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The Constitution (Article I, Section 4) originally provided that "The
Congress shall assemble at least once in every Year, and such Meeting
shall be on the first Monday in December, unless they shall by law appoint
a different day." Pursuant to a resolution of the Congress of the
Confederation in 1788, the first session of the First Congress under the
Constitution convened March 4, 1789. Up to and including May 20, 1820,
18 acts were passed providing for the meeting of Congress on other days
in the year. The first and second sessions of the First Congress were
held in New York City. Subsequently, Philadelphia was the meeting place
through the first session of the Sixth Congress and, since then, Congress
has covened in Washington, D.C. The 20th Amendment to the Constitution,
proclaimed as ratified February 6, 1933, established noon on the 3rd day
of January as the meeting date, unless the Congress by law appoints a
different day.
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