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Government Information Connection: Politics and Elected Officials

Information about politicians and their activities; elections, campaigns, and voting; and political activism.

Years and Sessions of Congress

The annual series of meetings of a Congress is called a session. Each Congress generally has two sessions, based on the constitutional mandate that Congress assemble at least once a year. In addition, a meeting of one or both houses is a session. And a house is said to be in session on any particular day when it is meeting.

Guides to Years and Sessions of Congress

A complete guide to the sessions of Congress, which includes the beginning and ending dates, recesses, number of days in the session, the name of the Speaker of the House and the President Pro Tem of the Senate, may be found online by searching the Congressional Directory. Type in the search term "sessions" and select the result "Sessions of Congress.

Table Showing Years and Session Dates of Congress

Jump to Decade: 2020s | 2010s 2000s | 1990s | 1980s | 1970s | 1960s | 1950s | 1940s | 1930s | 1920s | 1910s | 1900s | 1890s | 1880s | 1870s | 1860s | 1850s | 1840s | 1830s | 1820s | 1810s | 1800s | 1790s | 1780s|

 

2023-2025 118th Congress
Session 1: JAN 3, 2023 / JAN 3, 2024
Session 2: JAN 3, 2024 / 
2021-2023 117th Congress Session 1: JAN 3, 2021 / JAN 3, 2022
Session 2: JAN 3, 2022 / JAN 3, 2023
2019-2021 116th Congress Session 1: JAN 3, 2019 / JAN 3, 2020
Session 2: JAN 3, 2020 / JAN 2, 2021
2017-2019 115th Congress Session 1: JAN 3, 2017 / JAN 3, 2018
Session 2: JAN 3, 2018 / JAN 2, 2019
2015-2017 114th Congress Session 1: JAN 6, 2015 / DEC 18, 2015
Session 2: JAN 4, 2016 / JAN 3, 2017
2013-2015 113th Congress Session 1: JAN 3, 2013 / JAN 3, 2014
Session 2: JAN 3, 2014 / DEC 16, 2014
2011–2012 112th Congress Session 1: JAN 5, 2011 / JAN 3, 2012
Session 2: JAN 3, 2012 / JAN 2, 2013
2009–2010 111th Congress Session 1: JAN 6, 2009 / DEC 24, 2009
Session 2: JAN 5, 2010 / DEC 22, 2010
2007–2008 110th Congress Session 1: JAN 4, 2007 / DEC 31, 2007
Session 2: JAN 3, 2008 / JAN 3, 2009
2005–2006 109th Congress Session 1: JAN 4, 2005 / DEC 22, 2005
Session 2: JAN 3, 2006 / DEC 8, 2006
2003–2004 108th Congress Session 1: JAN 7, 2003 / DEC 9, 2003
Session 2: JAN 20, 2004 / DEC 8, 2004
2001–2002 107th Congress Session 1: JAN 3, 2001 / DEC 20, 2001
Session 2: JAN 23, 2002 / NOV 22, 2002
1999–2000 106th Congress Session 1: JAN 6, 1999 / NOV 22, 1999
Session 2: JAN 24, 2000 / DEC 15, 2000
1997–1998 105th Congress Session 1: JAN 7, 1997 / NOV 13, 1997
Session 2: JAN 27, 1998 / DEC 19, 1998
1995–1996 104th Congress Session 1: JAN 4, 1995 / JAN 3, 1996
Session 2: JAN 3, 1996 / OCT 4, 1996
1993–1994 103rd Congress Session 1: JAN 5, 1993 / NOV 26, 1993
