If you’ve paid any attention to the media lately, it comes as no surprise that partisanship has made Washington come dangerously close to several critical deadlines. There was of course the Fiscal Cliff ordeal in December, where Hill staffers spent all of New Years Eve working on a deal. Now, over the next several months, Congress looks toward March 1 for the sequestration, March 27 for the expiration of funding for fiscal 2013, April 15 for budget approvals, and May 19 for yet another crack at the debt ceiling. As our elected officials in Washington face these looming deadlines, one would think that Republicans and Democrats are working around the clock to come together on a deal. Think again.
David M. Walker, former U.S. comptroller general, wrote an interesting piece in Politico this week showcasing the need for elected officials to “remain open for business and on the job.” Walker is now CEO of the Comeback America Initiative, a campaign with a Facebook petition insisting that Congress works full time during the week in Washington. Although Walker explains that he understands the importance of representatives returning home to meet with constituents and loved-ones, he explains that our serious fiscal situation warrants more time in the office.
Not only does Walker spell out his plan for this campaign, but he also details some scary statistics on how much time our representatives are currently spending in Washington. According to the article, the House’s 2013 calendar shows it will only be in session for 49.5% of this year’s weekdays. This statistic really hits home when you consider this: the average American typically works 92.3% of weekdays.
With these figures in mind, perhaps partisanship is not the only thing sending our government dangerously close to critical deadlines. To learn more about the Comeback America Initiative, visit http://www.NoDealNoBreak.net.