Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Congress may work through holidays to avert ‘fiscal cliff’

Congress may work through the holidays to work out a deal to avoid the ‘fiscal cliff,’ Sen. Harry Reid said Monday.

“We will see if anything changes, but it appears that we’re going to be coming back the day after Christmas to complete work on the fiscal cliff,” Reid, the Senate majority leader, said in a speech on the Senate floor.

Technically, the last date Congress can meet is the morning of January 3, 2013. Under the 20th Amendment to the Constitution, the terms of senators and representatives expire at noon that day. Members of the next Congress are normally sworn in on the afternoon of January 3.

In the past, threats to hold Congress for an extended post-Christmas session have rarely materialized.

But there is unanimity among Reid and House leaders this time around. Last week, House Speaker John Boehner told members of his Republican caucus not to make Christmas vacation plans.

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