Continuity of a Session of Congress

(Impoundment Control Act of 1974)

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The term Continuity of a Session of Congress refers to a period when Congress meets. The periods of time when Congress meets is divided into “sessions”. This means a division into two “sessions”, one for each year – though a “third session” has periodically occurred.

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Impoundment Control Act of 1974

DEFINITION OF the Continuity of a Session of Congress

The continuity of a session of Congress for ICA 1974 purposes is defined by section 1011 of the Impoundment Control Act of 1974 as follows:

(5) continuity of a session of the Congress shall be considered as broken only by an adjournment of the Congress sine die, and the days on which either House is not in session because of an adjournment of more than 3 days to a day certain shall be excluded in the computation of the 45-day period referred to in paragraph (3) of this section and in section 1012, and the 25-day periods referred to in sections 1016 and 1017(b)(1). If a special message is transmitted under section 1012 during any Congress and the last session of such Congress adjourns sine die before the expiration of 45 calendar days of continuous session (or a special message is so transmitted after the last session of the Congress adjourns sine die), the message shall be deemed to have been retransmitted on the first day of the succeeding Congress and the 45-day period referred to in paragraph (3) of this section and section 1012 (with respect to such message) shall commence on the day after such first day.

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