Analysis: Are we done here? Nope. Cranky Congress still has work to do
WASHINGTON — Nothing says, "Is it over yet?" quite like Senate Democratic leader Charles Schumer propping up his feet on the chair next to him.
The casual vibe in the normally stuffy Senate was just one sign that the end of an ugly 115th Congress can't come soon enough, even for its own members. There's been House-like shouting on the Senate floor. Both chambers rang with customary farewell speeches from members who are moving on, some forced out by the midterm elections. And in the House, a few lawmakers have ghosted the whole scene as the sun sets on the only Congress so far under President Donald Trump.
Parties and Christmas cookies only soothe so much in the chilly Capitol after two years of Trump's provocations, dramas like Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation and the elections that flipped the House majority to Democrats. Everyone — especially members leaving for good — wants to go home.
"We have had two votes in 54 minutes," griped retiring Sen. Bob Corker as the Senate on Thursday crawled through what would become its rebuke to the Trump administration over Yemen and Saudi Arabia. But the Senate was not in order. Everyone, it seemed, was talking — loudly.
"Can we not just vote?" Corker hollered finally.
"Yes!" other senators yelled back, in rare unison.
"Lame duck" sessions of Congress are so reviled even in less-rancorous times that leaders past have used the discontent to finish business. This year, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has threatened to keep the Senate in session to the bitter end of 2018 under Trump's threat to shut the government down over the budget and his border wall. But McConnell also is holding out hope for some Christmas "magic" to speed business along and allow Congress to adjourn earlier.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/analysis-are-we-done-here-nope-cranky-congress-still-has-work-to-do/ar-BBQX9zB?li=BBnb7Kz
= new reply since forum marked as read
