A group of Senate Republicans on Tuesday repeated their demand that the GOP leadership cancel the August recess in order to advance the party’s agenda.
Eight lawmakers, many of them newly elected, said the typical three-day Senate schedule coupled with a five week August recess will leave the GOP without enough time to take up a budget, reform the tax code, vote on an infrastructure bill and advance other important legislation, such as healthcare reform.
“I’m urging the leadership to keep us here,” said Sen. Luther Strange, R-Ala., who took office earlier this year.
The senators sent a letter to Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., urging him to forgo the traditional August recess. They also met with McConnell to discuss the proposal.
The senators said Tuesday they hear from constituents who tell they are looking for productivity in Congress.
“Most of us are new,” said Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D. “So, we are very close to what people back home are telling us. And they expect results up here.”
Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, acknowledged that the August recess has for decades been considered untouchable, but this year it should be different because the GOP has limited time to move an agenda.
Senate Republicans are currently struggling to pass a bill to repeal and replace Obamacare and are aiming to next take up tax reform. Lawmakers must also pass spending bills and major legislation reauthorizing both the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Flood Insurance Program.
Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin has asked lawmakers to pass a debt ceiling increase by the August recess.
“What we are running out of is time,” Sullivan said. “We can create more time. We can do that. What should be more sacred, in our view, is getting things done.”
