Reference
When Does the New Congress Start?
Under the 20th Amendment, a new Congress convenes at noon on January 3 in every odd-numbered year. The next one — the 120th Congress — is scheduled to convene on January 3, 2027.
120th Congress Convenes · January 3, 2027
Quick Answer
- Next Convening Date
- January 3, 2027 (120th Congress) — noon, per the 20th Amendment
- Set By
- The 20th Amendment, unless Congress passes a law appointing a different day
- Heads Up
- January 3, 2027 falls on a Sunday — see the caveat below before treating this as certain
- First Order of Business
- The House elects a Speaker before any member is sworn in
- Gap Since Election Day
- About two months — the lame-duck period
Why January 3?
Before 1933, newly elected members of Congress didn't take office until March 4 of the following year — leaving outgoing, often defeated members in office for four months after voters had replaced them. The 20th Amendment, ratified in 1933, shortened that gap by fixing the new Congress's start date at noon on January 3, unless Congress itself passes a law setting a different day. The roughly two months between Election Day and January 3 is now called the lame-duck period.
Could the Date Move for the 120th Congress?
It's possible but not the base case. A weekend convening date isn't itself a problem — the Constitution doesn't require a weekday, and Congress convened without incident on Sunday, January 3, 2021. The 2015 move to January 6 was a choice, not a requirement: leadership judged that starting on a Tuesday made more practical sense than a Saturday start. Whether the 119th Congress makes the same choice for 2027 is a decision that hasn't been made as of this writing (August 2026) — if it happens, it will be a specific joint resolution passed and signed into law before the end of the 119th Congress.
What Happens on Convening Day
- The House elects a Speaker first. Before any House member is sworn in, the chamber votes for Speaker — see how the Speaker is elected for the mechanics and what happens if that vote takes more than one ballot.
- Members are sworn in en masse. Once a Speaker is elected, the Speaker administers the oath of office to the entire House at once. In the Senate, the Vice President (or President Pro Tempore) swears in senators directly — the Senate doesn't need to elect anyone first.
- The House adopts its rules. Each new Congress operates under its own rules package, readopted (often with changes) at the start of every two-year term.
The Gap Since Election Day
Members elected in November don't take office right away. The roughly two-month window between Election Day and January 3 is the lame-duck period — the outgoing Congress, including members who lost their races, remains fully in office and can still pass legislation, confirm nominees, and conduct business until the new Congress is sworn in.
When Committee Assignments Follow
Party leadership positions and committee chairs are typically settled in the weeks before a new Congress convenes, decided in closed-door party conference and caucus votes during the lame-duck period. Full committee-assignment resolutions, however, are formally adopted by each chamber over the weeks after convening day — the House typically finalizes its committee rosters within the first few weeks of January, with the Senate often following somewhat later. See the current House and Senate leadership rosters.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the new Congress sworn in?
The 20th Amendment sets the new Congress's convening date at noon on January 3, unless Congress passes a law appointing a different day. The 120th Congress is scheduled to convene at noon on January 3, 2027 — though that date falls on a Sunday, and Congress has moved the date before (to January 6 in 2015) when January 3 fell on a weekend. As of this writing, no law has changed the 2027 date.
When will the 120th Congress be sworn in?
The 120th Congress is scheduled to convene on January 3, 2027. Senators are sworn in by the Vice President; House members are sworn in together by the newly elected Speaker, after the House votes on who that Speaker will be.
120th Congress start date — is January 3, 2027 certain?
It is the default date under the 20th Amendment, but not guaranteed. January 3, 2027 falls on a Sunday. In 2021, the last time January 3 fell on a Sunday, Congress convened on schedule anyway. In 2015, when January 3 fell on a Saturday, Congress instead passed a law moving its convening date to January 6. Whether the 119th Congress does the same for 2027 was undecided as of August 2026 — check for a joint resolution closer to the date.
Why is there a gap between the election and the new Congress starting?
The roughly two-month gap between Election Day (early November) and January 3 is called the lame-duck period. It gives states time to certify results and winners time to prepare for office, while the outgoing Congress remains fully in office and able to legislate.
What is the first thing the new Congress does?
The House's first order of business is electing a Speaker — no House member is sworn in until that vote is settled. The Senate, which doesn't need to elect a presiding officer first, swears in its new and returning members directly.