What Happens Now?

Dear John,

Now that the election is behind us, you may be wondering what happens in Washington, D.C., between now and Inauguration Day. New legislators are already on Capitol Hill for orientation, nominees to Cabinet positions are being named, and President Biden welcomed President-Elect Trump to the White House last week to discuss the peaceful transition of power from one administration to the next.

Congress is now in what is commonly called a “lame duck” session. The term lame duck is thought to have originated in 18th century London, referring to someone who could not pay his loans or a businessman who went bankrupt. Without wealth and power, they were like ducks whose wings had been clipped or injured in a traditional British hunt. President Lincoln likely was the first U.S. President to use the phrase when he said a “senator or representative out of business is sort of a lame duck.”

In modern times, a lame duck session occurs when the current session of Congress (the 118th) meets after an election has been held but before the new members are sworn in and the next session of Congress (the 119th) begins. Under the 20th Amendment to the Constitution ratified in 1933, the new session of Congress begins on January 3 after an election.

Because I have been re-elected, my job remains to represent you and the other constituents in Pennsylvania’s Sixth District, safeguarding your interests and supporting legislation to make you and your families’ lives better. The House is expected to take a number of votes in the coming weeks, including funding the government beyond December 20, and I will be here to address these matters on behalf of our community.

As I have done almost monthly since my very first term as our community’s Representative, I will be hosting a town hall on November 21. Click here to RSVP to attend. We’re keeping the agenda loose and inviting you to call in with questions you may have. Due to Ethics Committee rules, our Town Halls are “official business” of Congress, so I cannot talk specifically about campaign-related topics (but there are still a lot of official issues to discuss!). Please join us!

Here are the details of the event:

Who: Chrissy Houlahan – PA-06 Congresswoman

What: Questions for Chrissy Telephone Town Hall

When: Thursday, November 21 from 12 to 12:45 p.m.

How: Dial (855) 731-4616 or listen in at houlahan.house.gov/live

RSVP: Answer the one-question survey below or click here to RSVP and let us know if you're attending!*

Will you be participating in my 92nd town hall?

Yes, I plan to participate!

Sorry, I cannot attend.

*Thank you for RSVPing – we will send helpful reminders, including the dial-in phone number, to your email before the event.

News From The White House

Last week, President Biden announced that the Department of Veterans Affairs is expanding the types of cancers covered under the PACT Act. (The PACT Act is legislation Biden signed in 2022 to expand healthcare services to veterans exposed to toxic substances.) The VA will add bladder and ureter cancers, multiple myeloma, and leukemias to the list of covered conditions. The VA will also proceed with an accelerated review to address veterans deployed to Karshi-Khanabad in Uzbekistan who have been diagnosed with rare conditions believed to be related to the contaminants found at K2. “We want to honor you; we want to have your back,” President Biden said to veterans who have suffered as a result of such exposures. Learn more here.

How we helped a community member in need

We recently helped Barbara from Coatesville recover her late son’s tax refund after she had exhausted all options with the IRS. If Barbara’s story sounds familiar to you, please don’t hesitate to contact our office for help with the IRS or another federal agency.

Serving as our community's representative is the honor of my lifetime, and I hope to hear from you soon about any issue that concerns you.

As always, please contact my office if you need assistance.

Be well, and see you soon!

Chrissy Houlahan

U.S. Member of Congress

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