At the end of every two-year session, Congress adjourns “sine die,” or “without day,” and does not reconvene until a new Congress starts. (In 2021 period, both of those things are happening on Sunday, January 3).
After that, the slate is wiped clean; there is no business pending. All of the “H.R.” and “S.” numbered titles that have been discussed and debated for the past two years will be archived.
When Congress reconvenes, the process starts all over again. Bills are introduced and given a chronological number and there is always a flurry of activity in the first few weeks. In 2019, over 300 bills were introduced on the first day of the Congressional session. (Source Congress.gov.)
Some Members of Congress are methodical about bill reintroduction. For years, Rep. Rob Woodall [R, GA] would introduce his “Fair Tax Act” in a way that would him the same bill number — H.R. 25 — each session. (We will wait to see if another lawmaker takes up the “H.R. 25” mantle now that Rep. Woodall has retired.)
Bills that were sponsored by members who do not return are essentially orphans, waiting for someone to take them up and commit to introducing them. In some cases, sponsors who know they are not returning will hand over a bill to a colleague to champion and sponsor in future sessions.
Even for bills with returning sponsors, the RE-introduction process can take a while. Most offices plan out their legislative agenda ahead of time, and will want plenty of time to build support and plan a press strategy for reintroduction. Some bills may not be reintroduced for many months, or even until the second session (the second year) of the new Congress. This slow process is frustrating for individuals and organizations trying to build support for a particular issue. The main vehicle for making progress on an issue is showing support in the form of co-sponsorships by other Members of Congress. Organizations rally their lists and volunteers to ask their legislators to sign on to this or that bill. They arrange phone-banking, fly-ins, and district office visits; but all of this needs to be focused around a specific bill.
Many advocates turn their attention early in the new Congress to pushing for “reintroduction” of bills they support. This is an opportunity to rally original cosponsors and build momentum for a bill’s new life in the 117th Congress. For orphan bills, this is an opportunity for supporters to catch the eye of potential sponsors.
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