Freshman lawmaker calls for five-day congressional workweek

Freshman Rep. David Jolly (R-Fla.) thinks the House should spend more time in session during the next Congress.

In a letter to the House Rules Committee made public on Monday, Jolly suggested a permanent change to the chamber’s standing rules to require more days in session.

During a typical Washington workweek, House members will come in late Monday evening for votes at 6:30 p.m. and leave town by early afternoon Thursday. Sometimes the House doesn’t return until Tuesday evening but works until Friday.

Jolly suggested the House schedule be more like the typical American five-day, 9-to-5 workweek.

{mosads}”I would respectfully request that your subcommittee require for any week that Congress is in session in Washington, D.C., that such session run from 8:00 a.m. on Monday until 6:00 p.m. on Friday,” Jolly wrote. “Simply put, a workweek is a workweek. Our efforts should reflect those of every other working American.”

Jolly only assumed office in March after winning a special election to replace the late Rep. C.W. Bill Young (R-Fla.). 

The Florida Republican, who noted that the House is set to only be in session for 110 days this year, argued that the chamber should be in session more often to address the many issues facing the nation.

“We should be in session more. We cannot rightfully address the many concerns of the American people like the national debt, tax reform, national security and education if we are not in session,” Jolly wrote.

Jolly’s proposal comes after the House Rules Committee held a hearing last week on potential rule changes for the 114th Congress that will convene in January 2015.

It also comes after the House and Senate adjourned on Thursday until Nov. 12 to hit the campaign trail after being in session for only eight days. The brief September session followed the five-week August recess.