House Will Return To Five-Day Work Week In 2009

The Hill:

House Democratic leaders have decided to lengthen the congressional workweek next year as they try to implement President-elect Obama's agenda and clear a backlog of priorities no longer subject to the veto of President Bush.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) released a 2009 schedule on Friday that includes 11 five-day weeks and 18 four-day weeks. The House is scheduled to be in session for 137 days before the target adjournment date of Oct. 30.

Read the whole story: The Hill

Comments

[djgonebad]

Only 5-day work weeks!!!

How about everyday until the country can begin to breath?!!

[MakeAWish]

What a gig if one is so lucky to get it. No wonder most politicians are lifers.

[Trittydi]

I say we pay them for 80 hour weeks - straight - no questions - at minimum wage. Let's try to get someone to send that to Congress - how about a petition folks? All you powerful movers and shakers - someone run with this one.
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[RatgurlSD]

I second the motion. I nominate Tritty to spearhead it.

[ohjoy]

I'll sign!

[SeriousBlack]

Me too - and if they have a problem making ends meet in terms of maintaining a residence in D.C. then they can sleep on freakin' cots in the basement of the capitol building.

[gbrooks]

I'm on board! Make the jobs minimum wage, travel expenses will be reimbursed only if Greyhound is used, we aren't paying for their family to travel, and they don't get a vacation until the economy is in good shape.

And, pay should never exceed the minimum wage--there should be a law. And if they take gifts from corporations--death by execution.

It's time to quit playing around.

[Trittydi]

It's about time.

I would like to see a bill make its way through Congress to put the members on Minimum Wage. I would be fine to assume a 60 and even 80 hour work week -- but with the pay rate set at minimum wage.

Then maybe these Bozos would take the issue seriously.

Who can we get to do this? Kucinich?

(If this is a re-post, pls excuse me -I've re-posted it because it never seemed to take the first time)
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[scooperss]

Since they don't punch a clock, how are we supposed to know if they're ALL working?

[meede]

We should be able to keep track of their votes on the Washingtonpost.com US Congress Database. Missing votes means missed time IMO. It's presently 110th. Here is the link FYI for both house and senate:

http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress

[JimGroom]

Yeah, I get the idea. These elected representatives need to get to work on the problems that plague our nation. It is wayyyyyyyy past time to put aside petty differences, roll up the sleeve and get something done. I understand the need for cover and the appearance of doing something so the additional work days will provide that. What I really want to see is them actually go to work, even if the number of days is less than 5. Five days sitting on their asses as opposed to 3 or 4 doing something is the question.

[Avembe]

FIve days?????!!!Only five days!!!!we're in the midst of an incredible mess partly because of the hause and the senate and they are just going to work for 5 days?????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
there must be something that i definitely won't be able to understand!!!!do they think that the problems are going to stop during 2 days!!!!!!!!!!
this is an insult....these guyz are supposed to run a country !!!!!a whole country D....N!!!!!!!!!!!!! 300 million people

[MontereyDean]

Ummm ... excuse me. Calling 11 five-day weeks out off 52 a "five-day work week" seems a bit dishonest. Oh! Never mind ... we're talking about Congress. For them, it's a giant step forward. (For Huffington Post to proclaim it in a headline is dishonest.)

[CR46]

And don't forget a total of 29 weeks of work.

[RatgurlSD]

So 52 weeks minus 29 weeks leaves what...? 23 weeks of vacation?

[Two Three Four]

If we assume that the 133 ballots are someway or another counted, Franken could net as many as 46 votes. If Franken also sweeps the 12 new absentee ballots, he will head into the challenge phase, of the recount, with at least a 629 vote deficit.

http://voteforamerica.net/editorials/Comments.aspx?ArticleId=173&ArticleName=MN-Sen%3a+Recount+Complete...Sort+Of

[Retrofuturistic]

They don't need to "visit" constituents. Don't they have email? Or a postal service?

Or does that involve too much READING?

Considering the mess we are in now, they should all be in there working 18 hour days and weekends. If they really had OUR well-being at heart instead of their own, they would be.

[Spud777]

Another reason to never vote for an incumbent.

[naschkatze]

This is a good idea if they really do implement it and stick to it. I imagine many Republicans not showing up for committees or votes because of it which would be another benefit of it.

[motoGpifupleez]

Used to be the worst insult you could throw at a Representative or Senator was the title of "Tuesday to Thursday Man". Perhaps the good ol' days are coming back into fashion.

[TrueIndy08]

whoa... they are ALMOST working like us regular folks... what shall they do????

[robXdion]

They should have factored that when voting on their own pay raise.

[TrueIndy08]

thats sick... yet we fight with them to raise minimum wage... their pay raises should be subject to a vote by the people...

if we approve, then they get a pay raise.... if we disapprove of them... NO RAISE! Plain and simple

[scooperss]

Doggone right. If we don't think they deserves a raise, why should they get one. Likewise, if we don't feel they're doing the job they promised to do when they were running, we should be able to hold an un-election and get rid of them.