by the 1930s, a railroad passenger could cross the country in 3 days. the post office had been using airmail since 1918. but vastly improved travel times and communications were not the only reasons behind the twentieth amendment. the joint resolution calling for the amendment was sponsored by republican senator george william norris of nebraska. called the "lame duck" amendment, it acquired this name because norris wanted to eliminate the lame-duck sessions of congress where outgoing members still held office and voted on bills for several months before the new members could be sworn in. the bill he wrote applied to both houses of congress, the offices of president and vice-president.