Brief History: Congressional Recess

Health care, appropriations, financial reform, global warming: Congress has a lot of work to do. Starting Aug. 3, lawmakers began to decamp en masse from the nation's capital for a five-week break. What gives?

Despite the name, summer recess is often as much work as it is play: Congress's members must press flesh back home to remind voters of all the good work they've been doing and to raise vital campaign funds. The Legislative Branch has made a tradition of taking August off, going back to the first Congress, in New York City in 1790. Back then, the break lasted until December (it often took weeks to travel between New York and some Southern states). Throughout much of the 19th century, Congress adjourned in June or July to escape the heat of Washington summers. Beginning in 1911, however, Congress met frequently in the summer months, particularly during both world wars. Since 1970 the August break has been congressionally mandated, but exceptions are still made in times of war or to wrap up unfinished business. In 1994, Congress reluctantly worked through August to pass President Clinton's crime bill.

So what do members do when they're not legislating? Any time not spent on the Hill can be spent fundraising, although outside of election years, August is a slow month for events. Some members go on official trips, visiting troops or joining fact-finding missions or trade delegations. This year several lawmakers will spend their time stumping for (or against) President Obama's health-care plan. Once that's all done, though, many take actual vacations: Arizona Representative Raul Grijalva plans to spend four days in a cabin near the Grand Canyon. There he will "read a book that is pointless and have no phone service," he says. "Perfect."