Bill Summary
This concurrent resolution outlines the process for the joint session of Congress to meet on January 6, 2025, to officially count and certify the electoral votes for President and Vice President of the United States. The session will be presided over by the President of the Senate, and two tellers from each chamber will be appointed to handle the electoral vote certificates. The votes will be presented and counted in alphabetical order by state. After the counting process, the President of the Senate will announce the results, which will serve as the official declaration of the elected individuals, and the outcomes will be recorded in the official journals of both the Senate and the House of Representatives.
Possible Impacts
The Concurrent Resolution you provided outlines the process for the joint session of Congress to count the electoral votes for the President and Vice President of the United States. Here are three examples of how this legislation could affect people:
1. **Electoral Transparency and Trust in the Election Process**: The formal counting of electoral votes in a public session reinforces the integrity and transparency of the electoral process. Citizens may feel more confident in the legitimacy of the election results knowing that there is an official procedure in place that is witnessed by representatives from both houses of Congress. This can help foster trust in democracy and encourage civic engagement among voters.
2. **Political Mobilization and Reactions**: The announcement of the electoral vote count is a critical moment that can mobilize supporters and opponents of the candidates. Depending on the outcome, individuals and groups may organize protests, celebrations, or other forms of political action. For example, if the outcome is contentious, it could lead to increased activism among citizens who feel strongly about the results, impacting community dynamics and public discourse.
3. **Impact on Legislative Agenda**: The outcome of the electoral vote count can significantly influence the legislative priorities and agenda of the new administration. Citizens may experience changes in policies that affect healthcare, education, or economic initiatives based on who becomes President and Vice President. This can directly affect people's lives, especially if there are major shifts in policy direction that impact social programs, taxation, or regulatory frameworks.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Con. Res. 2 Enrolled Bill (ENR)]
S.Con.Res.2
Agreed to January 3, 2025
One Hundred Nineteenth Congress
of the
United States of America
AT THE FIRST SESSION
Begun and held at the City of Washington on Friday,
the third day of January, two thousand and twenty five
Concurrent Resolution
Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring),
That the two Houses of Congress shall meet in the Hall of the House of
Representatives on Monday, the 6th day of January 2025, at 1 o'clock
post meridian, pursuant to the requirements of the Constitution and
laws relating to the election of President and Vice President of the
United States, and the President of the Senate shall be their Presiding
Officer; that two tellers shall be previously appointed by the
President of the Senate on the part of the Senate and two by the
Speaker on the part of the House of Representatives, to whom shall be
handed, as they are opened by the President of the Senate, all the
certificates and papers purporting to be certificates of the electoral
votes, which certificates and papers shall be opened, presented, and
acted upon in the alphabetical order of the States, beginning with the
letter ``A''; and said tellers, having then read the same in the
presence and hearing of the two Houses, shall make a list of the votes
as they shall appear from said certificates; and the votes having been
ascertained and counted in the manner and according to the rules by law
provided, the result of the same shall be delivered to the President of
the Senate, who shall thereupon announce the state of the vote, which
announcement shall be deemed a sufficient declaration of the persons,
if any, elected President and Vice President of the United States, and
together with a list of the votes, be entered on the Journals of the
two Houses.
Attest:
Secretary of the Senate.
Attest:
Clerk of the House of Representatives.