North Carolina lawmaker proposes bill canceling House August recess unless funding bills are passed

Republican North Carolina Rep. Chuck Edwards introduced on Wednesday a bill that would cancel the House's scheduled August recess this year, until all appropriation bills are passed that fund the government through fiscal year 2025.

The August recess is the longest break for lawmakers, and could be crucial for House members who are facing tough challenges to their incumbencies this year. But the August break comes ahead of a September deadline for the 12 spending bills to pass Congress. If the deadline is not met, the federal government could face a shutdown.

Edwards introduced the "Do Our Job Act," arguing that Americans do not go home before they finish their jobs, and that voters' patience on the House's production is "wearing thin." 

“The American people don’t go home before their job is done, so why should Congress?” Edwards said in remarks on the House floor. “In the nearly five decades that our current appropriations process has been in place, Congress has only passed all 12 appropriations bills only four times. Four times in almost 50 years.” 

He continued: “We’re here to represent their interest and to keep this government running. It’s high time that we take our responsibility seriously, put our heads down, and get to work passing appropriations bills each year.” 

House Speaker Mike Johnson has pushed Congress to pass the funding bills, making it one of his top priorities as the lower chamber's leader. But discontent over the process, and the speed of getting the bills passed, led to the ousting of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy. Only one appropriations bill has passed the House so far, funding the Department of Veterans Affairs and military construction.

The House has just seven more weeks to pass the 11 additional bills, but canceling the recess would give them 11 weeks, according to The Hill. House Republicans are already working to pass the Department of Homeland Security's 2025 funding, which is set up for a final vote on Friday. However, it is not expected to pass the Senate.

Misty Severi is an evening news reporter for Just the News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.