Senate Republican Leader Delays Start of August Recess

VOA News

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has delayed the beginning of the chamber’s August recess in an attempt to complete work on the Republican bill to overhaul the nation’s health care coverage law and deal with Trump administration nominees.

The Republican lawmaker announced the decision Tuesday in a statement that included a criticism of Democratic senators.

«In order to provide more time to complete action on important legislative items and process nominees that have been stalled by a lack of cooperation from our friends across the aisle, the Senate will delay the start of the August recess until the third week of August,» McConnell said in a statement.

The Senate was initially set to begin a five-week recess on July 31, but McConnell’s decision pushes it back to the week of August 14.

It is possible, however, the Senate could begin its summer recess earlier.

Senate Republicans have struggled to find a legislative formula to repeal and replace former President Barack Obama’s health care law, known popularly as Obamacare.

Conservative Republicans want to dramatically reduce the federal government’s role in health care, but moderates are concerned that their most vulnerable constituents would lose coverage.