The Democratic-led House of Representatives, in the middle of the biggest healthcare fight in decades; has now trimmed their workweek to just two and a half days
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) enthusiastically declared after the Democrats won the House in 2006 that the House would hold longer workweeks. After just a few months of sticking to a five day work week, the House has now reverted to starting the week at 6:30 PM Tuesday, and finishing their business by dusk on Thursdays.
"I have bad news for you,"
Hoyer told the
after the Democrats retook power.
"Those trips you had planned in January, forget ’em. We will be working almost every day in January, starting with the 4th."
Some Republicans have accused Democratic leadership of hypocrisy, as the Dems were vocal about the lack of a long work week when the GOP was in control of both houses of Congress. Others have made the extra-short work week a punchline.
“Two and a half days a week is plenty of time to consider the ideas coming out of this Democrat-led House,”
Rep. Roy Blunt (R-MO) told
“Imagine the damage they could do with five-day workweeks.”
Democrats say the work load generally begins to lighten as the Calendar changes to Autumn and that their work can be done on a shorter time table.