The Lame Duck Congress
Encyclopedia
"The Lame Duck Congress" is the 28th episode of The West Wing
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Congress roll forward, Sam discvoers that an active opponent of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty is going to be on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and the staff considers calling for a special session to try and pass the treaty because it has no chance under the new Congress. Toby leads the effort but is caught short when a defeated Democratic Senator makes it clear why he cannot support the treaty, even though he was the primary architect of it. Leo and C.J. have to do some fancy diplomatic footwork when a very pro-Western but equally pro-alcohol Ukrainian politician shows up at the White House demanding to meet with the President. Sam responds to Leo's new guideline for shorter policy summaries by working with Ainsley Hayes on a plan to prevent small-business fraud, but she impresses Sam so much he adopts all of her ideas and sends the plan forward to Leo and the President.
, placing this episode in November 2000, following the midterm election in Bartlet's first term as President.
The West Wing (TV series)
The West Wing is an American television serial drama created by Aaron Sorkin that was originally broadcast on NBC from September 22, 1999 to May 14, 2006...
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Plot
As the last days of the lame-duckLame duck (politics)
A lame duck is an elected official who is approaching the end of his or her tenure, and especially an official whose successor has already been elected.-Description:The status can be due to*having lost a re-election bid...
Congress roll forward, Sam discvoers that an active opponent of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty is going to be on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and the staff considers calling for a special session to try and pass the treaty because it has no chance under the new Congress. Toby leads the effort but is caught short when a defeated Democratic Senator makes it clear why he cannot support the treaty, even though he was the primary architect of it. Leo and C.J. have to do some fancy diplomatic footwork when a very pro-Western but equally pro-alcohol Ukrainian politician shows up at the White House demanding to meet with the President. Sam responds to Leo's new guideline for shorter policy summaries by working with Ainsley Hayes on a plan to prevent small-business fraud, but she impresses Sam so much he adopts all of her ideas and sends the plan forward to Leo and the President.
Timeline
The outgoing congress is identified as the 106th United States Congress106th United States Congress
The One Hundred Sixth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1999 to January 3, 2001, during the last two...
, placing this episode in November 2000, following the midterm election in Bartlet's first term as President.