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Under the 20th amendment, ratified in 1933, regular sessions of Congress begin on [[January]] 3 of each year, unless Congress passes a [[law]] in the previous session changing the date. Also, the terms of members begin and end on January 3 of [[odd]]-numbered years. Under these arrangements, any meeting of Congress between the [[November]] [[midterm elections]] in an [[even]]-numbered year and ending the following January 3 in an odd-numbered year is considered a [[lame duck]] session.  

Under the 20th amendment, ratified in 1933, regular sessions of Congress begin on [[January]] 3 of each year, unless Congress passes a [[law]] in the previous session changing the date. Also, the terms of members begin and end on January 3 of [[odd]]-numbered years. Under these arrangements, any meeting of Congress between the [[November]] [[midterm elections]] in an [[even]]-numbered year and ending the following January 3 in an odd-numbered year is considered a [[lame duck]] session.  

The 20th amendment was popularly known at the time of its ratification as the 1933 "Norris Lame Duck" Amendment, because it served to eliminate the [[December]] to [[March]] Congressional "lame duck" sessions that resulted from [[U.S. Constitution|constitutionally]] and [[Legislation|legislatively]] established dates for the beginning (December) and close (March in odd numbered years) of congressional sessions. Prior to 1993, before [[railroads]] shortened travel time, the three-month long lame duck sessions (December to March) reflected the amount of time it took for members of [[Congress]] to journey to [[Washington DC]].  

The 20th amendment was popularly known at the time of its ratification as the 1933 "Norris Lame Duck" Amendment, because it served to eliminate the [[December]] to [[March]] Congressional "lame duck" sessions that resulted from [[U.S. Constitution|constitutionally]] and [[Legislation|legislatively]] established dates for the beginning (December) and close (March in odd numbered years) of congressional sessions. Prior to the 1933, before [[railroads]] shortened travel time, the three-month long lame duck sessions (December to March) reflected the amount of time it took for members of [[Congress]] to journey to [[Washington DC]].  

This Amendment served a timing purpose, which was to end lame duck sessions, but today has little substantive significance. With unforseen advancements in technology (ie. [[airplanes]]), time spent travelling to Washington D.C. dramatically decreased, which enabled Congress to commence lame duck sessions; even though the country ratified a constitutional amendment intended to kill off sessions like this, where defeated legislators return to legislate, lame duck session still occur today.

This Amendment served a timing purpose, which was to end lame duck sessions, but today has little substantive significance. With unforseen advancements in technology (ie. [[airplanes]]), time spent travelling to Washington D.C. dramatically decreased, which enabled Congress to commence lame duck sessions; even though the country ratified a constitutional amendment intended to kill off sessions like this, where defeated legislators return to legislate, lame duck session still occur today.