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The Enactment of Appropriations Measures During Lame Duck Sessions

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The Enactment of Appropriations Measures During Lame Duck Sessions

December 2, 2015May 10, 2018 (RL34597)
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Contents

Summary

TenEleven of the past 1112 Congresses, covering the 103rd Congress through the 113114th Congress, have concluded with a lame duck session. (No such session occurred in 1996, during the 104th Congress.) Under contemporary conditions, any meeting of Congress that occurs between a congressional election in November and the following January 3 is a lame duck session. The significant characteristic of a lame duck session is that its participants are the sitting Members of the existing Congress, not those who will be entitled to sit in the new Congress.

The enactment of appropriations measures has been an element of most of these lame duck sessions. Although no regular or continuing appropriations measures were enacted during lame duck sessions held in 1994, 1998, 2008, and 2012, a total of 25 regular and 1718 continuing appropriations measures were enacted during the six7 other lame duck sessions held in 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2010, 2014, and 2016and 2014.

Although some (and occasionally all) of the regular appropriations bills for a fiscal year may be enacted before it begins, in recent decades it has been common for at least some of the regular appropriations bills to be enacted after the start of the fiscal year. In the past, this has triggered the necessity for continuing resolutions (CRs) to extend spending authority until the annual appropriations acts have been enacted and led to the consideration of regular appropriations legislation during the last quarter of the calendar year or even during the following session.

A lame duck session occurs during the period following Election Day—which is the Tuesday after the first Monday in November of each even-numbered year—and before the convening of a new Congress about two months later in early January. Several factors may contribute to the occurrence of lame duck sessions, including the need to deal with unfinished appropriations or other budgetary matters.

This report provides information on the enactment of annual appropriations acts in the years that lame duck sessions occurred between 1994 and 20142016 (FY1995, FY1999, FY2001, FY2003, FY2005, FY2007, FY2009, FY2011, FY2013, and FY2015). Between calendar years 1994 and 2012, lameFY2015, and FY2017). Lame duck sessions have in some instances afforded Congress an opportunity to complete action on regular appropriations for a fiscal year. In other instances, lame duck sessions played little or no role in this regard, as action on regular appropriations was completed well before or after a lame duck session. In total, 4546 of the 124136 regular appropriations acts during this period were enacted before the beginning of the applicable lame duck session, 25 were enacted during a lame duck session, and 5465 were enacted afterward.

Continuing appropriations measures were also an important element in some, but not all, of the lame duck sessions that occurred between calendar years 1994 and 20142016. In total, 3132 of the 5861 CRs were enacted before the beginning of the applicable lame duck session, 1718 were enacted during the lame duck session, and 1011 were enacted afterward.

The report will be updated as developments warrant.


The Enactment of Appropriations Measures During Lame Duck Sessions

The activities of most federal agencies are funded by means of annual appropriations provided in one or more of the regular appropriations acts that are enacted each fiscal year. Although some (and occasionally all) of the regular appropriations bills may be enacted before the fiscal year begins, in recent decades it has been common for most—if not all—of the regular appropriations bills to be enacted after the start of the fiscal year.1 In some recent instances—including FY2007, FY2009, FY2011, FY2013, FY2015, and FY2017and FY2015—the consideration of regular appropriations bills has carried over to the following session of Congress. When action on the regular appropriations acts is delayed beyond the start of the fiscal year, Congress may use one or more continuing appropriations acts (commonly known as continuing resolutions or CRs) to provide stop-gap funding.

TenEleven of the past 1112 Congresses, covering the 103rd Congress through the 114th Congress, have concluded with a lame duck session.2 The enactment of appropriations measures has been an important element of most of these sessions. Although no regular or continuing appropriation measures were enacted during lame duck sessions held in 1994, 1998, 2008, and 2012, a total of 25 regular and 1718 continuing appropriations measures were enacted during the six7 other lame duck sessions held in 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2010, 2014, and 2016and 2014.

This report provides information on the enactment of regular and continuing appropriations measures in connection with lame duck sessions occurring between 1994 and 20142016.

Background

A lame duck session occurs during the period following Election Day, which is the Tuesday after the first Monday in November of each even-numbered year, and before the convening of a new Congress about two months later in early January. Under the 20th Amendment to the Constitution, Congress is required to convene at noon on January 3 following the election, unless by statute it designates a different day.3 In recent years, new Congresses have convened during the first week of January in each odd-numbered year but not necessarily on January 3. As pointed out in a CRS report:

A "lame duck" session of Congress is one that takes place after the election for the next Congress has been held, but before the current Congress has reached the end of its constitutional term. Under contemporary conditions, any meeting of Congress that occurs between a congressional election in November and the following January 3 is a lame duck session. The significant characteristic of a lame duck session is that its participants are the sitting Members of the existing Congress, not those who will be entitled to sit in the new Congress.4

Several factors may contribute to the occurrence of lame duck sessions, including the need to deal with unfinished business or urgent matters that have arisen suddenly. The consideration and enactment of legislative proposals, particularly those with significant budgetary implications, is sometimes postponed until a lame duck session. For example, the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (P.L. 112-240), which addressed a number of fiscal policies, was enacted at the end of the 2012 lame duck session on January 2, 2013.5

Lame duck sessions have been used in recent years for various purposes, including efforts to bring action on regular appropriations bills for a fiscal year to a close. In addition to action on appropriations measures, lame duck sessions have been used for such matters as the consideration of authorization measures for the Department of Defense and intelligence activities, the finalization of a measure establishing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the House impeachment proceedings against President Bill Clinton.

