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. In some recent instances—including FY2007, FY2009, FY2011, FY2013, FY2015, and FY2017—the consideration of regular appropriations bills has carried over to the following session of Congress. Eleven of the past 12 Congresses, covering the 103 rd Congress through the 114 th Congress, have concluded with a lame duck session. 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 18 continuing appropriations measures were enacted during the 7 other lame duck sessions held in 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2010, 2014, and 2016. This report provides information on the enactment of regular and continuing appropriations measures in connection with lame duck sessions occurring between 1994 and 2016. 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 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. 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. Overview of the Enactment of Appropriations Measures Before, During, and After Lame Duck Sessions

Between calendar years 1994 and 2016, 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. As was the case for the regular appropriations bills, the continuing appropriations measures were an important element in some of the lame duck sessions. In total, 46 of the 136 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 65 were enacted afterward. In total, 32 of the 61 CRs were enacted before the beginning of the applicable lame duck session, 18 were enacted during the lame duck session, and 11 were enacted afterward.
Eleven of the past 12 Congresses, covering the 103rd Congress through the 114th 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 18 continuing appropriations measures were enacted during the 7 other lame duck sessions held in 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2010, 2014, and 2016.
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 2016 (FY1995, FY1999, FY2001, FY2003, FY2005, FY2007, FY2009, FY2011, FY2013, FY2015, 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, 46 of the 136 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 65 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 2016. In total, 32 of the 61 CRs were enacted before the beginning of the applicable lame duck session, 18 were enacted during the lame duck session, and 11 were enacted afterward.
The report will be updated as developments warrant.