A major winter storm will envelop the DC region on Monday bringing heavy snow that could pile up to a foot in some areas.
As the snow is falling outside, members of Congress are expected to be inside the U.S. Capitol certifying Donald Trump as winner of the 2024 presidential election.
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House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has a message for his colleagues: You’re not getting a snow day.
“We got a big snowstorm coming to D.C., and we encourage all of our colleagues do not leave town, stay here, because, as you know, the Electoral Count Act requires this on Jan. 6 at 1 p.m., so whether we’re in a blizzard or not, we’re going to be in that chamber making sure this is done,” Johnson told NBC News.
The Electoral Count Act states that Congress must be in session on January 6 and a joint session – the House and Senate together – are required to meet at 1 p.m. That session must be presided over the President of the Senate which is Vice President Kamala Harris.
Technically, the count must begin on January 6, but doesn’t have to be concluded on that date. When the Insurrection took place on Jan. 6, 2021, Congress delayed finishing the count until early in the morning on January 7. Regardless, Congress must stay in session until the count is complete.
While members can be absent for the vote, leaders would want a majority of the House and Senate present to avoid procedural objections to the basic rules for holding a vote – not the certification of the electoral college votes.
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Congress was in session on Friday so many members likely remained in DC over the weekend. House Republicans also held a retreat nearby on Saturday, according to NBC News.
Luckily for congressional members and their staff, there’s expected to be a lull in the snow in the late morning so getting to Capitol Hill might be a little easier.