Session 2: JAN 25, 1994 / DEC 1, 1994
1991–1992 102nd Congress Session 1: JAN 3, 1991 / JAN 3, 1992
Session 2: JAN 3, 1992 / OCT 9, 1992
1989–1990 101st Congress Session 1: JAN 3, 1989 / NOV 22, 1989
Session 2: JAN 23, 1990 / OCT 28, 1990
1987–1988 100th Congress Session 1: JAN 6, 1987 / DEC 22, 1987
Session 2: JAN 25, 1988 / OCT 22, 1988
1985–1986 99th Congress Session 1: JAN 3, 1985 / DEC 20, 1985
Session 2: JAN 21, 1986 / OCT 18, 1986
1983–1984 98th Congress Session 1: JAN 3, 1983 / NOV 18, 1983
Session 2: JAN 23, 1984 / OCT 12, 1984
1981–1982 97th Congress Session 1: JAN 5, 1981 / DEC 16, 1981
Session 2: JAN 25, 1982 / DEC 23, 1982
1979–1980 96th Congress Session 1: JAN 15, 1979 / JAN 3, 1980
Session 2: JAN 3, 1980 / DEC 16, 1980
1977–1978 95th Congress Session 1: JAN 4, 1977 / DEC 15, 1977
Session 2: JAN 19, 1978 / OCT 15, 1978
1975–1976 94th Congress Session 1: JAN 14, 1975 / DEC 19, 1975
Session 2: JAN 19, 1976 / OCT 1, 1976
1973–1974 93rd Congress Session 1: JAN 3, 1973 / DEC 22, 1973
Session 2: JAN 21, 1974 / DEC 20, 1974
1971–1972 92nd Congress Session 1: JAN 21, 1971 / DEC 17, 1971
Session 2: JAN 18, 1972 / OCT 18, 1972
1969–1970 91st Congress Session 1: JAN 3, 1969 / DEC 23, 1969
Session 2: JAN 19, 1970 / JAN 2, 1971
1967–1968 90th Congress Session 1: JAN 10, 1967 / DEC 15, 1967
Session 2: JAN 15, 1968 / OCT 14, 1968
1965–1966 89th Congress Session 1: JAN 4, 1965 / OCT 23, 1965
Session 2: JAN 10, 1966 / OCT 22, 1966
1963–1964 88th Congress Session 1: JAN 9, 1963 / DEC 30, 1963
Session 2: JAN 7, 1964 / OCT 3, 1964
1961–1962 87th Congress Session 1: JAN 3, 1961 / SEP 27, 1961
Session 2: JAN 10, 1962 / OCT 13, 1962
1959–1960 86th Congress Session 1: JAN 7, 1959 / SEP 15, 1959
Session 2: JAN 6, 1960 / SEP 1, 1960
1957–1958 85th Congress Session 1: JAN 3, 1957 / AUG 30, 1957
Session 2: JAN 7, 1958 / AUG 24, 1958
1955–1956 84th Congress Session 1: JAN 5, 1955 / AUG 2, 1955
Session 2: JAN 3, 1956 / JUL 27, 1956
1953–1954 83rd Congress Session 1: JAN 3, 1953 / AUG 3, 1953
Session 2: JAN 6, 1954 / DEC 2, 1954
1951–1952 82nd Congress Session 1: JAN 3, 1951 / OCT 20, 1951
Session 2: JAN 8, 1952 / JUL 7, 1952
1949–1950 81st Congress Session 1: JAN 3, 1949 / OCT 19, 1949
Session 2: JAN 3, 1950 / JAN 2, 1951
1947–1948 80th Congress Session 1: JAN 3, 1947 / DEC 19, 1947
Session 2: JAN 6, 1948 / DEC 31, 1948
1945–1946 79th Congress Session 1: JAN 3, 1945 / DEC 21, 1945
Session 2: JAN 14, 1946 / AUG 2, 1946
1943–1944 78th Congress Session 1: JAN 6, 1943 / DEC 21, 1943
Session 2: JAN 10, 1944 / DEC 19, 1944
1941–1942 77th Congress Session 1: JAN 3, 1941 / JAN 2, 1942
Session 2: JAN 5, 1942 / DEC 16, 1942
1939–1940 76th Congress Session 1: JAN 3, 1939 / AUG 5, 1939
Session 2: SEP 21, 1939 / NOV 3, 1939
Session 3: JAN 3, 1940 / JAN 3, 1941
