House leaders canceled planned legislative work for the final two weeks of September while leaving members on 48-hour notice to return, even as Congress faces unresolved disputes over a $95 billion reconciliation package, government surveillance and a national debt that has surpassed $40 trillion.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
The House will not hold scheduled votes during the final two weeks of September unless lawmakers are called back to Washington on short notice, leadership announced Thursday, effectively ending the chamber’s planned legislative calendar for the month while several major disputes remain unresolved.
The House had originally been expected to work during both the opening and closing portions of September.
Instead, House Majority Whip Tom Emmer’s office informed members that votes are not currently anticipated during the weeks of Sept. 21 and Sept. 28.
“Members are advised that votes are not expected in the House during the weeks of September 21st and September 28th,” Emmer’s office said. “Pending Senate adoption of H. Con. Res. 113, votes are possible in the House during the weeks of September 21st and 28th, and Members will be given at least 48 hours’ notice prior to any votes.”
The altered schedule comes as lawmakers prepare for the final stretch before the midterm elections and as House Republicans continue pressing the Senate to act on legislation already approved by the lower chamber.
Speaker Mike Johnson defended the House’s record, saying members have passed hundreds of measures that remain awaiting Senate consideration.
“I’ll point out that there’s almost 600 pieces of that landmark legislation that are still sitting over in the other chamber in the Senate. So, we need to get more and more of that done through both chambers so we can get them to the President’s desk. This Congress has done phenomenal work and the members are wrestling a lot of different priorities right now,” Johnson said.
He also acknowledged that campaigning is becoming a larger factor in the House calendar as members return to their districts ahead of November.
“Of course we’re in the middle of a critical midterm election,” the speaker continued. “Many of them want and need to be in their districts working with their constituents and running their campaigns and so we’re trying to balance all those interests and needs right now. We still have a lot more left to do in this Congress and a lot more we’d like to do. We’re sending out a notice this morning about the schedule for the end of September and we’re on a 48-hour notice to get back here for those last two weeks if the Senate will move some of these big products that are still awaiting action over there.”
Among the biggest outstanding issues is a $95 billion reconciliation package that House Republicans want the Senate to approve before October.
Senate Republicans, however, have raised concerns about the House-passed version, while some senators have threatened to withhold action until Congress first approves a stopgap government-funding measure.
House leaders had been expected to increase pressure on the Senate to move the package.
The Senate is not scheduled to return from its August recess until Sept. 14, leaving lawmakers with a compressed period to resolve differences over the budget resolution before the end of the month.
The House’s abbreviated calendar also comes after the national debt moved above $40 trillion.
Members of Congress have publicly expressed alarm over the mounting debt even as lawmakers from both parties have supported major spending measures that added to federal obligations.
Among the legislation cited in the debate are the $3.4 trillion One Big, Beautiful Bill and the $370 billion Inflation Reduction Act.
Surveillance policy is another issue that remains unfinished.
Despite growing criticism of automated license-plate readers and other surveillance systems, Congress has not enacted a broad prohibition on technologies such as Flock Safety cameras.
Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., introduced legislation that would withhold federal funding from local governments and police agencies that use Flock cameras and automated license-plate readers.
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., has said she intends to introduce legislation banning the cameras, though no such measure had been introduced.
Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., introduced the Protection Against Mass Surveillance Act in July.
His legislation would prohibit federal agencies from purchasing or operating Flock cameras or other automated surveillance systems that “identify, track, or record individuals.”
None of those efforts had produced a comprehensive congressional ban before House leaders announced the reduced September schedule.
Republicans were also forced to navigate internal opposition this week over the continuing resolution.
Five House Republicans voted against a procedural rule Tuesday in protest of provisions in the CR, including a delay in implementing a ban on hemp THC products.
Two Democrats supported the rule, allowing it to pass.
Failure of the rule would have brought floor activity to a halt and disrupted leadership’s legislative plans.
The procedural fight illustrated the narrow margins House leaders continue to face as they attempt to move spending and budget legislation before members leave Washington to campaign.
Johnson said lawmakers could still be summoned back during the final two weeks of September if the Senate takes action on major pending legislation.
For now, however, the House calendar leaves members away from Washington during a period in which the chamber still faces unresolved questions involving federal spending, the $40 trillion national debt, government surveillance and negotiations with the Senate over reconciliation.
The 48-hour recall provision leaves leadership with the option of restarting legislative work quickly, but absent Senate movement on the outstanding measures, House members are expected to spend the final weeks of September in their districts rather than voting in Washington.
Original article
Comments