Twenty-one lame duck sessions occurred between 1935 and 20142016.6 Ten of the 2021 lame duck sessions occurred between 1935 and 1990, an average of one1 every five5 years. The use of such sessions, however, has become more common in recent years, occurring about twice as frequently. The remaining 1011 lame duck sessions—which occurred after the 1994, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, and 2016and 2014 elections—covered a span of 1112 Congresses. As Table 1 shows, lame duck sessions occurred during this period whether party control of the federal government was unified (i.e., the same party controlled the presidency and both chambers of Congress, as in 1994, 2004, 2006, and 2010) or divided. Further, lame duck sessions occurred in presidential election years (2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, and 2016and 2012) as well as non-presidential election years.

Overview of the Enactment of Appropriations Measures Before, During, and After Lame Duck Sessions

Between calendar years 1994 and 20142016, lame duck sessions have in some instances afforded Congress an opportunity to complete action on regular appropriations for a fiscal year. In other instances, lame duck sessions played little or no role in this regard, as action on regular appropriations was completed well before or after a lame duck session. A total of 124136 regular appropriations acts were enacted (or covered by full-year CRs) for the fiscal years that coincided with lame duck sessions.

In addition, a total of 5861 continuing appropriations measures were enacted for the fiscal years that coincided with lame duck sessions during this same period. As was the case for the regular appropriations bills, the continuing appropriations measures were an important element in some of the lame duck sessions.

Further information with regard to the annual appropriations acts and CRs that were enacted before, during, and after each lame duck session is displayed in Table 41 and Table 2 and discussed in the report section "Summary of Action on Appropriations Measures in Lame Duck Sessions Held in 1994-2014."

2016".

Table 1. Duration of Lame Duck Session and Party Control of Government:
1994-2014

2016
Sources

Congress

 

Lame Duck Session

Party Control

 

 

Dates

Duration
(in calendar days)a

Presidencyb

House

Senate

103rd

11/29-12/1
1994

3

D
(Clinton)

D

D

104th

[none]

D
(Clinton)

R

R

105th

12/17-12/19
1998

3

D
(Clinton)

R

R

106th

11/13-12/15
2000

33

D
(Clinton)

R

R

107th

11/7-11/22
2002

16

R
(GW Bush)

R

D

108th

11/16-12/8
2004

23

R
(GW Bush)

R

R

109th

11/9-12/9
2006c

31

R
(GW Bush)

R

R

110th

11/19 2008-
1/3/2009

46

R
(GW Bush)

D

D

111th

11/4-12/29
2010

56

D
(Obama)

D

D

112th

11/9/2012-1/3/2013

56

D
(Obama)

R

D

114113th

11/12/2014-1/3/2015

53

D

(Obama)

R

D

114th

11/14/2016- 1/2/2017

49

D

(Obama)

R

R

Source: Prepared by the Congressional Research Service using data from the Legislative Information System and CQ Guide to Congress, 6th ed., vol. II (Washington: CQ Press, 2008), p. 1306.

a. "Duration" refers to the span of days from the first date to the last date that the House, the Senate, or both were in session. This does not refer to the number of days that one or both chambers were in session during that period.

b. "D" refers to the Democratic Party and "R" refers to the Republican Party.

c. The House and Senate adjourned early in the morning of December 9 (before 5:00 a.m.).

Regular Appropriations Acts

The variation in the incidence of lame duck sessions and the enactment of regular appropriations bills is shown in Figure 1 and Table 2. As the figure shows, thereTable 2. There have been considerable differences in the degree to which regular appropriations have been completed before, during, or after the 1012 most recent lame duck sessions held since 1994. The count of regular appropriations acts in Figure 1 and Table 2 includes those that were enacted in standalone vehicles, omnibus vehicles, or covered by full -year CRs. During the 109th Congress, covering 2005 and 2006, the number of regular appropriations acts was reduced from 13 to 11 due to reorganization of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees.7 At the beginning of the 110th Congress, a further reorganization of the appropriations subcommittees took effect, which resulted in an increase in the number of annual appropriations acts to 12.8

Figure 1. Regular Appropriations Acts Enacted Before, During, and After Lame Duck Sessions: 1994-2014

Source: Prepared by the Congressional Research Service using data from the Legislative Information System.

Notes: During the 109th Congress, covering 2005 and 2006, the number of regular appropriations acts was reduced from 13 to 11 due to reorganization of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees. At the beginning of the 110th Congress, a further reorganization of the appropriations subcommittees took effect, which resulted in an increase in the number of annual appropriations acts to 12. For further information, see CRS Report RL31572, Appropriations Subcommittee Structure: History of Changes from 1920 to 2015, by [author name scrubbed] and [author name scrubbed].

Four of the five regular appropriations acts for FY2001 considered during the lame duck session in 2000 were signed into law six days after the session ended but are considered for purposes of this report as having been enacted during the lame duck session.

