Jon Kyl: Harry Reid Would 'Disrespect' Christmas By Extending Senate Session

A top Republican has accused Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of potentially 'disrespecting' Christmas.

Reid threatened to get tough with his power over the chamber's calendar Tuesday, when he told reporters that "there's still Congress after Christmas," implying to his colleagues that he would keep the Senate in session until the start of the 112th Congress on January 4th in order to provide time to vote on a laundry list of legislative items that the lame duck Congress had planned to tackle.

GOP Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl quickly took offense to the notion that legislators might be expected to work after December 25 and accused Reid of potentially "disrespecting one of the two holiest of holidays for Christians."

"It is impossible to do all of the things that the majority leader laid out without doing -- frankly, without disrespecting the institution and without disrespecting one of the two holiest of holidays for Christians and the families of all of the Senate, not just the senators themselves but all of the staff," Kyl said in response to Reid's claim that he would force the body to work through the holiday recess in order to vote on a number of key Democratic agenda items including Obama's START nuclear arms treaty, the DREAM Act, a bill that would overturn the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy, and a highly contentious spending bill that would authorize federal spending for next year.

"At some point you can no longer with a straight face, I think, carry the proposition that we are going to do this whole long list of things before the Christmas recess," Kyl added.

But if Reid's warning is to be believed, "before the Christmas recess" is no longer the Senate deadline.

"So if the Republicans think that they can stall and stall and stall that we take a break, we're through, we're not through," Reid said. "Congress ends on January 4th. So we're going to continue working on this stuff until we get it done, or we have up-and-down votes and find that it can't happen that way."

Comments

[Emanuele Gelsi]

11:41 AM on 12/18/2010

Didn't Jesus tell a parable about a donkey that fell down a well, that no one wanted to save because it was a Sabbath/holiday? Jesus condemned that kind of attitude - putting following rules or traditions head of compassion.

[Paul Wittenberger]

05:24 PM on 12/17/2010

Harry Reid disrespects Christmas? Kyl disrespects the citizens of this country.

[ffny]

11:27 AM on 12/17/2010

Disrespect Christmas by working......Hell they already take off most of the year.

Below is an excerpt from the John Stewart show of 12/16/2010

This from the man who voted against care for 9/11 first responders.... "[Kyl's] basically saying, I can't stay here and work between Christmas and New Year's because that would be disrespecting Christians and his family." A fireman responded:

"It just goes to show the disconnect between those we elect to represent us and those who get out there to do the work. Because I'm here to say you won't find a single New York City fireman who considers it a sign of disrespect to work in a New York City Firehouse on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day."

[nofir2]

05:52 PM on 12/16/2010

Perhaps if Kyl had not made such an effort to slow down the legislative process over the past 2 years He would not have to work the kind of hours most Americans work.
Live with it!
Cry Baby

[SHadleyMA]

03:47 PM on 12/16/2010

So its 'disrespectful' to force Congress to 'work' Christmas day?
Its 'disrespectful' for Police, Firemen,and medical personnel to try to serve and protect the American people like yourself on the 'Holiest' day of year!
And the Military, keeping us safe 365 days a year, are 'Disrespectful'?
You Sir, are not a Christian and certainly not a 'Public Servant'
You and your type disgust me. You are not only unchristen, you are unamerican. Our people deserve better than you.
-Sent to J Kyle and J Demint

[jcbwell]

04:53 PM on 12/16/2010

Is it respectful of Christmas to discontinue unemployment benefits for millions of Americans exactly at Christmas time? Way to go GOP Scrooges!

[Chun Li]

03:29 PM on 12/16/2010

Oh poor baby, work up til Christmas... you mean like the rest of America who even have to work through Christmas?? and please stop dragging the name of Christianity through the mud by associating it with the Republican party... that's what i call "disrespectful".

[iyamchazz]

01:25 PM on 12/16/2010

The presence of Jon Kyl in the Senate is a disrespect to that institution.
Like the rest of his cohort, he has been bought and paid for. There is a
word for those who sell themselves for personal gain, but in the spirit of
the season, I'll just quote Santa. " HO HO HO...MERRY CHRISTMAS!

[ktomas]

12:30 PM on 12/16/2010

Kyl is such a whiner; is he going to start making a scene and bawling about having to actually WORK, like his pal McConnell?

[jcbwell]

04:51 PM on 12/16/2010

And let's not forget the best crybaby of all, John Boehner.

[bradbari]

12:14 PM on 12/16/2010

It's interesting the Kyl considers it "disrespectful" to Christmas if the Senate is expected to go to work the week after Christmas. This implies that all of us who work for a living and are expected to work immeidately up to and immediately after Christmas to fulfill our responsibilities (to say nothing of the persons in various professions such as health care and safety services expected to work ON Christmas) are likewise "disrespectful". Perhaps some time out of office working a "regular" job that does not come with the expectation that "recess" is is required will help orient him to the reality of the vast majority of Americans.

Senator Kyl, Americans DO work the week after Christmas. The rest of the world does not go out for recess.

[Michael Valentine]

12:31 PM on 12/16/2010

Republicans don't care about working class Americans, not their kinds of people.

[IM4REAL]

12:08 PM on 12/16/2010

I don't know who told these people that their stuff don't stink just like everybody's. Many of their constituents must work during the holidays, some work on Christmas. They should have to stay until their desk is cleared of those bills that have be sitting there for almost two years. Many would not get away with unfinished work that has been on their desk for that long.

[wikwox]

11:57 AM on 12/16/2010

Well if it ain't The War On Christmas one mo' time! Note to hack politicians: If the Fox News loud mouths have given it up it's a dead duck. Kyl in particular has grown more absurd lately, perhaps he should join Newt, Sarah, Huck and the rest and run for president.

[kimbanyc]

11:54 AM on 12/16/2010

Boo Hoo Kyl

THE NEW G O WEEPY

ALWAYS CRYING ABOUT SOMETHING

[exhale09]

11:47 AM on 12/16/2010

This man makes me nauseous. He doesn't have the FIRST CLUE about what the Christmas SPIRIT he supposedly "respects" is all about.

Kyl is USING Christmas for the Republican's PHONEY War on Christmas political ploy for votes.

Republicans never saw a opportunistic divisive wedge issue they wouldn't make up and use as a political weapon.

He better watch out for that lightening bolt response from above for such an opportunist manipulation of the Holy day he claims to "respect"

[SaddieMcCall]

11:28 AM on 12/16/2010

Glen Beck, Sarah Palin and others love to tell us what our "Founding Fathers" thought, planned for and wanted for our country - but do they know:

“Congress was in session on December 25, 1789, the first Christmas under America’s new constituti¬on. Christmas wasn’t declared a federal holiday until June 26, 1870. "

http://www¬.thehistor¬yofchristm¬as.com/ch/¬in_america¬.htm

[SaddieMcCall]

11:19 AM on 12/16/2010

http://www­.youtube.c­om/watch?v­=HG7TZEaO6­lI

And so this is Xmas
For weak and for strong
For rich and the poor ones
The world is so wrong
And so happy Xmas
For black and for white
For yellow and red ones
Let's stop all the fight”

John Lennon - Christmas song (War is over). I miss you John.