House to work 17 days in first two months of 2010, says Hoyer

[mcablue]

Source: The Hill

The House will work a total of 17 days during January and February of next year, according to the 2010 legislative calendar released Wednesday by the Majority Leader’s office.

Finishing what many veteran Capitol Hill aides described as the busiest legislative year they can remember, the House now appears to be setting itself up for a significant downshift in 2010.

“The 111th Congress has confronted enormous national challenges and been incredibly productive during its first session,” Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said in releasing the 2010 House work schedule. “The House has passed major legislation on a range of critical issues, from strengthening our economy to improving healthcare, increasing access to college, and strengthening our national security.”

House leaders have already indicated that plans for a jobs bill, which they’ve pegged as their highest priority now that the fate of healthcare reform lies in the hands of the Senate, may have to wait until January.

Read more: http://thehill.com/homenews/house/70209-house-to-work-17-days-in-first-two-months-of-2010

[msongs]

1. they should only get 2 weeks off without pay like many working americans nt

[marshall]

2. By congressoinal standards, that's working their fingers to the bone!

Hopefully we'll all have jobs like that one day.

[Crabby Appleton]

33. They'll get OT.

[OhioChick]

30. I couldn't agree more. n/t

[BrklynLiberal]

31. Yes. They should get furloughed like so many other govt workers.

[FBaggins]

3. Well... you know... it's COLD at that time of year

Need to stay warm and cozy.

Might catch something and healthcare reform isn't done yet.

[Javaman]

4. But but but...they said they were going to work 5 days a week!!!

oh right, never mind...

[proudohioan]

6. They never said WHICH week they were gonna work the 5 days!!!

[Javaman]

9. Ahh, you got me there!

I wish there was a laughing and crying emoticon.

[napi21]

5. WHY? Since when were they hired for part-time work?

[cdsilv]

7. Election year - got to hoover the lobbyists for ca$h, campaign and get RE-ELECTED.....

....not govern.

[amandabeech]

32. To be fair, they also meet with many, many constituent groups,

not just those who are going to give them contributions.

And they spend a lot of time with their in-district staff. Those staffs grow since there isn't a lot of room on the Hill for very many of them, and those district staffs work hard.

I favor a constitutional amendment providing for federal funding and federal funding only so that our reps, senators and presidents/vps spend more time working for us and less time trying to get elected and re-elected.

[WriteDown]

8. Don't strain yourselves guys. nt

[ensho]

10. 17 days in 2 months won't fly. they don't want to work for us? vote them out.

like he said: living off the govt. tit

[PavePusher]

11. While many/most of the folks they sent to war...

get no days off. Nice.

Are there ANY friggen adults in Congress?

[The2ndWheel]

12. Best job ever

[Lance_Boyle]

15. best job money can buy, at any rate. n/t

[mbperrin]

13. And with midterm elections looming, Democrats have targeted Friday, Oct. 8 as their final day in ses

So the rest of October, all of November, and all of December for the holidays.

Wow.

I mean, shit.

[CreekDog]

14. It's a misleading to say that 17 days in session means 17 days of work

that would be like saying that you only work when you are attending meetings.

i'm not defending all congresspeople, but most put in a lot of hours while congress is in session, they fly frequently home to their districts where they meet with constituents and attend to issues there.

[mcablue]

16. How many hours does a Congressman work in average a day?

In your opinion (not counting sitting on a plane).

[CreekDog]

17. Many work 12 hour days

I don't know what the average is.

Are you saying they only work when the House is in session?

Obviously that is wrong.

[mcablue]

18. 12 hours a day X 17 days in two months=25.5 hours a week

Nice part-time there. And that's assuming that most congressmen work that much.

[CreekDog]

20. do you want to know how much they really work or do you just want to peddle your narrative?

people seeking power are some of the hardest working people around.

what i'm saying is, the amount of time a congressperson works is probably NOT the most pressing concern, rather it's what they do with that time and how they do their job (what issues they work on and support/oppose).

[Demit]

24. That rings true, what you said—that people seeking power work hard.

Same for people who have it & wish to retain it. I'm sure Congresspeople all work hard to shore up their particular power & perhaps attain more. They have to, as they're all jockeying for position in one way or another.

But it doesn't necessarily mean they're working on the people's business, does it?

[tonysam]

25. They've been "working" about 2 1/2 days a week

I wouldn't call it hard working for the money they are getting. Hell, the lobbyists do all the work.

[No Elephants]

19. Are you counting fundraising as work?

[CreekDog]

21. No

although most spend a lot of time doing that, undoubtedly.

i'm just countering the meme here that they are lazy or don't work hard, which is a simplistic and ignorant opinion.

you don't believe that do you?

[tonysam]

27. They don't do shit, that's a fact

When they are taking piles of time off and NOT doing the business people elected them to do, then they are NOT working.

Campaigning doesn't count, and neither does the (little) time talking with constituents.

[CreekDog]

28. Yes talking to constituents counts as work

what's the matter with you? :wtf:

[Algorem]

22. they have to have time shop with that insurance company money,

then the military industrial money's gonna come rolling in.they don't want to have to get bigger bribe safes.

[DebbieCDC]

23. Gee think they can stand it?

What a backbreaking schedule!

[tonysam]

26. Congress has very little to show for their "efforts."

Expect even more laziness as the election draws nearer.

[depakid]

29. Arrogant, ineffectual- and as a result, likely headed for major losses

If only Hoyer was among them.