In total, 45In total, 46 of the 124136 regular appropriations acts during this period were enacted before the beginning of the applicable lame duck session, 25 were enacted during a lame duck session, and 5465 were enacted afterward.9

Table 2. Enactment of Regular Appropriations Acts into Law Before, During, and After Lame Duck Sessions: 1994-2014

2016
Total

Calendar
Year

Number of Regular Appropriations Acts
Enacted:

 

Before
Lame Duck
Session

During
Lame Duck
Session

After
Lame Duck
Session

Total

1994

13

0

0

13

1998

13

0

0

13

2000

8

5

0

13

2002

2

0

11

13

2004

4

9

0

13

2006

2

0

9

11

2008

3

0

9

12

2010

0

0

12

12

2012

0

0

12

12

2014

0

11

1

12

2016

1

0

11

12

45

46

25

54

65

124

136

Source: Prepared by the Congressional Research Service.

Note: Four of the five regular appropriations acts for FY2001 considered during the lame duck session in 2000 were signed into law six days after the sessions ended but are considered for purposes of this report as having been enacted during the lame duck session.

The occurrence of lame duck sessions in 1994, 1998, 2008, and 2012 did not result inanticipate the enactment of regular appropriations acts. In 1994, all of the 13 regular appropriations acts for FY1995 were enacted before the beginning of the fiscal year. In 1998, one1 of the FY1999 regular appropriations bills was enacted before the start of the fiscal year, and the remaining 12 bills were enacted by October 21, nearly two2 months before the lame duck session began on December 17. In 2008, work on 3 out of the 12 regular appropriations acts for FY2009 was completed before the end of September; at that time, a CR was enacted that provided funding for the nine9 remaining acts through early March of the following year. Those nine acts were not considered until the beginning of the 111th Congress, when they were combined into an omnibus appropriations measure and enacted on March 11, 2009. Similarly, in 2012, a CR was enacted prior to the beginning of the fiscal year that provided funding through March 27, 2013. Annual appropriations for FY2013 were later enacted after the beginning of the 113th Congress on March 26, 2013, in a consolidated measure that contained five regular appropriations acts and full-year CR that covered the seven remaining regular appropriations acts.

The enactment of regular appropriations bills was an important element in three lame duck sessions: 2000, 2004, and 2014. In 2000, eight regular appropriations bills were enacted before the lame duck session, but the remaining five were enacted during (or immediately after) the session. In 2004, four regular appropriations bills were enacted before the lame duck session, but the remaining nine were enacted during the session. Most recently, in 2014, a consolidated measure containing 11 of the regular appropriations acts for that fiscal year was enacted during the lame duck session, with the remaining regular bill—for DHS—being enacted afterward on March 4, 2015.

Different patterns prevailed in the other threefour lame duck sessions held in 2002, 2006, 2010, and 2016and 2010, but action on all regular appropriations acts was not completed until after the session in any of these instances. In 2002 and 2006, two of the regular appropriations bills (for FY2003 and FY2007, respectively) had been enacted before the lame duck session began, but final action on the remaining acts was not completed until February during the following session. The remaining 11 regular appropriations acts for FY2003 were incorporated into an omnibus appropriations measure, which was enacted on February 20, 2003. Full-year funding for the nine remaining FY2007 regular appropriations acts was provided through a full -year CR, which was enacted on February 15, 2007. For 2010, no regular appropriations bills had been enacted before the start of the lame duck session, and annual appropriations were ultimately provided in a consolidated measure that was enacted on April 15, 2011. This measure contained the Department of Defense Appropriations Act and funded the programs and activities in the 11 remaining appropriations bills through a full-year CR.

For FY2017, one regular appropriations bill (Military Construction and Veterans Affairs) was enacted before the lame duck session began. Funding for the other 11 appropriations bills was provided in a CR that expired during the lame duck session. Upon the CR's expiration, Congress passed a second CR to provide funding through April and then a third CR to provide funding for another week, at which time the remaining 11 appropriations bills were consolidated into an omnibus appropriations measure that was enacted in May 2017. Continuing Appropriations Legislation

Continuing Appropriations Acts

Continuing appropriations acts havelegislation has been an integral component of the annual appropriations process for decades. Whenever action on one or more of the regular appropriations bills for a fiscal year is not completed until after the fiscal year has begun, CRs are used to provide stop-gap funding, thereby avoiding disruption in agency operations. Two issues that arise under these circumstances are how CRs will be used to resolve any funding impasses and the appropriate duration of any period for their use.10

CRs may have a relatively short duration in the expectation that action on the regular appropriations acts will be concluded within several days or weeks. In this case, multiple short-term CRs are often used to "buy time" for ongoing negotiations on regular appropriations acts while maintaining incentives to complete the negotiations. Alternatively, CRs may have a longer duration to postpone final action on appropriations decisions until after elections or into the beginning of the next congressional session. Finally, a CR may provide funding for the remainder of the fiscal year, as was the case in FY2007, FY2011, and FY2013.

There has been considerable variation in the degree to which CRs have been used to provide stop-gap funding during the 1011 most recent lame duck sessions held since 1994 (see Table 3). A total of 5761 CRs were enacted for the fiscal years that coincided with lame duck sessions during this period. In total, 3132 of the 5861 CRs were enacted before the beginning of the applicable lame duck session, 1718 were enacted during the lame duck session, and 1011 were enacted afterward.11

In 1994, when all of the regular appropriations bills (for FY1995) were enacted prior to the beginning of the fiscal year, no CRs were needed. In 1998, all of the regular appropriations bills (for FY1999) were enacted before the lame duck session began (but not before the beginning of the fiscal year). Six CRs were enacted to provide funding through the first three weeks of the fiscal year, but none were needed afterward. In 2008, the CR that was enacted before the fiscal year began also contained three regular appropriations acts. That CR extended funding for the remaining appropriations acts through March 6, 2009, at which point action on annual appropriations was completed. Similarly, a long-term CR, which provided funding for the first six months of FY2013, eliminated the necessity for stop-gap appropriations during the 2012 lame duck session. Action on annual appropriations for FY2013 was completed during the following session of Congress on March 28, 2013.