1937–1938 75th Congress Session 1: JAN 5, 1937 / AUG 21, 1937
Session 2: NOV 15, 1937 / DEC 21, 1937
Session 3: JAN 3, 1938 / JUN 16, 1938
1935–1936 74th Congress Session 1: JAN 3, 1935 / AUG 26, 1935
Session 2: JAN 3, 1936 / JUN 20, 1936
1933–1934 73rd Congress Session 1: MAR 9, 1933 / JUN 15, 1933
Session 2: JAN 3, 1934 / JUN 18, 1934
1931–1932 72nd Congress Session 1: DEC 7, 1931 / JUL 16, 1932
Session 2: DEC 5, 1932 / MAR 3, 1933
1929–1930 71st Congress Session 1: APR 15, 1929 / NOV 22, 1929
Session 2: DEC 2, 1929 / JUL 3, 1930
Session 3: DEC 1, 1930 / MAR 3, 1931
1927–1928 70th Congress Session 1: DEC 5, 1927 / MAY 29, 1928
Session 2: DEC 3, 1928 / MAR 3, 1929
1925–1926 69th Congress Session 1: DEC 7, 1925 / JUL 3, 1926
Session 2: DEC 6, 1926 / MAR 4, 1927
1923–1924 68th Congress Session 1: DEC 3, 1923 / JUN 7, 1924
Session 2: DEC 1, 1924 / MAR 3, 1925
1921–1922 67th Congress Session 1: APR 11, 1921 / NOV 23, 1921
Session 2: DEC 5, 1921 / SEP 22, 1922
Session 3: NOV 20, 1922 / DEC 4, 1922
Session 4: DEC 4, 1922 / MAR 3, 1923
1919–1920 66th Congress Session 1: MAY 19, 1919 / NOV 19, 1919
Session 2: DEC 1, 1919 / JUN 5, 1920
Session 3: DEC 6, 1920 / MAR 3, 1921
1917–1918 65th Congress Session 1: APR 2, 1917 / OCT 6, 1917
Session 2: DEC 3, 1917 / NOV 21, 1918
Session 3: DEC 2, 1918 / MAR 3, 1919
1915–1916 64th Congress Session 1: DEC 6, 1915 / SEP 8, 1916
Session 2: DEC 4, 1916 / MAR 3, 1917
1913–1914 63rd Congress Session 1: APR 7, 1913 / DEC 1, 1913
Session 2: DEC 1, 1913 / OCT 24, 1914
Session 3: DEC 7, 1914 / MAR 3, 1915
1911–1912 62nd Congress Session 1: APR 4, 1911 / AUG 22, 1911
Session 2: DEC 4, 1911 / AUG 26, 1912
Session 3: DEC 2, 1912 / MAR 3, 1913
1909–1910 61st Congress Session 1: MAR 15, 1909 / AUG 5, 1909
Session 2: DEC 6, 1909 / JUN 25, 1910
Session 3: DEC 5, 1910 / MAR 3, 1911 
1907–1908 60th Congress Session 1: DEC 2, 1907 / MAY 30, 1908
Session 2: DEC 7, 1908 / MAR 3, 1909
1905–1906 59th Congress Session 1: DEC 4, 1905 / JUN 30, 1906
Session 2: DEC 3, 1906 / MAR 3, 1907
1903–1904 58th Congress Session 1: NOV 9, 1903 / DEC 7, 1903
Session 2: DEC 7, 1903 / APR 28, 1904
Session 3: DEC 5, 1904 / MAR 3, 1905  
1901–1902 57th Congress Session 1: DEC 2, 1901 / JUL 1, 1902
Session 2: DEC 1, 1902 / MAR 3, 1903
1899–1900 56th Congress Session 1: DEC 4, 1899 / JUN 7, 1900
Session 2: DEC 3, 1900 / MAR 3, 1901
1897–1898 55th Congress Session 1: MAR 15, 1897 / JUL 24, 1897
Session 2: DEC 6, 1897 / JUL 8, 1898
Session 3: DEC 5, 1898 / MAR 3, 1899
1895–1896 54th Congress Session 1: DEC 2, 1895 / JUN 11, 1896
Session 2: DEC 7, 1896 / MAR 3, 1897
1893–1894 53rd Congress Session 1: AUG 7, 1893 / NOV 3, 1893
Session 2: DEC 4, 1893 / AUG 28, 1894
Session 3: DEC 3, 1894 / MAR 3, 1895
1891–1892 52nd Congress Session 1: DEC 7, 1891 / AUG 5, 1892
