Reid Threatens to Cut Into August Recess If Necessary
CQ – Majority Leader Harry Reid threatened Tuesday to keep the Senate in session for an extra week in August if there is not sufficient action on a mounting legislative backlog.
The Senate is currently slated to be in session through the first week of August. Reid’s comments made it clear he is willing to keep senators in town through Aug. 14.
“I also told my caucus . . . the first week of our vacation in August, don’t put family vacations in there or something that you can’t get out of, because we may have to be here,” the Nevada Democrat said.
Several Democrats emerged from the party’s weekly caucus lunch expressing strong support for Reid’s effort, even if it means shortening the break, which stretches into September. “We’ll be here until we get the work done. Harry Reid is saying that if we don’t get our work in, that we will have to stay in,” said Jon Tester of Montana.
“We’re going to have to stay here as long as it takes us to get the job done. We’re going to have to stay late and keep working,” said Sherrod Brown of Ohio.
