One might think that a Republican-led Senate with a vow to get back to work would actually be working more, especially in a highly contested election year, but as
Politico has pointed out, the Senate is actually on pace so far in 2016 to be in session the fewest numbers of days since 1956.
There are a variety of reasons and explanations for this, and, not surprisingly, Republicans and Democrats are playing the blame game for why it is happening.
Republicans point to the Democratic filibuster of an energy and water funding bill that has halted the effort to approve the 12 spending bills that fund the government.
The GOP also argues that the fewer work days does not equal less productivity, insisting that they are simply more efficient in doing what needs to be done than the Democrats.
But Democrats counter with claims of their own, saying the Republicans' refusal to act on
President Barack Obama's Supreme Court nomination Merrick Garland shows their true colors.
Sen. Jon Tester of Montana, chairman of Democrats' campaign arm, tells Politico for good measure, "Let's get real here. The people that are making the claim that we're working are the same ones who brought everything to a grinding halt” during the last Congress."
Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, speaking on "The Cats Roundtable" Sunday radio show, said he is fairly certain that the American public will usher in a Democratic takeover of the Senate in the November elections, especially if Donald Trump is the Republican presidential nominee.
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