass laws changing the date when a session of Congress would convene if Jan. 3 fell on a Sunday.

But not this Congress.

On this Sunday, as the Senate was in session working on a $900 billion COVID-19 relief bill, Grassley spoke in defense of this tradition the Senate is about to kill.

"For the first time in history," Grassley said in his prepared remarks, "Senate Democrats won't agree to unanimous consent and instead are insisting the Senate start the 117th Congress on a partisan foot."

"Never in Senate history has the Senate convened a Congress -- meaning a new Congress -- on a Sunday," Grassley said on the Senate floor.

"But, out of respect, the Senate usually does not have business on religious holidays observed by members of various faiths," said Grassley.

"I also think the Lord's Day, paired with the weight of starting a new Congress, deserves reverence," he said.

Many Democrats in Congress apparently do not.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Government
KEYWORDS: chuckieschumer; congress; mitchmcconnell; religion; senate; sunday; tradition; waronchristians

1 posted on 12/23/2020 7:52:13 AM PST by Kaslin
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To: Kaslin

We know they would otherwise be praying for divine wisdom in the church they faithfully attend every week.


2 posted on 12/23/2020 7:58:42 AM PST by bigbob (Trust Trump. Trust the Plan.)
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To: Kaslin

Well, you know - atheistic communism is policy in the Harris-Biden Administration. Look for the two reprobates to next order the closing of all Christian Churches, unless they kneel before General Zod!


3 posted on 12/23/2020 8:01:38 AM PST by JME_FAN
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To: Kaslin

I seriously doubt that most Republicans nor Demoncrats fully respect Sunday as the ‘Lord’s” day.....

Most consider it just a day off.....go to dinner or shopping while other people work to serve them.....

They can have that day when everyone has that day.....

Screw those elitist A$$holes.....


4 posted on 12/23/2020 8:03:11 AM PST by nevergore (I have a terrible rash on my covfefe....)
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To: Kaslin

...makes perfect sense with the appropraitaiton of the Whitman rules adage.

Now the sacred Lord Day will shift to Friday as we get our new lord and the transformation is completed.

The obamanites are getting their way through displacement. Sheer numbers of stupid people.

The educational system needs to be fixed before the transition is completed.

Cattle/ We’ve been invaded by cattle!


5 posted on 12/23/2020 8:03:26 AM PST by himno hero (had'nff)
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To: Kaslin

Might as well...
Most of em, at least on the RAT/Communist side, bow the knee and worship the demonic abortion god of self, Molech. They’re devil worshippers that want nothing to do with the Lord’s Day. Evil bassturds that they are.


6 posted on 12/23/2020 8:09:23 AM PST by lgjhn23 (Libs are a virus.....the DemoVirus!!)
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To: Kaslin

This is a post-Christian nation. Or anti-Christian, depending on how you look at the trends.


7 posted on 12/23/2020 8:09:27 AM PST by a fool in paradise (Who built the cages, Joe?)
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To: Kaslin

didn’t this Grassley guy just vote for this ‘COVID relief’ bill? the Constitution either matters or it doesn’t.


8 posted on 12/23/2020 8:09:39 AM PST by wny
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To: Kaslin

“Senate Democrats won’t agree to unanimous consent and instead are insisting the Senate start the 117th Congress on a partisan foot.”

***************

He seems naively surprised by this. He’s been in the senate long enough to know that government is the religion of Democrats.


9 posted on 12/23/2020 8:10:07 AM PST by Starboard
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To: Kaslin
"US Senate has NEVER convened a Congress on Sunday out of respect," said Grassley. "Not once in 231 yrs," he said.

Out here in flyover none of us work on Sunday either... /s

10 posted on 12/23/2020 8:12:04 AM PST by GOPJ (If China released a virus primarily killing gays, would Madison Ave up the # of Chinese in TV ads? )
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To: Kaslin

Grassley voted for that mess of a bill too, did he not?


11 posted on 12/23/2020 8:12:36 AM PST by RinaseaofDs
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To: Kaslin
"I've put out a notice," Hoyer said that day, "which says members ought to plan on being here on the 3rd."

Hasn't Mr. Hoyer pretty much sided with the secularist?

12 posted on 12/23/2020 8:29:32 AM PST by yoe (President Trump works for We The People - not China as Biden has and will.)
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To: Kaslin

l8r


13 posted on 12/23/2020 8:40:56 AM PST by preacher ( Journalism no longer reports news, they use news to shape our society.)
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To: a fool in paradise

that means mankind is regressing to a UN backwards nation state paradise.
Yep there’s a shithole out there for every man, woman and child.


14 posted on 12/23/2020 8:44:43 AM PST by himno hero (had'nff)
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To: Kaslin
Simple clarification in the original legislation to say something like, except if the date fall on Sunday, then Congress shall convene on the immediate Monday.

Easy to fix.

15 posted on 12/23/2020 8:57:20 AM PST by ealgeone
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To: Kaslin
"Unfortunately, that's a Sunday," Hoyer said of this Jan. 3. "It is inconvenient for members, but the Constitution says we can have an alternative date. But it needs to be set by law, so that we would have to pass a bill, the Senate would have to pass a bill, and the president would have to sign a bill.

"We're not sure that can be done," said Hoyer. "So, we're providing and letting members know that Sunday, the 3rd at 12 noon is the date that they ought to be expecting to show up and be sworn in to the Congress."

Aw shucks, Steny, it's not like you guys have anything better to do.

16 posted on 12/23/2020 9:08:04 AM PST by Lauren BaRecall (💗 Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; yea, wait for the Lord!)
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To: Kaslin

Poor dears.

I worked all day Sunday until 3AM Monday morning emptying out the garage into a POD so a painter could come in and paint on Monday. Everything in the garage, and hanging on the walls and ceiling came out.

I feel no sympathy for these Congress Critters.


17 posted on 12/23/2020 9:17:24 AM PST by moovova
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To: GOPJ

I won’t take any job requiring that I miss the Sunday service. Likewise a friend of mine who is muslim won’t mids his Friday prayers at his mosque.

Not everyone worships their job.


18 posted on 12/23/2020 7:31:27 PM PST by piasa (Attitude adjustments offered here free of charge)
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To: piasa
Not everyone worships their job.

You don't buy gasoline on Sunday, eat out, go to a store? Everyone would like Sunday off... to worship or just enjoy the day. If you don't use the services of other people on Sunday I find you credible. Otherwise...

19 posted on 12/24/2020 8:12:39 AM PST by GOPJ (If China released a virus primarily killing gays, would Madison Ave up the # of Chinese in TV ads? )
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