Summer Recess

When the House finishes their business today they will begin their summer recess (unless they are forced to have a Saturday session to finish their business). The Senate passed House Concurrent Resolution 308 (H.Con.Res. 308) yesterday setting the dates for Adjournment for the House. The House will return on September 14th for a daily session starting at 2:00 p.m. EDT. The Senate adjournment resolution (H.Con.Res 307) was passed in the House yesterday but has not yet been acted upon by the Senate. It is expected to pass by Unanimous Consent (as did H.Con.Res. 308). The Senate will start their recess on August 6th (next Friday) and return on September 13th with a morning session starting at 12:00 pm EDT. The House recess is starting a week earlier than originally planned. Pundits have blamed this on the necessity of getting back to the home districts to save their political campaigns. It certainly means that action won’t be started actually passing the Homeland Security Appropriations bill (which has not yet been marked up by the full House Appropriations Committee) until sometime in September. It will be unlikely for the final bill to get to the President before October 1st.