Table 3. Enactment of Continuing Appropriations ActsLegislation into Law Before, During, and After Lame Duck Sessions: 1994-2014

2016

61

Calendar
Year

Number of Continuing Appropriations Acts
Enacted:

 

Before
Lame Duck
Session

During
Lame Duck
Session

After
Lame Duck
Session

Total

1994

0

0

0

0

1998

6

0

0

6

2000

15

6

0

21

2002

4

1

3

8

2004

1

2

0

3

2006

1

2

1

4

2008

1

0

0

1

2010

1

3

4

8

2012

1

0

1

2

2014

1

3

1

5

Total

2016

31 1

17

3

10

Total

58

32

18

11

Source: Prepared by the Congressional Research Service.

Notes: In 2002, the continuing appropriations act for FY2003 considered during the lame duck session was enacted on November 23, the day after the session ended. For purposes of this report, the CR is considered to have been enacted during the lame duck session.

Circumstances were different with respect to the other six lame duck sessions, which all involved the enactment of one or more CRs. In 2000, six CRs for FY2001 were enacted during the lame duck session. (Fifteen had been enacted before the session began.) In 2004, two CRs for FY2005 were enacted during the lame duck session. (One had been enacted before the session began.) In each year, one or more CRs was enacted before the lame duck session ended that extended stop-gap funding for a period of less than one week, allowing sufficient time for the remaining regular appropriations acts to be enacted. As a consequence, no CRs were needed after these lame duck sessions ended.

In the case of the fourfive remaining lame duck sessions—held in 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, and 2016and 2014—CRs were needed to provide stop-gap funding both during and after the sessions. In 2002, one CR for FY2003 was enacted during the lame duck session. (Four had been enacted before the session began.) Three additional CRs were enacted early in the 2003 session before action on appropriations was ultimately concluded with the enactment of an omnibus measure on February 20. In 2006, two CRs for FY2007 were enacted during the lame duck session. (One had been enacted before the session began.) Action was concluded early in the 2007 session with the enactment of a full-year CR on February 15. In 2010, three CRs were enacted during the lame duck session. (One had been enacted before the session began.) Four additional CRs were needed after the 2011 session of Congress had begun until action on appropriations was completed through the enactment of a consolidated measure on April 15, 2011.

Most recently, 11 of the appropriations acts for FY2015 were enacted in a consolidated measure during the 2014 lame duck session. Two CRs were also enacted during the lame duck session to provide stop-gap funding while that consolidated measure was being completed. In addition, the consolidated act contained a CR that provided stop-gap appropriations for DHS until February 27, 2015. Those stop-gap appropriations were later extended through March 6 by a further CR that was enacted during the new session of Congress. The purpose of this CR was to allow time theto complete the remaining DHS regular appropriations act.

For FY2017, funding for 11 appropriations bills was provided in a CR enacted before the beginning of the fiscal year that expired during the lame duck session. Upon the CR's expiration during the lame-duck, Congress passed a second CR to provide funding through April and then a third CR to provide funding for another week. The remaining 11 appropriations bills were then consolidated into an omnibus appropriations measure that was enacted in May 2017.

Summary of Action on Appropriations Measures in Lame Duck Sessions Held in 1994-2014

2016

A brief summary of action on regular appropriations and CRs that were enacted during each of the 1011 lame duck sessions that occurred during the period between 1994 and 20142016 is provided in this section and in Table 4 at the end of the report.

1994 and 1998 Lame Duck Sessions

In 1994, a lame duck session was held from November 29 to December 1. All 13 of the regular appropriations acts for FY1995 were enacted prior to the start of the fiscal year on October 1, before the lame duck session began; all were enacted separately. No CRs were needed.

In 1998, a lame duck session was held on December 17-19. All 13 of the regular appropriations acts for FY1999 were enacted prior to the lame duck session—five5 separately and eight8 in an omnibus measure, the Omnibus Consolidated and Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for FY1999 (P.L. 105-277; October 21, 2008). Six CRs were enacted to provide stop-gap funding through October 21.

Over the three days of the 1998 lame duck session, the House considered and passed a resolution of impeachment against President Bill Clinton; the Senate was not in session.

For 1996, all regular appropriations acts were completed prior to the beginning of the fiscal year, and no lame duck session was held.

2000 Lame Duck Session

In 2000, a lame duck session was held from November 13 to December 15.

Eight of the 13 regular appropriations acts for FY2001 were enacted prior to the lame duck session—six6 separately and two2 as part of an omnibus measure, the VA-HUD Appropriations Act for 2001 (P.L. 106-377; October 27, 2000), which also included funding for the Energy-Water Development Appropriations Act for FY2001.

The remaining five regular appropriations acts for FY2001 were considered and enacted during the lame duck session.12 An omnibus measure, the Consolidated Appropriations Act for FY2001 (P.L. 106-554; December 21, 2000), covered the following three regular appropriations acts: (1)  Labor-HHS-Education, (2) Legislative Branch, and (3) Treasury-Postal Service. The District of Columbia Appropriations Act for FY2001 (P.L. 106-522; November 22, 2000) and the Commerce-Justice-State Appropriations Act for FY2001 (P.L. 106-553; December 21, 2000) were enacted separately.

