Source: Fox News
Summary
The House and Senate have been holding “pro forma” sessions every three days, as required by the Constitution, but without conducting any legislative business. These sessions are brief, lasting only a few minutes, and are usually attended by only one or two lawmakers. The purpose of these sessions is to prevent the President from making recess appointments. Recent pro forma sessions have been closely watched due to the ongoing DHS shutdown, but no legislative business has been conducted. The House and Senate have failed to agree on an adjournment resolution, leading to the need for these pro forma sessions.
Our Reading
As expected, the matter has reached another stage.
The House and Senate have been holding pro forma sessions, but they are not just routine exercises. The presence of the Majority or Minority Leader on the floor during a pro forma session is nearly unprecedented. The drama was higher this past Thursday morning, with House Speaker Mike Johnson reversing himself and consenting to the Senate-passed bill. However, the House took no action, and DHS remains shut down. It turns out that all of these high-profile pro forma sessions were just bona fide pro forma sessions. Nil actum est. Congress didn’t accomplish anything. Again.
The pro forma sessions have become a performance, with lawmakers and reporters going through the motions. The brief sessions are a reminder that, despite the drama, nothing is actually happening.
Author: Evan Null
