Among issues awaiting action are measures to deal with the fiscal crisis facing the U.S. Postal Service, the "fiscal cliff," the soon-to-expire Bush era tax cuts, a bill setting farm policy and whether to continue the Violence against Women Act
WASHINGTON - The House met briefly Tuesday in a pro-forma session, continuing to take no votes or consider legislation for a six-week period leading up to the Nov. 6 elections. The Senate is also not doing any legislative business, and the lack of pre-election activity has drawn protests from the Democratic minority in the House and Republican minority in the Senate.
The Democratic minority in the House and the Republican minority in the Senate both blame the opposite party for the lack of substantive action by Congress as the November election approaches.
"We have so many important issues facing us, including the fiscal cliff, and to send people home just to campaign is wrong," said Rep. Cedric Richmond, D-New Orleans.
A budget agreement provision from last year calls for deep cuts in defense and domestic spending early next year, described by Richmond and others in Congress as a "fiscal cliff," unless Congress and the White House cut a deficit reduction deal.
Congress's refusal to act until after the elections, and the threat it might not reach a deal even after a new Congress and president are elected, brings uncertainty to the economy, meaning fewer jobs and less capital investment, Richmond said.
Among the issues awaiting congressional action are measures to deal with the fiscal crisis facing the U.S. Postal Service, the "fiscal cliff," the soon-to-expire Bush era tax cuts, a bill setting farm policy and whether to continue the Violence against Women Act.
On Tuesday, the House convened, hearing a prayer from the Rev. Steven Wishart of the Redeemer Church of Annapolis, Md., and then quickly recessing. Efforts by House Democrats to raise legislative issues were rebuffed by the acting speaker, Rep. Andy Harris, R-Md.
"Mr. Speaker, it is outrageous," said Rep. Xavier Becerra, D-Ca., after Harris ended the session, refusing to allow Becerra to bring up a motion to pass the Violence against Women Act. It provides federal resources to combat domestic violence.
The Senate is also meeting periodically during the six week recess for pro-forma meetings devoid of legislative activity -- proceedings required by Republicans who want to deny Democratic President Barack Obama the ability to make recess appointments.
On the Senate side, Republicans are making the same arguments as House Democrats, decrying the lack of legislative activity despite the long-list of issues the bitterly partisan 112th Congress failed to resolve in the first 21 months of its session.
"Adding to the chaos, the Senate Democrat majority has decided to adjourn through November having utterly failed to meet its most basic obligations," said Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., complaining the Senate's Democratic majority has failed even to adopt a budget for the last three years.
Democrats and Republicans offer up the same charges of a "Do Nothing Congress," but blame the other party for the inertia.
"The Democrats in the Congress of the United States are prepared to be here - prepared to do the work that the American people sent us here to do," said House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer, D-Md. "We're not walking away. And we don't believe the American people are going to walk away on November 6. They understand that this Do-Nothing Congress is not what they wanted, and that's not what they're going to vote for."
Sessions had another take on Congress' failures. "They (Americans) send their tax dollars to Washington on the hope those dollars will be wisely guarded and then discover that those dollars have been lost and wasted and abused," Sessions said. "They balance their family budgets only to find out that the United States Senate, under Democrat control, will not even bring a budget plan to the Senate floor."