Monday Buzz: The Lame-Duck Congress Begins

Election Day has come and gone, the winners and losers have been announced, fingers have been pointed, and now Washington, DC, transitions to a lame-duck session of Congress.

And though many past lame-duck sessions have been relatively inactive, this year representatives face the challenge of keeping the government funded beyond December 11. Leaders in the House and Senate must determine whether to choose a continuing resolution or an omnibus bill, a decision that has big implications for organizations lobbying to get their interests funded.

“While both would keep the government running, there are big differences for the advocacy world. A continuing resolution would freeze funding in place, while an omnibus would allow for changes,” CQ Roll Call explains in its special report on the lame-duck session  (opens in a new tab). “Anybody with an interest in funding programs will be pushing for a bill and the flexibility it allows.”

CQ Roll Call‘s free primer provides a great starting point for understanding the final days of the polarized 113th Congress, and you can download it right here  (opens in a new tab).

Tweet of the Day

It’s time to keep the internet open and free. Read President Obama’s plan → http://t.co/3y3YLQD6MB  (opens in a new tab) #NetNeutrality  (opens in a new tab) pic.twitter.com/ifCoS1ty8j  (opens in a new tab)

— White House Archived (@ObamaWhiteHouse) November 10, 2014  (opens in a new tab)

The battle over net neutrality continues to escalate, and today the White House released its plan  (opens in a new tab) to ensure a “free and open internet” as the Federal Communications Commission tries to craft a proposal that will please all parties involved.

Other Good Reads

Is your association prepared for retirement? In a guest post on Chamber of Commerce consultant Frank Kenny’s blog, Christina Green lists three ways you can keep aging retirees  (opens in a new tab) involved and engaged in your community.

SoundCloud, meet LinkedIn. The digital audio service is now compatible with the popular social network’s publishing tools, giving you another opportunity to present your audio to audiences, as content marketer Ryan Hanley points out  (opens in a new tab).

Looking for inventive inspiration? YourStory reporter Alok Soni breaks down Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt’s five invention principles here  (opens in a new tab).

(f11photo/ThinkStock)