The decision of the Democrat- controlled 96th Congress, now in recess, to hold so many major bills for a post-election (lameduck) session leaves voters with some questions to ponder, including: – Why delay until after the five-week election break such vital economic issues as final approval of the fiscal 1981 federal budget which under law should have been accomplished by Sept. 157 – Why the break with tradition? Congress hasn’t had a lame-duck session in a presidential year since 1948 – more than three decades ago. (The most recent lameduck gathering was in 1974 when lawmakers returned after election to consider emergency energy legislation.) – How much truth is there in charges by Republicans that the majority party arranged the lameduck session as a political maneuver to stall sensitive decisions until after the election? The budget probably is the most controversial issue held over for the lameduck session which will begin Nov. 12. Sharply condemning the delay, as Congress recessed Oct. 2, Senate Minority Leader Howard Baker Jr.. R-Tenn, said Democrats have “postponed the evil day when they have to face up to the fact that they’ve got a $60 billion deficit after promising to balance the budget this year.” Last January. President Carter submitted a proposed $615,8 billion budget with a $15.8 billion deficit. Spurred by public pressure, Congress later combined ‘cost-cutting and tax revenue escalation to produce a proposed balanced budget. Warnings by many lawmakers at that time that the balancing act was artificial have proved prophetic. Today a deficit is a foregone conclusion. How much red ink? The administration at one time indicated about $30 billion. Baker has predicted $60 billion. With extra recession spending he could be closer to being right. Among other vital issues held over for the lameduck session are the $6.5 billion revenue – sharing program for state and local govemments, which expired Sept. 30; and appropriation measures to finance the government beyond the Dec. 15 cutoff set by an emergency spending bill passed just before the election recess. Also bills to protect 100 million acres of Alaska lands, to extend the unemployment checks period for jobless workers, to overhaul the U.S. criminal code, and to consider taxcut legislation. Among lawmakers returning for the lameduck session likely will be many defeated candidates, along with the more than 40 House and Senate members who plan to retire. Voters, at the Nov. 4 election, will fill all 435 House seats and 34 of the 100 senate seats. Democrats have held majority control of both chambers for the past quarter century. Lameduck sessions may be useful – even necessary. But such sessions are more for housekeeping and other routine measures not the vital issues and especially not for action on the budget which should be out of the way much earlier. Our lawmakers should respect the deadlines of the budget law and the public is entitled to know on schedule what’s in store, especially in view of the consistent red-ink spending record which has pushed the nation debt past the $900 billion mark!