WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Rob Wittman (VA-01) sent a follow-up letter to Speaker Pelosi urging her to cancel August recess considering the significant amount of work Members of Congress must still complete. Congressman Wittman previously urged Speaker Pelosi to cancel August recess in June. After the Speaker failed to act, Congressman Wittman sent today’s letter once more urging the cancellation of August Recess. Remarking on his most recent letter to Speaker Pelosi, Congressman Wittman stated:
“On June 9th, 2021, I wrote to Speaker Pelosi urging her to cancel August recess and require Members of Congress to remain in Washington until they complete the job they were elected to do. Unfortunately, my calls were ignored by the Speaker. Now, we are less than two weeks from our taxpayer funded recess, and the full House has still yet to even complete one of the 12 fiscal year 2022 appropriations bills that fund the government. Congress has not done its job, and our constituents expect us to stay and complete the work of the American people.
“It is imperative that we get our nation’s fiscal house in order and work to address our nation’s debt and deficit. High levels of debt translate to much lower levels of economic growth and those same high levels of debt mean that too many of our taxpayer dollars are wasted on paying high interest and unnecessary overages. While we can certainly start with eliminating duplicative programs, wasteful spending, and fraud, if we don’t address the broken budget and appropriations system producing these spending deals, we won’t ever solve this problem. We need to know where our money is going and work through our funding packages in a responsible, thoughtful, deliberate way through regular order – not rushed through at the last minute. Returning to regular order — moving spending bills through the committee process and the floor where we read, debate, and vote on them — will go a long way towards bringing transparency back to the budget and appropriations process. This requires holding Members of Congress accountable, something I have been working on throughout my time in Congress.”
Prior to both letters, Congressman Wittman repeatedly introduced the Stay on Schedule (S.O.S.) Resolution, which would prohibit Congress from taking an August Recess unless all 12 appropriations bills have passed the House. Congressman Wittman has also introduced the No Budget, No Pay Act, eliminating Member salaries should the House fail to pass a budget by April and the Inaction has Consequences bill, which prevents Members from being paid if they do not pass regular appropriation bills before the end of the Fiscal year.
To read Congressman Wittman’s recent follow-up letter to Speaker Pelosi, as well as his original letter on June 9th, read below.
July 15, 2021
The Honorable Nancy Pelosi
Speaker
United States House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515
Dear Speaker Pelosi:
With less than two weeks in session before Congress takes our taxpayer funded recess, the full House has yet to even complete one of the 12 Fiscal Year 2022 appropriations bills that fund the government. As I did in an earlier letter on June 9, I again encourage you to cancel the August district work period and keep members in Washington, D.C. as long as it takes to complete the work of the people.
It’s not often I agree with Senate Majority Leader Schumer, but I do when he calls on the Senate to “…be prepared for the possibility of working long nights, weekends and remaining in Washington into the previously-scheduled August state work period.”
With so much work left to be done, it boggles the mind as to why anyone would feel justified in taking a month off. That’s why I have previously introduced the Stay on Schedule Resolution, which would cancel August recess until Congress does its most basic job: passing all 12 appropriations bills.
But Congress has not done its job. Our constituents expect us to stay and complete the work of the American people. They expect Congress to work diligently to pass critical national priorities and fund the government through regular order.
I ask that you keep the House in session and join the Senate in committing to remaining in Washington until the appropriations process and other key pieces of legislation are complete.
Sincerely,
Robert J. Wittman
Member of Congress
June 9, 2021
The Honorable Nancy Pelosi
Speaker
United States House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515
Dear Speaker Pelosi:
Today, I write to urge you to cancel August recess if the House has not completed the many critical issues facing our Nation and the American people before the end of July. I would also like to offer my full support to working on bipartisan, realistic funding bills, even if the House must convene during late nights, weekends and forgo August recess. Our chamber has major issues affecting the American people that deserve thorough debate and examination.
Further delaying the return to regular order, President Biden only recently submitted his budget proposal to Congress, the latest budget submission in modern history. As a result, the House has yet to even begin consideration of the twelve annual appropriation bills on the floor. Furthermore, the House has additional pressing pieces of legislation that need addressing before it can responsibly send members back to their districts, such as a bipartisan infrastructure package and holding China accountable as Congress and the Administration pursue answers to COVID-19s origins. With fewer than 21 legislative days remaining until the beginning of August, Congress should remain in Washington until this work is complete. While many Americans are looking forward to a “return to normal” this summer, Congress must work on solutions to combat the lingering economic effects of the pandemic while restoring our nation’s fiscal health.
I appreciate that district work periods allow members to visit with constituents back in their respective communities, but it has become a habit for Congress to abandon a long “to do” list in the rush to get out of town. But Congress has not done its job. Our constituents expect us to stay and complete the work of the American people. The American people expect Congress to work diligently to pass critical national priorities and fund the government through regular order.
These serious national priorities, are too important to postpone. I ask that you keep the House in session to finish the business of the American people. Furthermore, I ask that you urge the Senate to remain in Washington until the appropriations process and other key pieces of legislation are complete.
Sincerely,
Robert J. Wittman
Member of Congress