Fifteen CRs were enacted before the lame duck session began. Six CRs were enacted during the lame duck session.

2002 Lame Duck Session

A lame duck session was held November 7-22, 2002. No regular appropriations acts were considered during the session.

Two of the regular appropriations acts for FY2003 were enacted before the lame duck session began—the Defense Appropriations Act (P.L. 107-248) and the Military Construction Appropriations Act (P.L. 107-249). They both became law on October 23, 2002.

All of the remaining 11 regular appropriations acts for FY2003 were enacted early in the next Congress as a single measure, the Consolidated Appropriations Resolution for FY2003 (P.L. 108-7; February 20, 2003), many weeks after the lame duck session had ended.

Four CRs for FY2003 were enacted before the lame duck session began. One further CR for the fiscal year was considered and enacted during the lame duck session (P.L. 107-294; November 23, 2002).13 Three more CRs were enacted early in the next Congress.

2004 Lame Duck Session

The lame duck session for 2004 was held from November 16 to December 8.

Four of the 13 regular appropriations acts for FY2005 were enacted separately before the lame duck session began (the Defense, District of Columbia, Homeland Security, and Military Construction Appropriations Acts); all were enacted separately.

The remaining nine regular appropriations acts for FY2005 were considered and enacted during the lame duck session as part of an omnibus measure, the Consolidated Appropriations Act for FY2005 (P.L. 108-447; December 8, 2004).

One CR was enacted before the lame duck session began. Two further CRs for FY2005 were considered and enacted during the lame duck session: P.L. 108-416 (November 21, 2004) and P.L. 108-434 (December 3, 2004).

2006 Lame Duck Session

The lame duck session for 2006 was held from November 13 to December 9.

Two of the 11 regular appropriations acts for FY2007 were separately enacted before the lame duck session began. The Defense Appropriations Act (P.L. 109-289) and the Homeland Security Appropriations Act (P.L. 109-295) were signed into law on September 29 and October 4, respectively. The nine other appropriations acts were extended through November 17 via a CR enacted on September 29 (P.L. 109-289).

Although a number of the remaining appropriations acts were considered by both the House and the Senate prior to the pre-electionpreelection recess,14 the only act to be considered by either chamber during the lame duck session was H.R. 5385, the Military Construction, Military Quality of Life, and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act, which was considered by the Senate and passed on November 14. Action on the nine regular appropriations acts was completed via a full-year CR (H.J.Res. 20) that was signed into law on February 15, 2007 (P.L. 110-5).

At the beginning of the lame duck session, a second CR for FY2007 was enacted (P.L. 109-369) to provide appropriations through December 8. When it became apparent that action on regular appropriations would not be completed, a third CR was enacted (P.L. 109-383) that extended appropriations through February 15, 2007.

2008 Lame Duck Session

The lame duck session for 2008 was held from November 19 to January 3. No regular appropriations acts were considered during the session.

Three of the 12 regular appropriations acts for FY2009 (Defense, Homeland Security, and Military Construction/Veterans Affairs) were enacted before the lame duck session as part of the Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing Appropriations resolution, which became law on September 30 (P.L. 110-329). This CR extended funding for the nine remaining appropriations acts through March 6, 2009.

No action on appropriations was undertaken during the 2008 lame duck session. The remaining appropriations acts were consolidated in the early days of the 111th Congress into the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009, which was signed by the President on March 11, 2009 (P.L. 111-8).

2010 Lame Duck Session

The lame duck session for 2010 was held from November 4 to December 19. No regular appropriations acts were considered during the session.

Before the pre-electionpreelection recess, none of the 12 regular appropriations bills had been enacted, and only two2 regular appropriations bills for FY2011 (Military Construction/Veterans Affairs and Transportation/Housing and Urban Development) had been passed by the House. A CR (P.L. 111-242) was enacted on September 30 that extended budget authority through December 3.

None of the regular appropriations bills was enacted during the 2010 lame duck session. Funding for FY2011 was further extended through three additional CRs (P.L. 111-290, enacted on December 4, 2010; P.L. 111-317, enacted on December 18, 2010; P.L. 111-322, enacted on December 22, 2010) through March 4 of the next session.

In the first months of the 112th Congress, three additional CRs (P.L. 112-4, enacted on March 2, 2011; P.L. 112-6, enacted on March 18, 2011; P.L. 112-8, enacted on April 9, 2011) provided further stop-gap budget authority. FY2011 appropriations were ultimately provided in the Department of Defense and Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act of 2011 (P.L. 112-10; April 15, 2011). Division A contained the Department of Defense Appropriations Act; funding for the 11 remaining acts was provided in Division B through a full-year CR.

2012 Lame Duck Session

The lame duck session for 2012 was held from November 9, 2012, to January 3, 2013. No regular or continuing appropriations actsappropriations acts or CRs were enacted during the session.

Before the pre-electionpreelection recess, none of the regular appropriations bills had been enacted. Seven bills had been passed by the House; none had been passed by the Senate. Continuing appropriations through March 27, 2013, were provided by P.L. 112-175, which was enacted on September 28, 2012.

