Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) announced Tuesday that he is delaying the traditional August recess by two weeks as his party faces a list of agenda items to accomplish.
"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 Republicans are trying to push through their agenda on issues such as repealing and replacing Obamacare, tax reform, and infrastructure. The Washington Examiner reported Tuesday on a letter sent by eight Republicans to McConnell urging him to delay the recess in order to not stymie the party's agenda.
Senate Republicans have faced particular problems getting through the Obamacare repeal bill. If the GOP fails to repeal the law, McConnell said last week, Congress will have to pass a more limited bill aimed at shoring up the law's struggling insurance markets.