The Washington Post reports this morning on a significant change that Democratic control of the 110th Congress will bring.
This extended work schedule will be crucial to ensuring that some of the most popular 100-hour Democratic agenda items get passed. It's also a breath of fresh air after a Congress that worked fewer days than the do-nothing congress that Harry Truman ran against in 1948. Naturally, all the Congressmen will be pleased to have the chance to do the work their constituents actually elected them to do right? As it turns out, not so much.
Aww, poor baby. The five day work week "eats away at families," huh? Well I'm sure Mr. Kingston will immediately be introducing legislation guaranteeing a 3-day work week to all Americans since his party is so "pro-family."
Forget the minimum wage. Or outsourcing jobs overseas. The labor issue most on the minds of members of Congress yesterday was their own: They will have to work five days a week starting in January.
The horror.
Rep. Steny H. Hoyer, the Maryland Democrat who will become House majority leader and is writing the schedule for the next Congress, said members should expect longer hours than the brief week they have grown accustomed to.
"I have bad news for you," Hoyer told reporters. "Those trips you had planned in January, forget 'em. We will be working almost every day in January, starting with the 4th."
The reporters groaned. "I know, it's awful, isn't it?" Hoyer empathized.
For lawmakers, it is awful, compared with what they have come to expect. For much of this election year, the legislative week started late Tuesday and ended by Thursday afternoon -- and that was during the relatively few weeks the House wasn't in recess.
Next year, members of the House will be expected in the Capitol for votes each week by 6:30 p.m. Monday and will finish their business about 2 p.m. Friday, Hoyer said.
This extended work schedule will be crucial to ensuring that some of the most popular 100-hour Democratic agenda items get passed. It's also a breath of fresh air after a Congress that worked fewer days than the do-nothing congress that Harry Truman ran against in 1948. Naturally, all the Congressmen will be pleased to have the chance to do the work their constituents actually elected them to do right? As it turns out, not so much.
"Keeping us up here eats away at families," said Rep. Jack Kingston (R-Ga.), who typically flies home on Thursdays and returns to Washington on Tuesdays. "Marriages suffer. The Democrats could care less about families -- that's what this says."
Aww, poor baby. The five day work week "eats away at families," huh? Well I'm sure Mr. Kingston will immediately be introducing legislation guaranteeing a 3-day work week to all Americans since his party is so "pro-family."
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