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How Government Works

From Election Night to the Oath: How a New Congress Actually Takes Its Seats

Winning a House or Senate race doesn't make you a member of Congress. Between Election Day and noon on January 3 there's a chain of certificates, a Clerk's list, an office lottery, a Speaker vote that must come first, and a constitutional clause that lets each chamber judge its own elections. Here's the whole handoff.

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Five explainers that make the rest of the desk easier to follow.

  1. Why Grocery Prices Don't Come Back DownMoney & Economy · 7 min readOverhead view of a supermarket produce department with long tables of colorful fruit and vegetables.
  2. How the Fed Actually Moves Your Interest RatesMoney & Economy · 8 min readTall fluted stone columns and arches along a grand classical facade in Washington, D.C.
  3. How Elections Are Actually CountedHow Government Works · 8 min read
  4. How Credit Bureaus Got to Know Everything About YouTech & Society · 8 min readServer racks tangled with network cables in a data center, a technician seen from behind.
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Money & Economy

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How Government Works

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Tech & Society

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Everyday Mysteries

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