When
Democrats seized the majority in Congress, the world turned upside
down. One of the big changes instituted was a requirement that the
House actually work five days each week. As the Washington Post reported:
Hoyer and other Democratic leaders say they are trying to repair the
image of Congress, which was so anemic this year it could not meet a
basic duty: to approve spending bills that fund government. By the time
the gavel comes down on the 109th Congress on Friday, members will have
worked a total of 103 days. That's seven days fewer than the infamous
"Do-Nothing Congress" of 1948.
Well, it hasn't turned out all that well. The House and Senate are still unable to pass the basic appropriations bills
to fund the government--more than two months after the start of the new
fiscal year. And now, House Democrats have decided not only to ditch
the five-day work week for the year ahead, but to actually work fewer
days than normal. According to Roll Call:
House Democrats have circulated a draft 2008 legislative calendar
and vote schedule, reflecting a somewhat lighter workload that is
traditional in an election year...
According to the draft, the House would be scheduled for just three
five-day workweeks next year--one each in March, June and August.
The surprising thing here is that the 5-day workweek generally
extends from Monday at 6:30 pm to Friday around 2:00. A 3-day workweek
runs from Tuesday evening through Thursday.
Do Democrats really anticipate accomplishing so little next year?