The U.S. House is scheduled to leave Washington on Wednesday evening for a seven-week district work period, giving lawmakers time to campaign, meet with constituents and raise funds ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections, Louisiana Illuminator reports.
The extended break comes after the House spent relatively little time in session in August and September, with the chamber’s official calendar showing district work periods throughout the fall.
The recess also limits opportunities for lawmakers to take up contentious issues. Speaker Mike Johnson, R-LA, defended the decision, saying Republicans have accomplished significant work during their time in control of the federal government. On artificial intelligence, Johnson pointed to a bipartisan congressional task force report but said lawmakers do not yet have enough information about rapidly advancing technology to develop effective regulations. He instead advocated for AI companies to self-regulate.
The debate comes as technology executives and policymakers increasingly disagree over how quickly the federal government should establish AI safeguards.
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-NY, criticized Republicans for leaving Washington and argued that Congress should remain focused on issues including inflation, health care, energy costs and government accountability. The House will also recess without a vote on the Protect College Sports Act, which aims to regulate student-athlete revenue sharing, grant NCAA antitrust immunity, and set uniform eligibility and transfer rules.
After the election, lawmakers are scheduled to return for two weeks in November and three weeks in December.
Louisiana Illuminator has the full story.
