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Congressional Calendar 2026
The House is next scheduled to sit Monday, November 9. The Senate is in recess through Nov 6, expected back Monday, November 9. Every session week and recess for both chambers, from each chamber’s own published schedule.
As of Monday, October 5, 2026 · Sources: House Majority Leader (updated Sep 16, 2026), U.S. Senate (approved Nov 21, 2025)
Quick Answer
- Is the House in session today?
- No
- Is the Senate in session today?
- No — recess through Nov 6
- House next scheduled to sit
- Monday, November 9
- Senate next expected to sit
- Monday, November 9
- House session days in 2026
- 104 scheduled · 20 still ahead
- Senate days expected in 2026
- 150 weekdays outside recesses
Is Congress in session today?
As of Monday, October 5, 2026.
HOUSE
Not sitting
Next: Nov 9, 2026
SENATE
Not sitting
Expected back Nov 9, 2026
The House is next scheduled to sit Monday, November 9. The Senate is in recess through Nov 6, expected back Monday, November 9. These are the chambers’ planned schedules — this page is rebuilt every day, but neither chamber publishes a live feed of when it convenes, and both add or cancel days at short notice. For what the Senate actually did, see its most recent roll-call votes.
The 2026 calendar at a glance
Each day marks which chamber is scheduled to sit. Weekends and holidays are empty for both.
January
| S | M | T | W | T | F | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1Neither chamber scheduled | 2Neither chamber scheduled | 3Neither chamber scheduled | ||||
4Neither chamber scheduled | 5Senate expected | 6House in session; Senate expected | 7House in session; Senate expected | 8House in session; Senate expected | 9House in session; Senate expected | 10Neither chamber scheduled |
11Neither chamber scheduled | 12House in session; Senate expected | 13House in session; Senate expected | 14House in session; Senate expected | 15House in session; Senate expected | 16Senate expected | 17Neither chamber scheduled |
18Neither chamber scheduled | 19Neither chamber scheduled | 20House in session | 21House in session | 22House in session | 23House in session | 24Neither chamber scheduled |
25Neither chamber scheduled | 26Senate expected | 27Senate expected | 28Senate expected | 29Senate expected | 30Senate expected | 31Neither chamber scheduled |
February
| S | M | T | W | T | F | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1Neither chamber scheduled | 2House in session; Senate expected | 3House in session; Senate expected | 4House in session; Senate expected | 5Senate expected | 6Senate expected | 7Neither chamber scheduled |
8Neither chamber scheduled | 9House in session; Senate expected | 10House in session; Senate expected | 11House in session; Senate expected | 12House in session; Senate expected | 13Senate expected | 14Neither chamber scheduled |
15Neither chamber scheduled | 16Neither chamber scheduled | 17Neither chamber scheduled | 18Neither chamber scheduled | 19Neither chamber scheduled | 20Neither chamber scheduled | 21Neither chamber scheduled |
22Neither chamber scheduled | 23House in session; Senate expected | 24House in session; Senate expected | 25House in session; Senate expected | 26Senate expected | 27Senate expected | 28Neither chamber scheduled |
March
| S | M | T | W | T | F | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1Neither chamber scheduled | 2Senate expected | 3House in session; Senate expected | 4House in session; Senate expected | 5House in session; Senate expected | 6Senate expected | 7Neither chamber scheduled |
8Neither chamber scheduled | 9Senate expected | 10Senate expected | 11Senate expected | 12Senate expected | 13Senate expected | 14Neither chamber scheduled |
15Neither chamber scheduled | 16House in session; Senate expected | 17House in session; Senate expected | 18House in session; Senate expected | 19House in session; Senate expected | 20Senate expected | 21Neither chamber scheduled |
22Neither chamber scheduled | 23Senate expected | 24House in session; Senate expected | 25House in session; Senate expected | 26House in session; Senate expected | 27House in session; Senate expected | 28Neither chamber scheduled |
29Neither chamber scheduled | 30Neither chamber scheduled | 31Neither chamber scheduled |
April
| S | M | T | W | T | F | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1Neither chamber scheduled | 2Neither chamber scheduled | 3Neither chamber scheduled | 4Neither chamber scheduled | |||