Session 2: DEC 5, 1892 / MAR 3, 1893
1889–1890 51st Congress Session 1: DEC 2, 1889 / OCT 1, 1890
Session 2: DEC 1, 1890 / MAR 3, 1891
1887–1888 50th Congress Session 1: DEC 5, 1887 / OCT 20, 1888
Session 2: DEC 3, 1888 / MAR 3, 1889
1885–1886 49th Congress Session 1: DEC 7, 1885 / AUG 5, 1886
Session 2: DEC 6,1886 / MAR 3, 1887
1883–1884 48th Congress Session 1: DEC 3, 1883 / JUL 7, 1884
Session 2: DEC 1, 1884 / MAR 3, 1885
1881–1882 47th Congress Session 1: DEC 5, 1881 / AUG 8, 1882
Session 2: DEC 4, 1882 / MAR 3, 1883
1879–1880 46th Congress Session 1: MAR 18, 1979 / JUL 1, 1879
Session 2: DEC 1, 1879 / JUN 16, 1880
Session 3: DEC 6, 1880 / MAR 3, 1881
1877–1878 45th Congress Session 1: OCT 15, 1877 / DEC 3, 1877
Session 2: DEC 3, 1877 / JUN 20, 1878
Session 3: DEC 2, 1878 / MAR 3, 1879
1875–1876 44th Congress Session 1: DEC 6, 1875 / AUG 15, 1876
Session 2: DEC 4, 1876 / MAR 3, 1877
1873–1874 43rd Congress Session 1: DEC 1, 1873 / JUN 23, 1874
Session 2: DEC 7, 1874 / MAR 3, 1875
1871–1872 42nd Congress Session 1: MAR 4, 1871 / APR 20, 1871
Session 2: DEC 4, 1871 / JUN 10, 1872
Session 3: DEC 2, 1872 / MAR 3, 1873
1869–1870 41st Congress Session 1: MAR 4, 1869 / APR 10, 1869
Session 2: DEC 6, 1869 / JUL 15, 1870
Session 3: DEC 5, 1870 / MAR 3, 1871
1867–1868 40th Congress Session 1: MAR 4, 1867 / DEC 1, 1867
Session 2: DEC 2, 1867 / NOV 10, 1868
Session 3: DEC 7, 1868 / MAR 3, 1869
1865–1866 39th Congress Session 1: DEC 4, 1865 / JUL 28, 1866
Session 2: DEC 3, 1866 / MAR 3, 1867
1863–1864 38th Congress Session 1: DEC 7, 1863 / JUL 4, 1864
Session 2: DEC 5, 1864 / MAR 3, 1865
1861–1862 37th Congress Session 1: JUL 4, 1861 / AUG 6, 1861
Session 2: DEC 2, 1861 / JUL 17, 1862
Session 3: DEC 1, 1862 / MAR 3, 1863
1859–1860 36th Congress Session 1: DEC 5, 1859 / JUN 25, 1860
Session 2: DEC 3, 1860 /MAR 3, 1861
1857–1858 35th Congress Session 1: DEC 7, 1857 / JUN 14, 1858
Session 2: DEC 6, 1858 / MAR 3, 1859
1855–1856 34th Congress Session 1: DEC 3, 1855 / AUG 18, 1856
Session 2: AUG 21, 1856 / AUG 30, 1856
Session 3: DEC 1, 1856 / MAR 3, 1857 
1853–1854 33rd Congress Session 1: DEC 5, 1853 / AUG 7, 1854
Session 2: DEC 4, 1854 / MAR 3, 1855
1851–1852 32nd Congress Session 1: DEC 1, 1851 / AUG 31, 1852
Session 2: DEC 6, 1852 / MAR 3, 1853
1849–1850 31st Congress Session 1: DEC 3, 1849 / SEP 30, 1850
Session 2: DEC 2, 1850 / MAR 3, 1851
1847–1848 30th Congress Session 1: DEC 6, 1847 / AUG 14, 1848
Session 2: DEC 4, 1848 / MAR 3, 1849
1845–1846 29th Congress Session 1: DEC 1, 1845 / AUG 10, 1846
Session 2: DEC 7, 1846 / MAR 3, 1847
1843–1844 28th Congress Session 1: DEC 4, 1843 / JUN 17, 1844
Session 2: DEC 2, 1844 / MAR 3, 1845
1841–1842 27th Congress Session 1: MAY 31, 1841 / SEP 13, 1841
Session 2:  DEC 6, 1841 / AUG 31, 1842
Session 3: DEC 5, 1842 / MAR 3, 1843
