( CNN ) -- This year 's session , with fiscal cliff negotiations and lively nomination controversies , is anything but lame . But it 's still a lame-duck Congress . Just how did a meeting of one Congress that occurs after a new one is elected but not yet sworn-in get that name ? We 're slow roasting the answers to those questions and serving them up by the numbers : . What is a 'lame duck ' ? 18th Century - The term `` lame duck '' originates in Great Britain to describe a bankrupt businessman . 1830s - The term `` lame duck '' arrives in the United States , but is used to describe politicians on their way out of office , rather than businessmen . 85 - The number of current members of Congress who are lame ducks . History . 17 weeks - The length of time between November elections and inauguration on March 4th , prior to the 20th Amendment being ratified in 1933 . This led to many problems , such as President-elect Abraham Lincoln being unable to deal with the secession of seven states during the long gap between his election and inauguration . 2 - The number of times a lame duck House of Representatives chose the president and vice president in disputed elections . This occurred in 1800 and 1824 . 1932 - The year that humorist Will Rogers said : `` An awful lot of people are confused as to just what is meant by a lame duck Congress . It 's like where some fellows worked for you and their work was n't satisfactory and you let 'em out , but after you fired 'em , you let 'em stay long enough so they could burn your house down . '' The 20th Amendment . 1923 - Senator George Norris of Nebraska proposes the 20th Amendment , moving the start date of Congress from March 4th to January 3rd . The Senate passes it 63-6 . 1932 - After nine years of delays , the House also passes Norris ' amendment , 336-56 . 1933 - The 20th Amendment to the Constitution is ratified . 19 - Number of lame duck sessions of Congress since the ratification of the 20th Amendment . Prior to the ratification of the 20th Amendment , every second session of Congress from the first to the 73rd was technically a lame duck session . 10 - Number of these sessions from 1940 to 1992 . 9 - Number of these sessions from 1994 to 2012 . There was no lame duck session in 1996 . 1 day - The shortest lame duck session , which took place on December 31 , 1948 . 58 days - The longest lame duck session , which took place in the Senate from November 7 , 1940 to January 3 , 1941 . Noteworthy lame duck sessions . 1954 - The year the Senate holds a lame duck session to censure Wisconsin Sen. Joseph McCarthy . 1974 - Nelson Rockefeller is confirmed as vice president . 1982 - The House votes to give its members a retroactive pay raise . The lame duck session is especially contentious , leading Senator Edward Kennedy to say , `` We have accomplished precisely nothing of any value . '' Representative Leon Panetta also remarked , `` Frankly , we all look like fools . '' 1994 - Congress passes legislation on the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade ( GATT ) . 1998 - The House of Representatives holds a lame duck session and votes to impeach President Bill Clinton . 2002 - The Department of Homeland Security is established . 2010 - A compromise tax bill is passed , `` Do n't Ask , Do n't Tell '' is repealed , and a new START treaty with Russia is approved .
1830s - The term `` lame duck '' arrives in Russia . 1982 - The House votes to impeach President Leon Panetta during a lame-duck session . 336 - The number of times a lame duck House chose the president and vice president in disputed elections . 1830s - The lame duck session in which the House votes to give members a pay raise .