Reid knocks GOP over ‘light’ Senate schedule
Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) knocked Senate Republicans Tuesday, arguing senators shouldn’t leave town without resolving fights over the Supreme Court vacancy and funding for a Zika virus response.
“To say we have had a lot of recesses lately is kind of an understatement,” Reid said from the Senate floor. “The American people have been saying Republicans should simply do their jobs, but as we’ve seen from the schedule, it’s difficult to do your job when you don’t bother to show up for work.”
{mosads}Reid’s comments come as senators are heading for a weeklong Memorial Day recess, returning to town on June 6. Senators are currently scheduled to leave for their annual “August recess” on July 15 and not return to Washington until Sept. 6.
Reid — who has backed President Obama’s call to skip next week’s recess and pass Zika virus funding — added Tuesday that senators should curb their lengthy summer recess.
“We should not take the summer off while a vacancy remains on the Supreme Court and the Republican leadership not having this body scheduled to work while so many issues important to the American people go unresolved,” he added.
Part of the longer August recess is tied to the parties’ presidential conventions taking place in July. Reid, however, argued that with many GOP senators planning to skip the convention, the Senate could work during the conventions.
“The Republican leader didn’t have to set such a light work schedule. There’s no archaic Senate rule that requires the greatest body to go dark for an entire summer. That was his choice,” he said.
Democrats on the Judiciary Committee sent a letter to Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) outlining a timeline for Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland’s nomination.
Democrats wanted a Senate vote for Garland by the Memorial Day recess.
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