	The Senate Convenes

The Twentieth Amendment to the Constitution directs that a new Congress convene at noon on January 3 in each odd-numbered year, unless the preceding Congress has by law designated a different day for the new Congress's convening. 129 , setting the convening date for the 114 th Congress as January 6, 2015. 113-201 ). Congressional leaders planned that the 115 th Congress would convene January 3, 2017, and that the 116 th Congress would convene January 3, 2019, obviating the need for a law to set the date. Oath of Office and Quorum

The first order of business in a new Senate is the swearing-in of Senators elected or reelected in the most recent general election and of newly appointed Senators. On occasion in recent years, the majority leader or the majority and minority leaders might first be recognized for brief remarks. If there is a contested or undecided Senate election, the leadership might provide a status report and plan for its resolution, before or after Senators are sworn in. Individuals might also record a ceremonial swearing-in. When there is a change in party control of the Senate, or when a vacancy in the office of President pro tempore occurs, a new President pro tempore is elected by simple resolution and then escorted to the front of the chamber to be sworn in by the Vice President. Party Leadership

Any changes in Senate party leadership take place in the respective party conference meetings prior to opening day or, if there is a vacancy, at another time. No floor votes are needed to ratify these changes. Other First-Day Floor Activities

		Standing Orders for the Current Congress

Other organizational business is taken up on the Senate floor on the first day. These standing orders addressed—
meetings of the Select Committee on Ethics; limiting roll-call votes to 15 minutes; authorizing Senators to present reports at the desk; allowing 10 additional minutes daily to speak for each party leader (so-called leader time); forgoing the printing of conference reports and joint explanatory statements when they are printed as House reports; allowing the Appropriations Committee to file reports during an adjournment or recess of the Senate; authorizing the secretary of the Senate to make technical and clerical corrections to engrossments of Senate-passed bills, resolutions, and amendments; during an adjournment or recess of the Senate, authorizing the secretary of the Senate to receive presidential messages and, except for House legislation, House messages, and authorizing the President pro tempore to sign enrollments; allowing Senators to designate two staff members for floor access during the Senate's consideration of specific matters; allowing treaties and nominations to be referred when received; and permitting Senators to introduce bills and resolutions by taking them to the desk. Special Circumstances

Other first-day activities might occur as a consequence of specific circumstances. The Senate might also by unanimous consent set an initial date other than the convening day on which bills and joint resolutions may be introduced, and might also agree to begin consideration of legislation at a later date. Committee Organization

Negotiations between parties over committee sizes and ratios and separate committee assignment processes begin prior to the convening of a new Congress, and mostly within the party groups—the Democratic and Republican Conferences. Committee assignment resolutions are not normally considered on the opening day of a new Congress, but later in January.
The Constitution mandates that Congress convene at noon on January 3, unless the preceding Congress by law designated a different day. P.L. 113-201 set January 6, 2015, as the convening date of the 114th Congress. The 115th Congress convened on January 3, 2017. Congressional leaders announced the 116th Congress would convene January 3, 2019.
The Senate follows a well-established routine on the opening day of a new Congress. The proceedings include
swearing in Senators elected or reelected in the most recent general election (approximately one-third of the Senate) or newly appointed to the convening Senate; establishing the presence of a quorum; adopting administrative resolutions; adopting standing orders for the new Congress; agreeing by unanimous consent to a date, other than the convening date, on which bills and joint resolutions may begin to be introduced; and electing a new President pro tempore and one or more Senate officers if there is a vacancy or a change in party control.
The majority and minority leaders usually make welcoming remarks during the day's proceedings. If an election to a Senate seat is undecided or subject to consideration by the Senate, the majority leader and other Senators might address the Senate's posture on that election.
Other first-day activities may occur as a consequence of specific circumstances, such as providing for a joint session with the House to count electoral votes after a presidential election. After Senators are sworn or after organizational proceedings are completed, the Senate may turn to legislative or executive business or other activities.
Following their official swearing-in on the Senate floor, newly sworn Senators gather with their families in the Old Senate Chamber for ceremonial swearing-ins with the Vice President or another official of their choosing. The ceremonial swearing-ins may be photographed and recorded.
Negotiations between parties over committee sizes and ratios, parties' action on committee assignments, and parties' decisions on party leadership changes and organization may begin during the early organization meetings for the new Senate, which occur in November and December following a general election. The committee assignment process may continue after the beginning days of a new Congress. At some time, usually other than opening day, the Senate adopts committee assignment resolutions. Any changes in Senate party leadership take place in respective party conference meetings. There are no floor votes to ratify party leadership changes.
For an explanation of proceedings occurring on the first day in the House of Representatives, see the companion report: CRS Report RL30725, The First Day of a New Congress: A Guide to Proceedings on the House Floor.