Something Different: Five-Day Work Weeks Looming for Congress
Now that the easy stuff is out of the way — children’s health insurance, a huge economic stimulus bill, credit card regulation — Democratic leaders in Congress are warning members to expect long days and full work weeks going forward.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid , D-Nev., said Thursday that starting next month, roll-call votes will occur virtually every day through Aug. 7, as lawmakers push through stacks of bills before their August recess. That’s a distinct change from the usual Tuesday through Thursday pattern followed by both chambers.
And from now to the Fourth of July break, Reid said he wants the Senate to pass at least two of its 12 annual spending bills, a separate war funding measure and a bill to allow the Food and Drug Administration to regulate tobacco products.
July is likely to feature more appropriations bills, health care legislation and the annual defense authorization bill that sets policy on military force levels and weapons systems.
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