After the session, annual appropriations were provided by P.L. 113-6, the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act of 2013, which was enacted on March 26, 2013. Division F of the act, entitled "the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act," provided budget authority that covered seven regular appropriations bills; the texts of the other five regular appropriations acts were contained in Divisions A through E of P.L. 113-6.

2014 Lame Duck Session

The lame duck session for 2014 was held from November 12, 2014, to January 3, 2015.

Because none of the regular appropriations bills were enacted by the start of the fiscal year, a CR was enacted to provide temporary funding through December 11, 2014 (P.L. 113-164, September 19, 2014).

During the lame duck session, 11 of the 12 regular appropriations acts were enacted on December 16, 2014, as part of the "Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015" (P.L. 113-235). That law also contained a CR that provided stop-gap appropriations for DHS through February 27, 2015. Two additional CRs (P.L. 113-202, December 12, 2014; and P.L. 113-203, December 13, 2014) were enacted during the lame duck session to provide short-term appropriations while the consolidated measure was being completed.

After the lame duck session, one further CR was enacted to extend funding for DHS through March 6, 2015, to allow time to complete the DHS regular appropriations bill (P.L. 114-3). The Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act for FY2015 was enacted on March 4, 2015 (P.L. 114-4).

Table 4. Annual Appropriations Acts and CRs Enacted During Lame Duck Sessions: 1994-2014

Dates of
2016 Lame Duck
Sessiona

Appropriations Acts Enacted
into Law During
the Lame Duck Session

Commentary

103rd Congress

1994
November 29-
December 1

[none]

All 13 of the regular appropriations acts for FY1995 were enacted prior to the start of the fiscal year on October 1, before the lame duck session; all were enacted separately.

104th Congress

1996
[no lame duck session held]

[none]

All 13 of the regular appropriations acts for FY1997 were enacted prior to the start of the fiscal year on October 1. Seven of the measures were enacted separately, and six were incorporated into an omnibus measure, the Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act for FY1997 (P.L. 104-208, September 30; 1996).

105th Congress

1998
December 17-
December 19

[none]

All 13 of the regular appropriations acts for FY1999 were enacted prior to the lame duck session—five separately and eight in an omnibus measure, the Omnibus Consolidated and Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for FY1999 (P.L. 105-277; October 21, 2008).

Over three days, the House considered and passed a resolution of impeachment against President Bill Clinton; the Senate was not in session.

106th Congress

2000
November 13-
December 15

Regular Appropriations Acts
P.L. 106-522, District of Columbia Appropriations Act for FY2001
(November 22, 2000)

P.L. 106-553, Commerce-Justice-State Appropriations Act for FY2001
(December 21, 2000)

P.L. 106-554, Consolidated Appropriations Act for FY2001
(December 21, 2000)

Eight of the 13 regular appropriations acts for FY2001 were enacted prior to the lame duck session, six separately and two as part of an omnibus measure, the VA-HUD Appropriations Act for 2001 (P.L. 106-377, October 27, 2000), which also included funding for the Energy-Water Development Appropriations Act for FY2001.

The remaining five regular appropriations acts for FY2001were considered and enacted during (or immediately after) the lame duck session.b An omnibus measure, the Consolidated Appropriations Act for FY2001 (P.L. 106-554), covered the following three regular appropriations acts: (1) Labor-HHS-Education, (2) Legislative Branch, and (3) Treasury-Postal Service.

The District of Columbia Appropriations Act for FY2001 (P.L. 106-522) and the Commerce-Justice-State Appropriations Act for FY2001 (P.L. 106-553) were enacted separately.

 

Continuing Appropriations Acts
P.L. 106-520, Further Continuing Appropriations Act for FY2001
(November 15, 2000)

P.L. 106-537, Further Continuing Appropriations Act for FY2001
(December 5, 2000)

P.L. 106-539, Further Continuing Appropriations Act for FY2001
(December 7, 2000)

P.L. 106-540, Further Continuing Appropriations Act for FY2001
(December 8, 2000)

P.L. 106-542, Further Continuing Appropriations Act for FY2001
(December 11, 2000)

P.L. 106-543, Further Continuing Appropriations Act for FY2001
(December 15, 2000)

Fifteen CRs were enacted before the lame duck session began.

Six further CRs were considered and enacted during the lame duck session.

107th Congress

2002
November 7-
November 22

Regular Appropriations Acts
[none]

Two of the 13 regular appropriations acts for FY2003 were enacted before the lame duck session began (the Defense and Military Construction Appropriations Acts).

All of the remaining 11 regular appropriations acts for FY2003 were considered and enacted early in the next Congress as an omnibus measure, the Consolidated Appropriations Resolution for FY2003 (P.L. 108-7; February 20, 2003).

 

Continuing Appropriations Acts
P.L. 107-294, Further Continuing Appropriations Act for FY2003
(November 23, 2002)

Four CRs were enacted before the lame duck session began.

One further CR for FY2003 was considered and enacted during the lame duck session (P.L. 107-294).c

Three more CRs were enacted early in the next Congress.

108th Congress

2004
November 16-
December 8

Regular Appropriations Acts
P.L. 108-447, Consolidated Appropriations Act for FY2005
(December 8, 2004)

Four of the 13 regular appropriations acts for FY2005 were enacted before the lame duck session began (the Defense, District of Columbia, Homeland Security, and Military Construction Appropriations Acts); all were enacted separately.