5Neither chamber scheduled | 6Neither chamber scheduled | 7Neither chamber scheduled | 8Neither chamber scheduled | 9Neither chamber scheduled | 10Neither chamber scheduled | 11Neither chamber scheduled |
12Neither chamber scheduled | 13Senate expected | 14House in session; Senate expected | 15House in session; Senate expected | 16House in session; Senate expected | 17House in session; Senate expected | 18Neither chamber scheduled |
19Neither chamber scheduled | 20House in session; Senate expected | 21House in session; Senate expected | 22House in session; Senate expected | 23House in session; Senate expected | 24Senate expected | 25Neither chamber scheduled |
26Neither chamber scheduled | 27House in session; Senate expected | 28House in session; Senate expected | 29House in session; Senate expected | 30House in session; Senate expected |
May
| S | M | T | W | T | F | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1Senate expected | 2Neither chamber scheduled | |||||
3Neither chamber scheduled | 4Neither chamber scheduled | 5Neither chamber scheduled | 6Neither chamber scheduled | 7Neither chamber scheduled | 8Neither chamber scheduled | 9Neither chamber scheduled |
10Neither chamber scheduled | 11Senate expected | 12House in session; Senate expected | 13House in session; Senate expected | 14House in session; Senate expected | 15House in session; Senate expected | 16Neither chamber scheduled |
17Neither chamber scheduled | 18House in session; Senate expected | 19House in session; Senate expected | 20House in session; Senate expected | 21House in session; Senate expected | 22Senate expected | 23Neither chamber scheduled |
24Neither chamber scheduled | 25Neither chamber scheduled | 26Neither chamber scheduled | 27Neither chamber scheduled | 28Neither chamber scheduled | 29Neither chamber scheduled | 30Neither chamber scheduled |
31Neither chamber scheduled |
June
| S | M | T | W | T | F | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1Senate expected | 2House in session; Senate expected | 3House in session; Senate expected | 4House in session; Senate expected | 5House in session; Senate expected | 6Neither chamber scheduled | |
7Neither chamber scheduled | 8House in session; Senate expected | 9House in session; Senate expected | 10House in session; Senate expected | 11House in session; Senate expected | 12Senate expected | 13Neither chamber scheduled |
14Neither chamber scheduled | 15Senate expected | 16Senate expected | 17Senate expected | 18Senate expected | 19Neither chamber scheduled | 20Neither chamber scheduled |
21Neither chamber scheduled | 22Senate expected | 23House in session; Senate expected | 24House in session; Senate expected | 25House in session; Senate expected | 26House in session; Senate expected | 27Neither chamber scheduled |
28Neither chamber scheduled | 29House in session | 30House in session |
July
| S | M | T | W | T | F | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1House in session | 2House in session | 3Neither chamber scheduled | 4Neither chamber scheduled | |||
5Neither chamber scheduled | 6Neither chamber scheduled | 7Neither chamber scheduled | 8Neither chamber scheduled | 9Neither chamber scheduled | 10Neither chamber scheduled | 11Neither chamber scheduled |
12Neither chamber scheduled | 13House in session; Senate expected | 14House in session; Senate expected | 15House in session; Senate expected | 16House in session; Senate expected | 17Senate expected | 18Neither chamber scheduled |
19Neither chamber scheduled | 20House in session; Senate expected | 21House in session; Senate expected | 22House in session; Senate expected | 23House in session; Senate expected | 24Senate expected | 25Neither chamber scheduled |
26Neither chamber scheduled | 27Senate expected | 28Senate expected | 29Senate expected | 30Senate expected | 31Senate expected |
August
| S | M | T | W | T | F | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1Neither chamber scheduled | ||||||
2Neither chamber scheduled | 3Senate expected | 4Senate expected | 5Senate expected | 6Senate expected | 7Senate expected | 8Neither chamber scheduled |
9Neither chamber scheduled | 10Neither chamber scheduled | 11Neither chamber scheduled | 12Neither chamber scheduled | 13Neither chamber scheduled | 14Neither chamber scheduled | 15Neither chamber scheduled |
