Congress Is Out for the Summer

Vacation couldn’t have come sooner: After weeks of debate over health care reform, Congress adjourned for their August recess on Friday. And negotiations in the Senate Finance Committee on how to pay for the $900 billion plan do not look like they’re going anywhere before the Senate’s recess on August 7. But as they throw in the towel for the summer, lawmakers may not exactly be escaping the heat: Interest groups at home are already rallying on health care by dominating airwaves and releasing ads, and Republicans are running radio spots in 33 states against Democrats and their health care plan. A study shows that 56 percent of Americans now oppose the plans, which may mean members of Congress face unenthusiastic voters at home. But they’re not unprepared: Nancy Pelosi has armed House Democrats with local talking points on health care, including statistics about specific hospitals and health care providers.