Glossary
Lame-duck session
The period after an election, before newly elected members take office, when departing members may still pass legislation.
Also called: lame duck Congress, lame-duck period
A lame-duck session is a meeting of Congress after an election but before the new Congress is sworn in. Members who retired or lost their seats, the "lame ducks," keep their authority until their terms end on January 3.
The Twentieth Amendment, ratified in 1933, shortened the gap that formerly ran until March 4, moving the start of congressional terms to early January and inauguration day to January 20. Even so, Congress usually returns in November and December to finish unfinished business, such as spending bills, the annual defense bill and expiring tax provisions. The sessions often feature a final push on a continuing resolution or omnibus bill.
Critics argue that lame-duck sessions allow defeated members, who are not accountable to voters, to pass major legislation against the outcome of the election. Supporters respond that Congress retains its full powers until its term ends and that deadlines force action. The rhetoric about a lame-duck president can also refer to the weaker influence of a leader in the last years of an administration, but the strictly congressional meaning concerns timing after a midterm election or presidential election.
Last reviewed November 8, 2026