Senate avoids full workweek

The Senate hasn’t worked a full week all year.

The upper chamber adjourned Thursday night, and lawmakers won’t return until Nov. 12, a week after the midterm elections.

{mosads}Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) had threatened weekend work during the two-week September session, but those threats were empty. The Senate didn’t even work on either Friday.

“There will be no weekends off,” Reid said last month.

Lawmakers were able to complete work on a stopgap funding measure that will keep the government operating into December. On Thursday, the Senate passed the bill on a 78-22 vote.

There have been several Friday pro forma sessions, but no legislative business has been conducted on a Friday this year.

Both parties were motivated to leave town early to campaign for reelection.

Several vulnerable Democrats are up for reelection, and Republicans need only six seats to gain control of the chamber.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is also facing a tough reelection race. He was able to get his party to agree to fast-track legislation, so he could return to Kentucky to campaign.