How often is the Congress in session?

[Ravenseye]

I mean we pay these guys right? Shouldn't they be working?

"Bush appoints Bolton to U.N. post:
President bypasses Senate, appointment lasts until Jan. 2007"

So...The Congress has all of 2006 off? Am I mental or is it August 2005 right now? What the hell do they do for the next year and a half?

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

1. They are still working.

It's called "District work period". They are by no means on vacation. And no they are not out of session until 2007. Just August.

[Ravenseye]

2. Ok well then...

...why can't they do something about it till Janurary 2007? That seems like an awfull long time.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

8. That's the way the law is written.

Sorry!

[SmokingJacket]

3. I read that too... it's got to be a typo, mustn't it?

"Mr. Bolton's term will expire at the beginning of the next session of Congress, in January 2007."

They must be defining "session" as the period between elections...

[Ravenseye]

4. Ah that makes sense in a bs way

So the reason Bush hasn't been able to appoint this guy witha recess apointment is that Congress has been not just 'in session' but not 'in recess'. They're still 'in session' right now, but they're now 'in recess' which means they're back home in their districts or whatever.

So if the session started in January of 2005, and somethign happened that made them take a recess for a week in Februrary of 2005, then Bush could have made as many 'recess apointments' as he so desired, and then they'd be there till the beginning of the next 'session' which is 2007 after the next elections.

What bullshit.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

9. A session of Congress is 2 years.

Or, in other words, the time between each election for the House of Representatives.

[SmokingJacket]

11. Got it... nt

[KharmaTrain]

5. 5 Week Summer Vacation

I tend to think the country's a better place when Congress is out of session these days than in. At least that way we don't have to stomache CAFTA, the Bankruptcy bill, the transportation pork-barrel giveaway and so on. All they're doing is enabling this regime and spending money like it's going out of style.

They'll be back first week in September...but there's other stuff that goes on in the meantime. Yep, many reps head back to their district. I know our local rep will be doing town halls and starting off her campaign. I don't quite think that's taking time off.

The Bolton boodoogle is a gift that keeps on giving. He's now another quiver in the Democrats bow to show how disconnected and arrogant this regime is. He's now the poster boy for all that's wrong with this illegal invasion and having him visible and in a lame-duck position in the U.N. keeps him from bullying people, cooking intel and hiding behind the scenes.

If you're pissed, this might be a good day to call your local Democratic party office and see what you can do to elect or re-elect a Democrat in your district so we can retake the House in 2006 and start bringing some sanity back to this country.

[dsc]

6. Recess appointments date from the time when travel was much more

arduous and Congress was more of a part time body. Thus it made sense to give the President this power given that Congress could be absent for months at a time with no practical way to call them back. Now it is an outdated vestige but one that is there.

The way it works is that if Congress recesses, then the President gets to appoint someone until the next Congress which is after the election. Bolton will get to be UN ambassador until 2007 but the Senate will never approve him after that.

[Ravenseye]

7. Yeah but

So what happens in 2007...Does he remain in that position till he's either confirmed or not? What if it stays in committee again and there is no vote? While that's happening does he represent us in the U.N.?

Then when they take their summer vacation in August 2007, can't Bush just make it another recess apointment?

What the hell is the point of having a government if the President wants to be a totalitarian dictator?

[dsc]

10. No

Once Congress comes back in session in 2007, Bolton is out as UN ambassador. Bush can renominate him, but the man has to quit until he is confirmed or named again as a recess appointee. I have no idea how often Congress recesses so I don't know the earliest he could make such an appointment.