Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced Tuesday that he’s canceled the chamber’s traditional August recess, citing Democrats’ “obstruction” and the need to pass spending bills.
In a brief written statement, he said: “Senators should expect to remain in session in August to pass legislation, including appropriations bills, and to make additional progress on the president’s nominees.”
McConnell’s announcement had been expected, as he’s faced pressure for weeks from fellow Republicans to keep members in session over the hot summer stretch.
Their appeal focused on the need to wrap up spending bills and confirm President Trump’s nominees to various positions. McConnell cited exactly that in his statement Tuesday.
“Due to the historic obstruction by Senate Democrats of the president’s nominees, and the goal of passing appropriations bills prior to the end of the fiscal year, the August recess has been canceled,” McConnell said.
But the decision also keeps lawmakers in Washington during a critical period in the runup to November’s midterm elections — a controversial move.
On one hand, the recess cancellation allows senators of both parties to show they’re working hard. But Democrats may suggest there’s an ulterior motive — as it keeps several endangered members of their party off the campaign trail.
Republicans hold a narrow, 51-49 edge in the Senate. With a third of those seats up for election this fall, a staggering 24 of them are held by Democrats.
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The Dems aren’t going to like this – having to stay through August and do some actual work instead of campaigning for a month, but they brought it on themselves by stalling and obstructing Trump’s nominees.
According to Fox, there are still 148 federal judicial vacancies, while 76 are pending nominations. Congress is notorious for putting things off until the last minute, and that combined with the Dems’ stall tactics, means nothing is getting done in the Senate.
Last time McConnell did this, they worked about a week in August and shoved through 77 nominees in record time. My guess is that things speed up considerably in June and July so they get their month off.
Will Paul Ryan do the same thing in the House? He should.
~Kathy
Categories: Political
Pesky Truth 
I don’t care why. He did. And my guess is it isn’t just to complete the President’s judicial appointments.
He knows the big blue wave has morphed into a trickle. A little help from him could really help the GOP win some of those 25 seats.
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For the record, I dislike McConnell more than the Philidelphia Eagles dislike President Trump, so you can view my comment through that lens. It’s about freaking time that McConnell do something, he’s been sitting on his fat ass almost as much as Jeff Sessions (maybe they’ve been together?). It’s actually time for the Republicans in the Senate to do something that we sent them there to do – like get those nominations approved and pass some spending legislation.
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It’s been said that McConnell did this to prevent Trump from making recess appointments, but since it would be the same candidates, Trump wins either way. If he did this to stymie the Dems August campaigns, then he gave them too much advance warning. All they have to do now is put June and July on fast forward and they still get their August time off. His effectiveness as a leader is still at rock bottom.
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Kudos to McConnell for making a smart move. We need to be smart to fight this war.
P.S.
If Democrats still want their recess it’s okay with me if they don’t show up.
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Yes, for once McConnell listened to the suggestion from some of the more conservative senators and went with it. His motivation is probably payback to the Dems for stalling so much, and that’s unusual – rarely do they play dirty too.
There are 10 Dem senate seats up for reelection in November in states Trump won, so I’m betting those guys will disappear in August regardless. Ok by me.
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