Evening star., 1924-03-19
EARLIER CONGRESS
ASSEMBLY FAVORED
Norris Resolution for Change
: in Constitution Adopted
= by Senate.

The Norris resolution proposing an
amendment to the Constitution so
that a newly elected Congress shall
take office the first Monday. in jan
uary after its election and the
President and Vice President shall be
inaugurated the third Monday in jan
nary is now before the House for con-
sideration, having passed the Senate
yesterday by a vote of 63 to z.
1t must receive two-thlrds
vote in the House as well as in the
Senate before it can be submitted to
the states for ratification.
Senator Norris of Nebraska, repub-
lican, author Of the resolution, ex-
plains the provisions of the proposed
amendment as follows:
Will Function at Once.
First. The Congress elected in No
vember will go into office on the first
Monday in January following, and
session of Congress will then begin.
This means that as soon as Congress
IS elected it will commence its official
duties without delay instead of wait
ing thirteen months before its MEM
hcrs are actually sworn into office, as
under present conditions. This means
The abolishment of the so-called lame
duck Congress- The old Congress
viii have no session after the cleo
tion. Not only will the people be able
20 have their will expressed in the
election translated into law without
delay, but an old Congress which may
have been repudiated at the election
VIII have no further function to per-
form.
Second 1t abolishes the existing
short session. Under present conStitu-
tional provisions = Congress assemblies
in December after election and runs
until the 4th of March. when it expires
by limitation. 1t is in this So-called
short session of Congress that all kind
of jokers creep into the laws The
calendars of both houses are clogged,
and everybody knows that 1t is phys
ical impossibility to dispose of much
important legislation pending. 1t is in
the short session that bad laws are put
on the statute books and desirable legis-
alton lost in the rush. 1t is in the short
session that filibuSterS are effective, and
few determined men can block de-
~irable legislation simply by taking up
time.
Effect on Election.
Third. Under the present Constitu
ton if the people fail TO elect a PreSi-
dent and the election is thrown into the
House. it is the old Congress that elects
he President. and not the new. This
amendment will reverse conditions, and
IN such a case the President Will be
elected by the Congress fresh from the
people. Under present conditions a Con-
cress that may have been repudiated
elects President who holds office for
four years.
Fourth. Under the existing Con-
stitution if the people fail to elect
a President at the election, and it
IS thrown into the House and the
Senate, and if the House and Senate
should, under such conditions, fail
20 elect President. there is no pro-
vision of the Constitution which pro-
vides who shall be President and
there is no authority given to Con-
gress to provide by law who shall
be the acting President. This amend
lnent confers upon Congress the
power to provide by law VINO shall
act as President in such an ener-
gency."
Having disposed Of this resolution
the Senate took up without delay
resolution of Senator Wadsworth, re-
publican, New York, providing for
another constitutional amendment.
This resolution proposes that ratf-