1st Session of 113th Congress Ends, 2nd Begins

One of those little noted political games took place today on Capital Hill. Just before the noon hour, both Houses of Congress, with only a limited number of members even in town, adjourned sine die, ending the 1^st session of the 113^th Congress. A few minutes later both bodies, again with the vast majority out-of-town, gaveled into being the 2^nd Session of the 113^th Congress.

All of this was driven by Section 2 of the 20^th Amendment (ratified January 23^rd, 1933). That section reads:

“The Congress shall assemble at least once in every year, and such meeting shall begin at noon on the 3d day of January, unless they shall by law appoint a different day.”

The House will hold its first real meeting of the 2^nd Session on Tuesday. The Senate will start on Monday.