House members boo working holiday week
Washington (CNN) – House members aren't happy that they'll have to return next week, booing when House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer announced Friday they would have to return on Tuesday to continue their work.
Congress is still working through a number of issues, particularly that of funding the federal government after its current money runs out at 11:59 p.m. Saturday. The current plan is to pass a continuing resolution (CR) to pay for government operations for another five days - forcing the House to return on Tuesday and take whatever next step is agreed upon with the Senate.
"It is our intent at this point in time to recess…to obtain a short term CR for five days, until Tuesday night," Hoyer announced to the chamber, which had planned to recess after Friday. "Now there are a lot of grumbling on my side…I know there are at least 434 of my colleagues who are not happy about anything right now. I want you to know I will make that a unanimous judgment - I'm not happy either."
Two issues are keeping the Senate from passing a continuing resolution: A bill repealing the "don't ask, don't tell" policy that bans openly gay service members, and the START treaty, which would resume mutual inspections of U.S. and Russian nuclear arsenals while placing limits on the nuclear stockpile of both countries. The House has passed repealing 'don't ask, don't tell," and the Senate must approve treaties by a two-thirds vote.
As Hoyer framed it, "This is our responsibility. We have two houses, we've got to agree." Democrats in the Senate believe they'll get a vote on both issues on Saturday.
Both chambers must pass the same continuing resolution to continue funding the government. A spending bill previously before the Senate collapsed on Thursday night under heavy criticism from Senate Republicans, who claimed it was rife with expensive earmarks. The House had previously passed the spending bill.
Don't fund until Tuesday but fund until Jan 31st!! This Congress has been a catastrophe and the american people have spoken. We have told Congress (both parties!!) that you are incompetent of even running a lemonade stand let alone our country!! So take your hands off ANY legislation until the new Congress that we have more trust in (at least for now!!) can evaluate and make more logical conclusions and needs!! This 111th Congress is the most incompetent Congress on record going back almost 100 years!! We the people do NOT TRUST YOU TO TOUCH ANYTHING ELSE!!!
i am sick of hoyer , pelosi and reed ...hurry 2011... ugh...
Let the government shut down. it is doing a lousy job, anyway.
Are these INCOMPETENT DemocRAT CLOWNS serious??!! These people are living proof that defeated incumbents need to LEAVE IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE ELECTION. Not one more day in there to do further damage. They also need their pay cut in half IMMEDIATELY. No borrowed Chinese money should be going to pay these IMBECILES.
Oh Orlando Patriot how clueless you are. If anything things will be harder to get done as they the Republicans don't care about anything other than defeating the President.
Orlando Patriot. your kidding right? the New Congress will be different than the old congress? maybe you need to take a look at all of the "New Congress Patriots" that have already lined up behind the lobbyists and pork -and they have not even started. or maybe you need to look into people like michele bachman who took over a quarter of a million in farm subsidies from my and your pocket (sure it was a relative if you really really beleive that) just because someone says they are something don't be so quick to beleive them. i just hope people like you don't do what you did at the beginning of the decade and hide your head in the sand because you thought those guys were competent.
signed, larry craig, david vitter, duke cunningham, ted stevens, mark sanford, mark foley
like the song says there orlando patriot "meet the new boss same as the old boss"
They're booing because they have to work next week? Give me a break. They shouldn't have to work Christmas Day, but until they get done what they need to get done every other day should be a day to work for them, because there is clearly still so much to be done.
Oh Boo-Hoo – you have to work between Christmas and NewYear's like the rest of us drones. It's about time you started earning those salaries. Now how about learning to play well with others. Most of us learned how to do that in kindergarten
Shut up and do your work, jerks
[,Are these INCOMPETENT DemocRAT CLOWNS serious??!! These people are living proof that defeated incumbents need to LEAVE IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE ELECTION. Not one more day in there to do further damage. They also need their pay cut in half IMMEDIATELY. No borrowed Chinese money should be going to pay these IMBECILES]
So very ignorant. The mess we're in didn't start in January of 2009 – it started way back in 2001 when the then Republican congress, approved tax cuts for companies who outsource jobs. Get a clue. The party of No is in power now, you'll see much worse in your future.
And we're paying these clowns six figures plus providing cadillac health plans? Are we nuts?
gee, join the rest of us who have to work next week...and we are happy to have a job
Maybe they should give the military, police, and hospital workers a week off too. Really?! I have to work before Christmas and they've complaining becausea they have to do something they should have done months ago.
Why don't you quit your sorry a$$ed jobs and let someone who has been unemployed for months and who wants to work do your job.
I bet all the tea in teatard land that they can do better job!
I'm sorry, are we supposed to feel sorry for House members....I think NOT! Let's see, they vote themselves a raise every year, they have a golden retirement plan, their pay is way beyond what they deserve, their healthcare is set for life, and they have more days off with perks than a con artist. They need to stop whning, and work like the rest of us. So many civil workers and non-cilvil workers work over the holidays.....Work is the American way, now it is time for the House members to earn thier paycheck.
I think grown adults (leaders mind you) booing about working is a perfect snapshot of the clowns we put into these positions.
Weird. I have to work Tuesday, too, but I didn't boo my boss about it.
The words, 'incompetent' and 'clowns' come up alot when speaking of our current congress... and the 13% approval rating isn't helping ..
I don't have any trust in the new congress. Pass everything now and Veto the new Congress. And normal people have to work next week and the week after, unless they're unemployed and then they just wish they had to work.
This clowns spend most of their time during congressional sessions in their cozy offices waiting for a forum call. It's not like they're sitting in their Senate or House seats studying bills. As far as I'm concerned, Jon Kyl should be chained to his desk for the next year to make up for some of his foolishness this past week alone.
What a joke
Annie--Nuts? No. Stupid? Yes.
I feel so sorry for the members of Congress. Oh, wait...it's the first responders who aren't getting health care that I'm sorry for. Screw Congress.