The remaining nine regular appropriations acts for FY2005 were considered and enacted during the lame duck session as part of an omnibus measure, the Consolidated Appropriations Act for FY2005 (P.L. 108-447).

 

Continuing Appropriations Acts
P.L. 108-416, Further Continuing Appropriations Act for FY2005
(November 21, 2004)

P.L. 108-434, Further Continuing Appropriations Act for FY2005
(December 3, 2004)

One CR was enacted before the lame duck session began.

Two further CR for FY2005 were considered and enacted during the lame duck session (P.L. 108-416 and P.L. 108-434).

109th Congress

2006
November 9-
December 9

Regular Appropriations Acts
[none]

Two of the 11d regular appropriations acts for FY2007 were enacted before the lame duck session began (the Defense and Homeland Security Appropriations Acts).

None of the remaining nine regular appropriations acts for FY2007 were enacted during (or after) the lame duck session. Funding for the rest of the fiscal year for all of the remaining regular appropriations acts was provided early in the 110th Congress in a full-year CR, the Revised Continuing Appropriations Resolution for FY2007 (P.L. 110-5; February 15, 2007).

During the lame duck session, the Senate considered and passed H.R. 5385, the Military Construction, Military Quality of Life, and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act, but the two chambers did not take any conference action on the bill.

 

Continuing Appropriations Acts
P.L. 109-369, Further Continuing Appropriations Act for FY2007
(November 17, 2006)

P.L. 109-383, Further Continuing Appropriations Act for FY2007
(December 9, 2004)

One CR was enacted before the lame duck session began.

Two further CRs for FY2007 were considered and enacted during the lame duck session (P.L. 109-369 and P.L. 109-383).

110th Congress

2008
November 19-
January 3 (2009)

Regular Appropriations Acts
[none]

Three of the 12d regular appropriations acts for FY2009 were enacted before the lame duck session began (the Defense, Homeland Security, and Military Construction/Veterans Affairs Appropriations Acts).

The remaining nine regular appropriations acts for FY2009 were considered and enacted early in the next Congress via the Omnibus Appropriations Act for FY2009 (P.L. 111-8; March 11, 2009).

 

Continuing Appropriations Acts
[none]

One CR was enacted before the lame duck session began that extended appropriations through March 6, 2009 (P.L. 110-329).

111th Congress

2010
November 4-
December 29

Regular Appropriations Acts
[none]

None of the 12 regular appropriations bills had been enacted before the pre-election recess.

None of the regular appropriations bills was enacted during the 2010 lame duck session.

FY2011 appropriations were ultimately provided in the Department of Defense and Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act of 2011 (P.L. 112-10; April 15, 2011); funding for the Department of Defense Appropriations Act was provided in Division A.

 

Continuing Appropriations Acts

  • P.L. 111-290, Making further continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2011 (December 4, 2010)
  • P.L. 111-317, Making further continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2011 (December 18, 2010)
  • P.L. 111-322, Continuing Appropriations and Surface Transportation Extensions Act, 2011 (December 22, 2010)

A CR (P.L. 111-242) was enacted on September 30 that extended funding through December 3.

Three CRs were enacted during the lame duck session (P.L. 111-290, P.L. 111-317 and P.L. 111-322) that extended funding through March 4 of the next session.

In the first months of the 112th Congress, three additional CRs (P.L. 112-4, enacted on March 2, 2011; P.L. 112-6, enacted on March 18, 2011; P.L. 112-8, enacted on April 9, 2011) provided further stop-gap funding. Funding for the remainder of FY2011 was provided for all but one of the regular appropriations acts through the full-year CR in Division B of the Department of Defense and Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act of 2011 (P.L. 112-10, enacted on April 15, 2011).

112th Congress

2012
November 9-
January 3 (2013)

Regular Appropriations Acts
[none]

None of the 12 regular appropriations bills had been enacted before the pre-election recess.

None of the regular appropriations bills was enacted during the 2012 lame duck session.

FY2013 appropriations were ultimately provided in the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act of 2013 (P.L. 113-6; March 26, 2013).

 

Continuing Appropriations Acts
[none]

A CR (P.L. 112-175) was enacted on September 28, 2012, that extended funding through March 27, 2013.

No CRs were enacted during the lame duck session.

The Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act of 2013 (P.L. 113-6) was enacted on March 26, 2013. Division F of the act, entitled "the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act," provided budget authority that covered seven regular appropriations bills; the texts of the other five regular appropriations acts were contained in Divisions A through E of P.L. 113-6.

113th Congress

2012
November 9-
January 3 (2013)

Regular Appropriations Acts

None of the 12 regular appropriations bills had been enacted before the pre-election recess.

Eleven of the 12 regular appropriations acts were enacted during the lame duck session as part of the "Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015" (P.L. 113-235) on December 16, 2014.

The remaining regular appropriations measure—the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act (P.L. 114-4)—was enacted on March 4, 2015.

 

Continuing Appropriations Acts

A CR (P.L. 113-164) was enacted on September 19, 2014, that extended funding through December 11, 2014.

During the lame duck session, two additional CRs (P.L. 113-202, December 12, 2014; and P.L. 113-203, December 13, 2014) were enacted during the lame duck session to provide short-term appropriations until the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act could be enacted. The consolidated act also contained a CR that provided stop-gap appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) through February 27, 2015.

