7 key areas of legislative and policy successes by the ABA in the 116th Congress Image from Shutterstock.com. The first session of the 116th Congress started in 2019 with a politically divided government and the longest federal government shutdown in history. It ended with the impeachment of the president by the Democratic-led House of Representatives. The second session started in 2020 with the Republican-led Senate acquittal of the president, followed quickly by the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. The rapidly spreading virus compelled Congress to close its doors to the public, transformed daily life throughout the nation and dominated much of the legislative agenda for the remainder of the year. The 116th Congress ended with a presidential election, concerns over the peaceful transition of power, and a rush to fund the government for the remainder of FY 2021 and provide additional coronavirus relief prior to adjournment.