16Neither chamber scheduled | 17Neither chamber scheduled | 18Neither chamber scheduled | 19Neither chamber scheduled | 20Neither chamber scheduled | 21Neither chamber scheduled | 22Neither chamber scheduled |
23Neither chamber scheduled | 24Neither chamber scheduled | 25Neither chamber scheduled | 26Neither chamber scheduled | 27Neither chamber scheduled | 28Neither chamber scheduled | 29Neither chamber scheduled |
30Neither chamber scheduled | 31House in session |
September
| S | M | T | W | T | F | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1House in session | 2House in session | 3House in session | 4Neither chamber scheduled | 5Neither chamber scheduled | ||
6Neither chamber scheduled | 7Neither chamber scheduled | 8Neither chamber scheduled | 9Neither chamber scheduled | 10Neither chamber scheduled | 11Neither chamber scheduled | 12Neither chamber scheduled |
13Neither chamber scheduled | 14House in session; Senate expected | 15House in session; Senate expected | 16House in session; Senate expected | 17Senate expected | 18Senate expected | 19Neither chamber scheduled |
20Neither chamber scheduled | 21Neither chamber scheduled | 22Senate expected | 23Senate expected | 24Senate expected | 25Senate expected | 26Neither chamber scheduled |
27Neither chamber scheduled | 28Senate expected | 29Senate expected | 30Senate expected |
October
| S | M | T | W | T | F | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1Senate expected | 2Senate expected | 3Neither chamber scheduled | ||||
4Neither chamber scheduled | 5Neither chamber scheduled | 6Neither chamber scheduled | 7Neither chamber scheduled | 8Neither chamber scheduled | 9Neither chamber scheduled | 10Neither chamber scheduled |
11Neither chamber scheduled | 12Neither chamber scheduled | 13Neither chamber scheduled | 14Neither chamber scheduled | 15Neither chamber scheduled | 16Neither chamber scheduled | 17Neither chamber scheduled |
18Neither chamber scheduled | 19Neither chamber scheduled | 20Neither chamber scheduled | 21Neither chamber scheduled | 22Neither chamber scheduled | 23Neither chamber scheduled | 24Neither chamber scheduled |
25Neither chamber scheduled | 26Neither chamber scheduled | 27Neither chamber scheduled | 28Neither chamber scheduled | 29Neither chamber scheduled | 30Neither chamber scheduled | 31Neither chamber scheduled |
November
| S | M | T | W | T | F | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1Neither chamber scheduled | 2Neither chamber scheduled | 3Neither chamber scheduled | 4Neither chamber scheduled | 5Neither chamber scheduled | 6Neither chamber scheduled | 7Neither chamber scheduled |
8Neither chamber scheduled | 9House in session; Senate expected | 10House in session; Senate expected | 11House in session | 12House in session | 13Neither chamber scheduled | 14Neither chamber scheduled |
15Neither chamber scheduled | 16Senate expected | 17House in session; Senate expected | 18House in session; Senate expected | 19House in session; Senate expected | 20House in session; Senate expected | 21Neither chamber scheduled |
22Neither chamber scheduled | 23Neither chamber scheduled | 24Neither chamber scheduled | 25Neither chamber scheduled | 26Neither chamber scheduled | 27Neither chamber scheduled | 28Neither chamber scheduled |
29Neither chamber scheduled | 30House in session; Senate expected |
December
| S | M | T | W | T | F | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1House in session; Senate expected | 2House in session; Senate expected | 3House in session; Senate expected | 4Senate expected | 5Neither chamber scheduled | ||
6Neither chamber scheduled | 7Senate expected | 8House in session; Senate expected | 9House in session; Senate expected | 10House in session; Senate expected | 11House in session; Senate expected | 12Neither chamber scheduled |
13Neither chamber scheduled | 14House in session; Senate expected | 15House in session; Senate expected | 16House in session; Senate expected | 17House in session; Senate expected | 18Senate expected | 19Neither chamber scheduled |
20Neither chamber scheduled | 21Neither chamber scheduled | 22Neither chamber scheduled | 23Neither chamber scheduled | 24Neither chamber scheduled | 25Neither chamber scheduled | 26Neither chamber scheduled |
27Neither chamber scheduled | 28Neither chamber scheduled | 29Neither chamber scheduled | 30Neither chamber scheduled | 31Neither chamber scheduled |
House schedule, 2026
104 days in session across 21 session weeks. The longest break is 53 days, Sep 17 – Nov 8.