1839–1840 26th Congress Session 1: DEC 2, 1839 / JUL 21, 1840
Session 2: DEC 7, 1840 / MAR 3, 1841
1837–1838 25th Congress Session 1: SEP 4, 1837 / OCT 16, 1837
Session 2: DEC 4, 1837 / JUL 9, 1838
Session 3: DEC 3, 1838 / MAR 3, 1839
1835–1836 24th Congress Session 1: DEC 7, 1835 / JUL 4, 1836
Session 2: DEC 5, 1836 / MAR 3, 1837
1833–1834 23rd Congress Session 1: DEC 2, 1833 / JUN 30, 1834
Session 2: DEC 1, 1834 / MAR 3, 1835
1831–1832 22nd Congress Session 1: DEC 5, 1831 / JUL 16, 1832
Session 2: DEC 3, 1832 / MAR 2, 1833
1829–1830 21st Congress Session 1: DEC 7, 1829 / MAY 31, 1830
Session 2: DEC 6, 1830 / MAR 3, 1831
1827–1828 20th Congress Session 1: DEC 3, 1827 / MAY 26, 1828
Session 2: DEC 1, 1828 / MAR 3, 1829
1825–1826 19th Congress Session 1: DEC 5, 1825 / MAY 22, 1826
Session 2: DEC 4, 1826 / MAR 3, 1827
1823–1824 18th Congress Session 1: DEC 1, 1823 / MAY 27, 1824
Session 2: DEC 6, 1824 / MAR 3, 1825
1821–1822 17th Congress Session 1: DEC 3, 1821 / MAY 8, 1822
Session 2: DEC 2, 1822 / MAR 3, 1823
1819–1820 16th Congress Session 1: DEC 6, 1819 / MAY 15, 1820
Session 2: NOV 13, 1820 / MAR 3, 1821
1817–1818 15th Congress Session 1: DEC 1, 1817 / APR 20, 1818
Session 2: NOV 16, 1818 / MAR 3, 1819
1815–1816 14th Congress Session 1: DEC 4, 1815 / APR 30, 1816
Session 2: DEC 2, 1816 / MAR 3, 1817
1813–1814 13th Congress Session 1: MAY 24, 1813 / AUG 2, 1813
Session 2: DEC 6, 1813 / APR 18, 1814
Session 3: SEP 19, 1814 / MAR 3, 1815
1811–1812 12th Congress Session 1: NOV 4, 1811 / JUL 6, 1812
Session 2: NOV 2, 1812 / MAR 3, 1813
1809–1810 11th Congress Session 1: MAY 22, 1809 / JUN 28, 1809
Session 2: NOV 27, 1809 / MAY 1, 1810
Session 3: DEC 3, 1810 / MAR 3, 1811
1807–1808 10th Congress Session 1: OCT 26, 1807 / APR 25, 1808
Session 2: NOV 7, 1808 / MAR 3, 1809
1805–1806 9th Congress Session 1: DEC 2, 1805 / APR 21, 1806
Session 2: DEC 1, 1806 / MAR 3, 1807
1803–1804 8th Congress Session 1: OCT 17, 1803 / MAR 27, 1804
Session 2: NOV 5, 1804 / MAR 3, 1805
1801–1802 7th Congress Session 1: DEC 7, 1801 / MAY 3, 1802
Session 2: DEC 6, 1802 / MAR 3, 1803
1799–1800 6th Congress Session 1: DEC 2, 1799  / MAY 14, 1800
Session 2: NOV 17, 1800 /  MAR 3, 1801
1797–1799 5th Congress Session 1: MAY 15, 1797 / JUL 10, 1797
Session 2: NOV 13, 1797 / JUL 16, 1798
Session 3: DEC 3, 1798 / MAR 3, 1799
1796  4th Congress Session 1: DEC 7, 1795 / JUN 1, 1796
Session 2: DEC 5, 1796 / MAR 3, 1797
1794–1795 3rd Congress Session 1: DEC 2, 1793 / JUN 9, 1794
Session 2: NOV 3, 1794 / MAR 3, 1795
1791–1793 2nd Congress Session 1: OCT 24, 1791 / MAY 8, 1792
Session 2: NOV 5, 1792 / MAR 2, 1793
1789–1791 1st Congress Session 1: MAR 4, 1789 / Sep 29, 1789
Session 2: JAN 4, 1790 / AUG 12, 1790
Session 3: DEC 6, 1790 / MAR 3, 1791

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