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Congressional ‘lame-duck’ sessions are busier than ever

Congressional ‘lame-duck’ sessions are busier than ever
Share of all public laws that became law during the lame-duck period (on or after Election Day)
Chart
Note: A lame-duck session is when the current Congress meets after the new Congress has been elected, but before its new term begins.
Source: Pew Research Center analysis of Congress.gov data
PEW RESEARCH CENTER
Congressional ‘lame-duck’ sessions are busier than ever
Share of all public laws that became law during the lame-duck period (on or after Election Day)
YearCongresscongressYearsShare of lame-duck lawsremainder
1987100th (1987-89)100th1987-8810.999.1
1989101st (1989-91)101st1989-9019.590.5
1991102nd (1991-93)102nd1991-921.0109.0
1993103rd (1993-95)103rd1993-940.4109.6
1995104th (1995-97)104th1995-960.3109.7
1997105th (1997-99)105th1997-9811.498.6
1999106th (1999-01)106th1999-0022.687.4
2001107th (2001-03)107th2001-0226.883.2
2003108th (2003-05)108th2003-0416.993.1
2005109th (2005-07)109th2005-0623.986.1
2007110th (2007-09)110th2007-082.6107.4
2009111th (2009-11)111th2009-1025.884.2
2011112th (2011-13)112th2011-1230.779.3
2013113th (2013-15)113th2013-1437.572.5
2015114th (2015-17)114th2015-1625.884.2
2017115th (2017-19)115th2017-1837.372.7
2019116th (2019-21)116th2019-2043.966.1
2021117th (2021-23)117th2021-2240.969.1
2023118th (2023-25)118th2023-2461.348.7
Download data as .csv
Note: A lame-duck session is when the current Congress meets after the new Congress has been elected, but before its new term begins.
Source: Pew Research Center analysis of Congress.gov data
PEW RESEARCH CENTER
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