Sen. David Perdue, R-Ga., called Tuesday for the Senate to cancel the August recess so the chamber can remain in session to confirm nominees and pass legislation.
“We have a number of senators who will submit a letter to [Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.] later this week … and that letter will basically, again, encourage the leader to keep us here weekends, on Mondays and Fridays when necessary, and certainly in the August break if we haven’t funded the government by then,” Perdue said at a press conference.
Perdue, joined by Marc Short, the White House director of legislative affairs, and conservative leaders, hit Senate Democrats for their “clear and abusive obstructionism” in blocking nominees.
A group of GOP senators sent a similar letter to McConnell last year imploring their colleagues to remain in town during the August recess, Perdue said.
He also floated the idea of eliminating the 30-hour rule just as Senate Democrats eliminated the 60-vote threshold for federal judges and Senate Republicans did for Supreme Court nominees.
Perdue added the Senate should pass a government funding package prior to the August recess to ensure President Trump is not put in the same spot he was in March when he begrudgingly signed the omnibus spending deal to avoid a partial government shutdown.
He noted there are only 69 Senate work days between now and Sept. 30 — the end of the fiscal year — including Mondays and Fridays. The Senate is usually in session four days a week before lawmakers return to their home state.
Meanwhile, Short told reporters the White House is backing Perdue’s push to cancel the August recess, particularly due to the nominations backlog.
“Our hope is that the Senate will actually get its work done before the August recess. It’s a support for Sen. Perdue’s efforts here … so that we’re not faced with that position,” Short said. “If we reach August and we’re still not completed appropriations work and have not confirmed our nominees, then of course we would like to see that Congress stay here and continue to do its work.”
