What is a lame-duck Congress? Well, it refers to the weeks following a November election when lawmakers who either lost their seats or who are retiring from office return to Washington and continue to cast votes until the new Congress arrives. This is a bad practice for a fairly obvious reason—lawmakers no longer accountable to voters often feel no longer bound to represent them.
The Threat of a Lame-Duck Congress
UNITED STATES - MARCH 16: House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., attend a tree planting ceremony on the south side of the Capitol for the late Rep. Edward Roybal, D-Calif., the father Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard, D-Calif., March 16, 2016. Roybal was a co-founder of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and the red oak tree was planted on the centennial of his birth. (Photo By Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)