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