After the lame duck session, a further CR (P.L. 114-3) was enacted to extend funding for DHS through March 6, 2015, to allow time for DHS regular appropriations to be completed.

Sources: Prepared by the Congressional Research Service from information provided in the Legislative Information System and the Status Table of Appropriations for various fiscal years at the CRS website (http://www.crs.gov/products/appropriations/appover.shtml).

a. The starting and ending dates refer to the first date and the last date that the House, the Senate, or both were in session after Election Day (the Tuesday after the first Monday in November). In 2002, the House and Senate stayed in session, rather than adjourning prior to the election and then reconvening; November 7 was the first day of session after Election Day, which was November 5 that year. In 2006, the Senate adjourned sine die after the House but not until after 4:00 in the morning on December 9.

b. In 2000, the House and Senate completed action on five regular appropriations acts for FY2001 during the lame duck session, but four of them were signed into law on December 21, six days after the session had ended. For purposes of this report, all five acts are regarded as having been enacted during the lame duck session.

c. In 2002, the CR for FY2003 considered during the lame duck session was enacted on November 23, the day after the session ended. For purposes of this report, the CR is considered to have been enacted during the lame duck session.

d. During the 109th Congress, covering 2005 and 2006, the number of regular appropriations acts was reduced from 13 to 11 due to reorganization of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees. At the beginning of the 110th Congress, a further reorganization of the appropriations subcommittees took effect, which resulted in an increase in the number of annual appropriations acts to 12. For further information, see CRS Report RL31572, Appropriations Subcommittee Structure: History of Changes from 1920 to 2015, by [author name scrubbed] and [author name scrubbed].

Session

The lame duck session for 2016 was held from November 14, 2016, to January 2, 2017.

One regular appropriations bill (Military Construction and Veterans Affairs) was enacted before the lame duck session began (P.L. 114-223). That law also contained a CR providing funding for the other 11 appropriations bills through December 9, 2016. On December 10, a second CR was enacted providing funding through April 28, 2017 (P.L. 114-254). On April 28, a third CR was enacted providing funding through May 5, 2017 (P.L. 115-30). On May 5, an omnibus appropriations bill was enacted that encompassed the remaining 11 appropriations bills for FY2017 (P.L. 115-3)

Author Contact Information

[author name scrubbed], Specialist on Congress and the Legislative Process ([email address scrubbed], [phone number scrubbed])

Acknowledgments

The original version of this report was written by [author name scrubbed], formerly a Specialist in American National Government at CRS. The listed author has revised and updated this report andIt was revised and updated by [author name scrubbed], formerly a Specialist on Congress and the Legislative Process. The listed author is available to respond to inquiries on the subject.

Footnotes

1.

Regular appropriations bills may be enacted as freestanding legislative vehicles or as part of an omnibus appropriations act. For further information on the latter, see CRS Report RL32473, Omnibus Appropriations Acts: Overview of Recent Practices, by [author name scrubbed]. In addition, annual appropriations are sometimes provided by a full-year CR that funds (or "covers") the activities that would normally be funded in a regular appropriations act. For further information, see CRS Report R42647, Continuing Resolutions: Overview of Components and Recent Practices, by [author name scrubbed].

2.

No such session occurred in 1996 during the 104th Congress.

3.

Section 2 of the 20th Amendment states: "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." See "Constitution Annotated" on the CRS website at http://www.crs.gov/products/conan/WC01001.shtml.

4.

CRS Report RL33677R45154, Lame Duck Sessions of Congress, 1935-20122016 (74th-112th114th Congresses), by [author name scrubbed] and [author name scrubbed].

5.

For further information on the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, see CRS Report R42884, The "Fiscal Cliff" and the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, coordinated by [author name scrubbed].

6.

See CRS Report RL33677R45154, Lame Duck Sessions of Congress, 1935-20122016 (74th-112th114th Congresses), by [author name scrubbed] and [author name scrubbed]. According to the report, "[t]he possibility of a lame duck session of Congress in the modern sense began in 1935, when the 20th Amendment to the Constitution took effect."

7.

Although initial consideration of appropriations legislation in the two chambers differed in both the number and substance of the appropriations acts, the final acts that were agreed to numbered 11. See CRS Report RL31572, Appropriations Subcommittee Structure: History of Changes from 1920 to 20152017, by [author name scrubbed] and [author name scrubbed].

8.

Ibid.

9.

In 2000, the House and Senate completed action on five regular appropriations acts for FY2001 during the lame duck session, but four of them were signed into law on December 21, six days after the session had ended. For purposes of this report, all five acts are regarded as having been enacted during the lame duck session.

10.

For a more detailed discussion of this topic, see CRS Report R42647, Continuing Resolutions: Overview of Components and Recent Practices, by [author name scrubbed].

11.

In 2002, the CR for FY2003 considered during the lame duck session was enacted on November 23, the day after the session ended. For purposes of this report, the CR is considered to have been enacted during the lame duck session.

12.

The House and Senate completed action on five regular appropriations acts for FY2001 during the lame duck session, but four of them were signed into law on December 21, 2000, six days after the session had ended. For purposes of this report, all five acts are regarded as having been enacted during the lame duck session.

13.

The CR was considered during the lame duck session but was enacted on November 23, the day after the session ended. For purposes of this report, the CR is considered to have been enacted during the lame- duck session.

14.

The House recessed on October 3, 2008. The Senate held pro forma sessions through the beginning of the lame duck session on November 19, 2008.