HOUSE TO INTERRUPT THEIR BREAK TO PASS STATE AID…. As encouraging as it was to see the Senate overcome a Republican filibuster this morning on FMAP and EduJobs, there’s been a nagging problem: the House is already in recess.
Today, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D) announced she’s calling everyone back. In a Twitter message, Pelosi said:
I will be calling the House back into session early next week to save teachers’ jobs and help seniors & children
Great move. At issue is a state aid package, including $10 billion to save school teachers’ jobs, and $16.1 billion in state Medicaid funding. There’s been a very real possibility that, by the time the House passed the Senate measure, thousands of teachers will have already been laid off. It’s precisely why the Speaker is doing the right thing by announcing an emergency session.
Though some members are traveling abroad and may not be on hand for next week’s vote, House passage is considered a near-certainty.
I’ll also look forward to some heartening drama — Democrats rushing back to D.C. for an emergency session, to save the jobs of thousands of school teachers? Shortly before an election? Aaron Sorkin couldn’t write it any better.
