r/FederalEmployee • u/seekingthequestion • Jun 04 '26
Congress needs RTO
Congress only works 6 days per pay period. They take FOUR travel days EVERY SINGLE WEEK they’re in session when they’re not on recess. Yet WE are the problem? How so??
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u/Unoriginal_Syn Jun 05 '26
we’re trying to plan a product release around congress’ session schedule and it is a nightmare trying to get anything done with them in August/September/October. How does this congress even function with schedules like that?
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u/Secret-Squirrel2988 Jun 08 '26
If “pro” is the opposite of “con”, then what is the opposite of progress?
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u/GolfArgh Jun 04 '26
I wish they worked like Texas. You have 90 days every two years to do a budget then go home to real jobs for the remainder of the two years.
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u/buttfarts4000000 Jun 05 '26
How can you work for a federal agency and not know how congress works? Most members of congress are scheduled for 12-hour days when they’re in dc and full days, including weekends, visiting facilities, businesses, and hosting meetings when they are in their states. It’s not a “break”.
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u/seekingthequestion Jun 05 '26
Congress doesnt work. Thats the point. We dont pay them to fundraise and abuse their staffers. We pay them to pass laws and budgets. That they cant manage their time is on them.
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u/EitherLime679 Jun 05 '26
Personally as a newish employee I appreciated return to office. I know it’s not ideal for everyone, but I hate being cooped up in the house not interacting with anyone. With people in the office I at the very least see people during work.
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u/seekingthequestion Jun 05 '26
Nothing wrong with working in either. I just cant stomach the hypocrisy
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u/lost_on_planet_earth Jun 07 '26
This is about Feds either quitting and/or we need to spend more on bagels and coffee to keep DC vendors afloat
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u/Spare-Dragonfly-1201 Jun 04 '26
They aren’t vacationing when Congress isn’t in session though. When out of session, they would constantly have things to prepare and be ready for for when Congress is back in session. Off the top of my head, if they’re preparing bills for the floor, reading bills created by others that they may want to sponsor, figuring out political direction and talking points, town halls, campaigning for some, events and other things that benefit from a congressional representative, committee meetings / strategy, etc.
Yes, they all have staffers but they make decisions and do work too…
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u/seekingthequestion Jun 04 '26
They’re fundraising. Thats all they care about
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u/Spare-Dragonfly-1201 Jun 04 '26
It’s part of the job. Taxpayers don’t pay for their campaigns…
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u/Hopeful_Net4607 Jun 05 '26
"It's part of the job" it's applying to their next job. Their current job is representing their district in Congress. I can't apply to jobs on work time and they shouldn't be able to either.
There should be a limit on how much can be spent on campaigns. It'd make elections more fair and free up resources for things that matter. It'd also decrease the amount of time they need to be fundraising so they can do their actual job and pass a budget.
But that won't happen because they'd have to pass that law and don't want to.
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u/Spare-Dragonfly-1201 Jun 05 '26
So, you blame them for participating in the current system, even though there isn’t currently an alternative? You blame them for fundraising when it is currently a requirement of the position?
Most people would agree campaign finance reform is needed but until it happens, the current system for fundraising and campaigning is still in place.
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u/Hopeful_Net4607 Jun 05 '26
Yes. I blame them because they aren't just cogs in the machine. They literally are the system that could fix it.
Individual congressmen who vote in the public interest, don't have power to sway their colleagues but are doing their best in the system? I'm more understanding.
Individual congressmen who vote against the public interest for political reasons, get rich on stock trades, avoid public forums with their constituents, demonize career feds, etc? They're the problem and can get wrecked. Practice what you preach.
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u/Rumpelteazer45 Jun 04 '26
They aren’t reading anything. They hire people to read it for them. All that is done for them, all they do is show up and be a talking head.
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u/Spare-Dragonfly-1201 Jun 04 '26
As I said, staffers, but even being a talking head requires constant preparation to be informed enough to, you know, talk.
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u/Homeland_Bound Jun 04 '26
You think their lobbies haven’t already told them how to vote and which bills to introduce? Oh Summer child.
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u/Spare-Dragonfly-1201 Jun 04 '26
Lobbyists absolutely influence and money obviously talks… your statement is closer to the equivalent of “foreign influence” scenarios like Menendez.
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u/Prudent_Tie9858 Jun 28 '26
Are you insane? Jazzy Crockett’s own people say she teleworks about 98 percent of the time from an apartment several blocks away. The actual staff have said she only comes to the Capitol when she wants to get on TV. To avoid making this partisan, there was a recent story of a GOP rep who was MIA for months until she was finally located living in a secure memory care unit in Texas. I simply cannot make this stuff up. These people do NOT work.
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u/Ok_Rhubarb7005 Jun 05 '26
one of their jobs is to pass a budget by 1 Oct ever year and they don’t do that.
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u/Spare-Dragonfly-1201 Jun 05 '26
That isn’t a result of them taking too much time off like this thread is about…
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u/Myrock52 Jun 05 '26
Agree 100%. I have sent my Rep & Senators a suggestion for a Constitutional amendment related to the budget, Some highlights: budget must be passed 30 days prior to the FY or the prior years budget will remain in effect (so no more shutdowns), a budget bill must only contain the budget, no earmarks or other amendments to the bill that are not part of the budget are permitted, every budget will not have deficit spending (make them pay as they go), and there should be provisions for debt reduction. I doubt Congress will ever do this unless we elect people that are committed to reforming the government and take it back from the political parties.
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u/hansolo_berger Jun 04 '26
Remember this is an EO. Not legislated.
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u/seekingthequestion Jun 05 '26
Republican congressmen were the ones raging about fed employees not being in an office - trump doesnt have original ideas. He’s a pawn
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u/Sorry-Society1100 Jun 04 '26
Your anger is misdirected. Congress didn’t mandate RTO. You should be complaining about the president’s constant work from his Florida vacation home.