The DSCC released a new video today highlighting how the vulnerable Republican senators who are currently on a month-long vacation in the middle of a pandemic-fueled recession and national crisis have previously demanded to “skip the annual August break” in order “to complete the legislative work that had gone unaccomplished.” Before going on recess, Senate Republicans blocked emergency unemployment relief, failed to pass additional support for state and local governments, and refused to provide emergency funding for the Postal Service. The video features comments directly from GOP senators David Perdue, Joni Ernst, Steve Daines, Thom Tillis, and Majority Leader Mitch McConnell from 2017 and 2018. Watch the new DSCC video here.
McConnell adjourned the Senate for recess on August 13, with no plans to return from vacation until after Labor Day weekend on September 8 — nearly an entire month. Meanwhile, the House of Representative returned to Washington on Saturday and passed bipartisan legislation to provide $25 billion to protect the Postal Service and prevent changes that have delayed mail delivery from moving forward. Today marks the 11th day of the Senate GOP’s August recess.
“Senate Republicans were happy to push for canceling August recess to pass their partisan wish lists in the past, but they would rather take a month-long vacation this summer while millions of Americans are suffering than be working in Washington to deliver urgent economic relief, combat this pandemic, and save the Postal Service,” said DSCC spokesperson Helen Kalla. “These Republican senators are hypocrites, they have failed the response to the serious challenges facing our country, and voters are going to kick them out of office for failing to do their jobs.”
Take a look at what many vulnerable Republicans who are currently on vacation have said previously about canceling recess:
AZ – Senator Martha McSally in 2018: “Good to see the Senate scrap its August recess… We should not break until we tackle issues important to all Americans.”
AK – Senator Dan Sullivan in 2018: “Today’s announcement to cancel a major portion of the August recess represents a determined effort by the Republican-led Senate to make the best use of the time we have left in order to fill critical vacancies within the government and give the Alaskan and American people the solutions and relief they have demanded.”
CO – Senator Cory Gardner in 2017: “Delaying the start of the August in-state work period is the right move. We’ve got important work that needs to continue.”
CO – Senator Cory Gardner in May 2020: “It’s unfathomable that the Senate is set to go on recess without considering any additional #COVID19 assistance for the American people. Anyone who thinks now is the time to go on recess hasn’t been listening. Coloradans and Americans alike have sacrificed and are hurting.”
GA – Senator David Perdue in 2017: “We’re willing to forgo some or all of the August work period because we’ve got some very important issues that we’ve got to get done and get results for the people back home.”
GA – Senator David Perdue in 2018: “We ought to work as long as it takes – including nights, weekends, and through the August recess if necessary – to get funding done and make progress on the backlog of nominees.”
IA – Senator Joni Ernst in 2018: “It is my firm belief that we should stay in Washington until we get our job done. If that requires us to stay in session 24-hours a day, seven days a week, then that is what we should be doing.”
IA – Senator Joni Ernst in 2018: “As far as I know, being a Member of Congress is the only occupation where you can neglect some of the most important duties and then take a month-long vacation… We shouldn’t be able to leave on vacation, or go home, or go wherever. We should be working nights, we should be working weekends, we should be working through August and any other state work period.”
KY – Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell in 2018: “I think we have enough work to do for the American people that we should be here during these weeks.”
MT – Senator Steve Daines in 2018: “It’s hard to find a good rationale or argument for why we recess Congress when there is so much work that remains to be done… The American people have elected us to get the job done” and not be campaigning all the time.
MT – Senator Steve Daines in 2018: “I spent 28 years in the private sector before coming to Congress. I’ve never heard of such a thing as taking a month off in the summertime, an August recess… If the kids aren’t behaving well, you cancel recess. Arguably, the Senate’s not behaving… It’s time to cancel recess. Stay here and do the work of the people. If you’re gonna drain the swamp, you’ve gotta keep the pumps running in August.”
MT – Senator Steve Daines in 2017: Daines: No More August Recess — “If you were failing school, you wouldn’t take a summer vacation – you would be going to summer school.”
NC – Senator Thom Tillis and fellow GOP senators in 2017: “Therefore, we respectfully request that you consider truncating, if not completely foregoing, the scheduled August state work period, allowing us more time to complete our work… Delivering meaningful results was never assumed to be easy, but the millions of Americans who placed their confidence in our leadership expect our full and best effort.”
NC – Senator Thom Tillis in March 2020: “Our nation’s leaders must cast aside partisan politics and put the health of our country first. Congress needs to cancel its recess and stay in session so we can work together in a bipartisan fashion to address the coronavirus pandemic.”
TX – Senator John Cornyn in 2018: “The Senate worked during most of the August recess this year to make progress on legislation and confirm the President’s nominees, and it’s been a productive month.”
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