The next time Congress meets depends on whether you mean the House, the Senate, and whether you are asking about a specific date or the general schedule. As of January 2026, both chambers are already in their 2026 “second session,” with published calendars that show when they are in and out of session throughout the year.

Key dates for early 2026

  • The 119th Congress second session formally convened in early January 2026; the House calendars show legislative business scheduled the first week of January, including a meeting day on Tuesday, January 6, 2026.
  • The Senate’s official tentative schedule states: “2nd Session Convenes – January 5, 2026.”
  • From these calendars, Congress is already meeting in January; “when will Congress meet again” after any given recess depends on the specific break shown in the combined House–Senate calendars for 2026.

How to find the exact “next” meeting

Because Congress can adjust its schedule, the most precise way to see the very next meeting date is:

  1. Check the House daily calendar for the latest legislative day (for example, the House calendar page dated January 6, 2026 shows the chamber meeting at 6:30 p.m.).
  1. Check the Senate 2026 schedule PDF , which marks in‑session vs. non‑session days (red days are “not in session”).
  1. Use a consolidated 2026 congressional calendar (from public policy or lobbying firms) that overlays House and Senate days in session; these tools show at a glance which days both chambers are in Washington.

If you share today’s exact date and which chamber you care about (House, Senate, or both), an exact “next meeting” day can be pinpointed from those calendars.