The House calendar lists the days the House is scheduled to meet for votes; every other day is a district work period, when members are home in their districts. It is set by the Majority Leader and was last revised Sep 16, 2026. The last scheduled day of 2026 is Thursday, December 17.
| Session week | Days | Then off until |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 6 – Jan 15 | 8 | Jan 20 |
| Jan 20 – Jan 23 | 4 | Feb 2 |
| Feb 2 – Feb 4 | 3 | Feb 9 |
| Feb 9 – Feb 12 | 4 | Feb 23 |
| Feb 23 – Feb 25 | 3 | Mar 3 |
| Mar 3 – Mar 5 | 3 | Mar 16 |
| Mar 16 – Mar 19 | 4 | Mar 24 |
| Mar 24 – Mar 27 | 4 | Apr 14 |
| Apr 14 – Apr 23 | 8 | Apr 27 |
| Apr 27 – Apr 30 | 4 | May 12 |
| May 12 – May 21 | 8 | Jun 2 |
| Jun 2 – Jun 11 | 8 | Jun 23 |
| Jun 23 – Jul 2 | 8 | Jul 13 |
| Jul 13 – Jul 16 | 4 | Jul 20 |
| Jul 20 – Jul 23 | 4 | Aug 31 |
| Aug 31 – Sep 3 | 4 | Sep 14 |
| Sep 14 – Sep 16 | 3 | Nov 9 |
| Nov 9 – Nov 12 | 4 | Nov 17 |
| Nov 17 – Nov 20 | 4 | Nov 30 |
| Nov 30 – Dec 3 | 4 | Dec 8 |
| Dec 8 – Dec 17 | 8 | No more days scheduled in 2026 |
Jan 6 – Jan 15
Then off until Jan 20
Jan 20 – Jan 23
Then off until Feb 2
Feb 2 – Feb 4
Then off until Feb 9
Feb 9 – Feb 12
Then off until Feb 23
Feb 23 – Feb 25
Then off until Mar 3
Mar 3 – Mar 5
Then off until Mar 16
Mar 16 – Mar 19
Then off until Mar 24
Mar 24 – Mar 27
Then off until Apr 14
Apr 14 – Apr 23
Then off until Apr 27
Apr 27 – Apr 30
Then off until May 12
May 12 – May 21
Then off until Jun 2
Jun 2 – Jun 11
Then off until Jun 23
Jun 23 – Jul 2
Then off until Jul 13
Jul 13 – Jul 16
Then off until Jul 20
Jul 20 – Jul 23
Then off until Aug 31
Aug 31 – Sep 3
Then off until Sep 14
Sep 14 – Sep 16
Then off until Nov 9
Nov 9 – Nov 12
Then off until Nov 17
Nov 17 – Nov 20
Then off until Nov 30
Nov 30 – Dec 3
Then off until Dec 8
Dec 8 – Dec 17
Last session week of 2026
Senate schedule, 2026
14 scheduled breaks. The longest is 33 days, Aug 10 – Sep 11.
The Senate publishes the opposite list: the periods it expects not to be in session, mostly state work periods. Any weekday outside them is a day the Senate expects to sit — 150 of them in 2026. The Senate regularly stays in longer to finish business, so treat these as the floor of its plans, not a promise.
