House GOP leaders told lawmakers Wednesday to prepare to work during the August recess if the Senate is able to pass a healthcare bill in July.
The announcement comes a day after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., announced the upper chamber will remain in session until Aug. 11, two weeks into the traditional summer recess.
The House is prepared to stay in session as well, but only under certain conditions.
Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy outlined two August scenarios for lawmakers during a closed-door meeting in the Capitol, a source in the room told the Washington Examiner.
The House could remain in session into August if the Senate passes a bill to repeal and replace Obamacare late in the month, McCarthy said.
Senate passage would require approval by the House in order to send the legislation to President Trump’s desk.
But, the Senate has so far been unable to come to an agreement on a bill and McCarthy, R-Calif., told lawmakers he would not make them stick around waiting for the Senate to act if passage in July appears unlikely.
However, if the Senate passes a measure in August, House lawmakers would be called back from the recess to work on clearing the bill, McCarthy told lawmakers.
They would be given several days notice to return from vacations, district work and congressional delegations.
Republican lawmakers in both the House and Senate have called on GOP leaders to cancel the August recess to allow more time to tackle the lapsing Republican agenda.
“There are too many unresolved issues before Congress including tax reform, healthcare, the debt ceiling, government funding, and more to leave Washington before the people’s work is done,” the conservative House Freedom Caucus said in a statement Tuesday. “It is imperative that the additional weeks are coupled with decisive action.”
