Recess! Senate Wraps Up Unproductive First Six Months

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by: Colorado Pols

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says “peace out” for the summer.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is letting the kids go out for recess until after Labor Day. From CBS News:

The Senate is slated to go on recess for the rest of August on Thursday and not return to Washington until early September.

The Senate Press Gallery tweeted that the votes the upper chamber took Thursday afternoon were the last of the day and of the month.

An aide to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, said leadership still needs to nail down some nominations, but they almost certainly likely to leave by the end of Thursday.

As the Washington Post notes, this was not the summer ending that McConnell had planned:

Soon after Memorial Day, McConnell (R-Ky.) drew up a game plan around approving a rewrite of the Affordable Care Act by the end of June. The benefits were twofold, providing House Republicans a few weeks to approve the Senate version and send it to President Trump.

Also, McConnell wanted to create separation between the conclusion of the health-care debate and the start of the annual August recess, providing the month of July to wrack up victories on other legislative matters. Such wins would give some Senate Republicans, wary of tackling the health-care issue back home, something else to tout with their voters.

Instead, everything got consumed by the health-care storm, which culminated in the bill failing by a single vote last week. The Senate plans to leave town Thursday for a five-week break with no major legislative accomplishments to show for the first seven months of unified Republican control of Congress and the White House. [Pols emphasis]

The calendar is already packed for the post-Labor Day session, with most of the schedule dedicated to approving funding for federal agencies and to discuss a potential raising of the debt ceiling.

16 thoughts on “Recess! Senate Wraps Up Unproductive First Six Months”

unnamed says:

August 3, 2017 at 1:23 pm

I ŵonder how they'll handle funding Federal agencies since "the GOP desperately needs a win."

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1. Moderatus says:
  
  August 3, 2017 at 1:25 pm
  
  Every day Americans get richer, the GOP wins. That's every day nowadays.
  
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  1. unnamed says:
    
    August 3, 2017 at 2:22 pm
    
    Tell that to the people who got laid off at Carrier Moldy. The people whose jobs Trump saved. Besides, I was quoting you. You admitted tacitly that your shit for brains party accomplished jack and shit.
    
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    1. Moderatus says:
      
      August 3, 2017 at 3:09 pm
      
      Republican success is not determined by how well government does, but by how well the people are doing. Under Trump so far the people are doing great.
      
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      1. unnamed says:
        
        August 3, 2017 at 3:16 pm
        
        Okay. So Republicans don't have to do anything at all. It's just as well if they did accomplish anything they'd just mess it up.
        
        So, THANKS OBAMA!!!!
        
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      2. RepealAndReplace says:
        
        August 3, 2017 at 3:22 pm
        
        That's only because they haven't lost their health insurance. And we do have Republicans – all three of them – to thank for that.
        
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        mamajama55 says:
        
        August 3, 2017 at 3:36 pm
        
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      3. Diogenesdemar says:
        
        August 3, 2017 at 3:51 pm
        
        And that's why "Republicans are desperately in need of a win", huh ??
        
        . . .
        
        ??? ??? ???
        
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  2. Gilpin Guy says:
    
    August 3, 2017 at 2:42 pm
    
    Thanks Obama.
    
    Remember the dump of a economy that he inherited from the last Republican to occupy the White House. No new wars. Reform of our financial regulations. The creation of the CFPB. He did the heavy lifting for eight long years to get America out of the ditch that Republicans had driven it into and made it great again.
    
    Thanks Obama.
    
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    1. Voyageur says:
      
      August 3, 2017 at 2:53 pm
      
      My 401(k) tripled un der Obama. It went up anothe r 10 pct under Trump. Do the math.
      
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2. mamajama55 says:
  
  August 3, 2017 at 1:53 pm
  
  They'll fund the CR til Christmas, talk tough about Planned Parenthood, and call it a win. That's my prediction.
  
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Moderatus says:

August 3, 2017 at 1:24 pm

Regulations are falling and the economy is booming. Americans are pocketing the greatness. MAGA!

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1. RepealAndReplace says:
  
  August 3, 2017 at 1:59 pm
  
  More Koolaid, Fluffy?
  
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2. mamajama55 says:
  
  August 3, 2017 at 2:05 pm
  
  Colorado has the best economy in the country. What's fueling it? Renewable energy and marijuana!
  
  Rocky Mountain Hiiiiiiiiighh…..
  
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3. unnamed says:
  
  August 3, 2017 at 2:25 pm
  
  Yes they are. Thanks Obama!!
  
  No thanks to twoscoops. He and his congressional minions have accomplished nothing.
  
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Conserv. Head Banger says:

August 3, 2017 at 2:17 pm

Moderatus as usual is factually challenged. The rise of the Down Jones industrial average yesterday was due to increase in one stock: Apple. The market is up since Trump came in; I'll agree with that. But compare percentages to the rise of the market during Obama's terms. From rock bottom thanks to the Bush/Cheney recession to what it was as of January.

Also, the lack of real legislative accomplishments by and for Trump means the country is still living off the Obama economy. As for those regulations that are falling; as one example; the BLM's Planning 2.0 regulation which would have allowed greater voice to citizens and local governments in BLM planning. The oil & gas companies didn't like that.

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