| Dates | Days | Senate’s description |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 1 – Jan 2 | 2 | New Year's Day - Jan 1 |
| Jan 19 – Jan 23 | 5 | State Work Period |
| Feb 16 – Feb 20 | 5 | Presidents' Day - Feb 16 |
| Mar 30 – Apr 10 | 12 | State Work Period |
| May 4 – May 8 | 5 | State Work Period |
| May 25 – May 29 | 5 | State Work Period · Memorial Day - May 25 |
| Jun 19 | 1 | State Work Period · Juneteenth - Jun 19 |
| Jun 29 – Jul 10 | 12 | State Work Period · Independence Day - Jul 4 |
| Aug 10 – Sep 11 | 33 | State Work Period · Labor Day - Sep 7 |
| Sep 21 | 1 | No session |
| Oct 5 – Nov 6 | 33 | State Work Period · Columbus Day - Oct 12 |
| Nov 11 – Nov 13 | 3 | Veterans Day - Nov 11 |
| Nov 23 – Nov 27 | 5 | State Work Period · Thanksgiving - Nov 26 |
| Dec 21 – Dec 31 | 11 | State Work Period · Christmas Day - Dec 25 |
Jan 1 – Jan 2
New Year's Day - Jan 1
Jan 19 – Jan 23
State Work Period
Feb 16 – Feb 20
Presidents' Day - Feb 16
Mar 30 – Apr 10
State Work Period
May 4 – May 8
State Work Period
May 25 – May 29
State Work Period · Memorial Day - May 25
Jun 19
State Work Period · Juneteenth - Jun 19
Jun 29 – Jul 10
State Work Period · Independence Day - Jul 4
Aug 10 – Sep 11
State Work Period · Labor Day - Sep 7
Sep 21
No session
Oct 5 – Nov 6
State Work Period · Columbus Day - Oct 12
Nov 11 – Nov 13
Veterans Day - Nov 11
Nov 23 – Nov 27
State Work Period · Thanksgiving - Nov 26
Dec 21 – Dec 31
State Work Period · Christmas Day - Dec 25
How the congressional schedule works
Each chamber sets its own calendar. In the House the Majority Leader announces the year’s session days; the Senate posts its own tentative schedule of non-legislative periods. The two rarely line up exactly, which is why a bill can pass one chamber in a week the other is away.
Recesses are not vacations by design. The House calls its breaks district work periods and the Senate calls them state work periods — time members spend in town halls, meetings and casework at home. The longest break of an election year falls in the autumn: members are campaigning for the November election, and the chambers return afterwards for the lame-duck session.
Pro forma sessions fill some gaps. The Constitution bars either chamber from adjourning for more than three days without the other’s consent, so a chamber on break will often hold a brief pro forma sitting every few days. Those sittings are not on these calendars, but they do count as days in session in the official record — see how many days Congress works.
The 2027 congressional calendar
Neither chamber has published its 2027 schedule yet. For comparison, the Senate approved its 2026 schedule on Nov 21, 2025. This page adds each chamber’s 2027 calendar as soon as it is released.
2027 opens a new Congress: the 120th Congress convenes on January 3, 2027 — the date the Constitution sets unless Congress picks a different day by law — with the House electing a Speaker before anything else. Countdown to the new Congress.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Congress in session today?
The House is next scheduled to sit Monday, November 9. The Senate is in recess through Nov 6, expected back Monday, November 9. (As of Monday, October 5, 2026, from each chamber’s published schedule.)
When does Congress go back in session?
The House is next scheduled to sit Monday, November 9; the Senate is next expected Monday, November 9. Both schedules are tentative and can change.
How long is the Senate recess?
The Senate’s 2026 schedule lists 14 breaks. The longest runs Aug 10 – Sep 11 — 33 days. Most others are a single week around a federal holiday.
How many days is the House in session?
The House calendar schedules 104 session days in 2026, 20 of them still ahead as of Oct 5, 2026. The rest of the year is district work periods.
What is a district work period?
The House’s name for a recess: days the House is not scheduled to meet, when members work in their home districts. The Senate’s equivalent is a state work period.
Related Resources
How Many Days Does Congress Work?
Session days for every year since 1995 and every Congress — and whether Congress really works less than it used to.
What Is the Senate Voting On?
The Senate’s most recent roll-call votes — question, result and tally — from the official record, refreshed every 15 minutes.
What Is the Lame Duck Period?
Why there is a two-month gap between Election Day and the new Congress taking office on January 3.
What Number Congress Is This?
The current Congress, and every Congress since 1973 — party control, Speakers, laws passed and days in session.