House working 4 days a week?

[antiimperialist]

Explain this to me. The House legislative calendar has a message for most Mondays that reads:

Votes postponed until 6:30 PM.

Does this this that lawmakers will show up at 6:30, vote and leave?

http://democraticwhip.house.gov/docUploads/2007-CALENDAR.pdf

[flyingfysh]

1. there are lots of committee meetings during the day

Congressmen do lots of things besides vote.

[Warpy]

2. California whinin'

I forget which whiner it was, but one pissed and moaned at length about the 3 hour time difference and how our poor legislators would have to catch the red eye in order to be in their offices during regular business hours on Mondays.

Um, cowboy, didn't you bring the wife and kids with you? Don't you just go to the west coast when Congress isn't in session? What the HELL makes you think you can convince us you need to commute back and forth every weekend?

We the people are coping with killer work weeks, no matter what we do.

Surely they can manage business hours.

[sandnsea]

3. Some people have to fly across the country

As long as they continue to work all day Friday, I don't see a problem with giving some of our west coast Congressman a few Mondays to fly back to Washington, in case they want to spend two whole days back home. Geesh, the things people find to bitch about.

[antiimperialist]

5. Poor babies, and for only $158,100 a year

Yeah, flying first-class in a plane on Sundays is torture. The abuse must stop.

[Diane R]

4. It's a long way from Wash. D.C. to Wash State. I don't know how they do it.

It's not unusual for a Senator or Representative to come home to Washington State on weekends. Of course, that was during the Republican Reign. They probably had 5 day weekends.

[rox63]

6. The ones from Alaska and Hawaii have an excuse

Very long flights from those states. There are some Congresscritters whose families stay back in their districts, especially if they have school-age kids.

[kentuck]

7. Public service should never ask for any sacrifice...

It's so hard on them...God forbid that they might have to spend a weekend in Washington away from their homes... They didn't run for that bullshit!

[maddezmom]

8. anyone have any of the old schedules?

just to contrast and compare? :shrug:

[Garbo 2004]

9. Previously, Tuesday through Thursday.

From WaPo:

For lawmakers, it is awful, compared with what they have come to expect. For much of this election year, the legislative week started late Tuesday and ended by Thursday afternoon -- and that was during the relatively few weeks the House wasn't in recess.

Next year, members of the House will be expected in the Capitol for votes each week by 6:30 p.m. Monday and will finish their business about 2 p.m. Friday, Hoyer said.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/05/AR2006120501342.html

[maddezmom]

10. thanks, looks like a longer week to me

:D

[Greeby]

11. Just be glad Pelosi wants them working during this period

MOst previous Congresses just do the setup of the rules and that and then go on holiday till the SOTU