Rounds Supports McConnell Decision to Delay Scheduled August In-State Work Period

WASHINGTON—U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today made the following statement in support of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-Ky.) decision to delay the August in-state work period until the third week of August.

“I’m glad that Leader McConnell agreed to our request to remain working in Washington, D.C., for part of the scheduled August in-state work period,” said Rounds. “This will give us the opportunity to continue working on issues that impact all Americans such as health care, tax reform and passing a responsible budget. I look forward to supporting Leader McConnell as we work to make progress on important legislation that will have meaningful effects on South Dakota families.”

Rounds and a number of his colleagues participated in a press conference earlier today to follow up on a June 30, 2017, letter they sent to Leader McConnell requesting that he shorten or cancel the August in-state work period.

“[The American people] expect us to get our work done in a timely fashion,” Rounds said during the press conference. “We can’t do that without spending some extra time here….this is our way of expressing to leadership our support for their interest in extending that time period.”

“We’ve had the opportunity to get back home on a regular basis...the one message we get time and again is they sent us here to fix things. They didn’t send us here to let the status quo just continue on. And part of the way that you do that is – is you actually get together and you get things done. What we’re finding is that this Senate schedule is such that when you have delays that are being imposed right now – and it is the Democrats prerogative to delay – they can do that – that’s their right – but that means then is what we’ve got to do as the majority what we think is right and that is to get our job done.”

Full video of Rounds’ remarks can be found here. Watch the entire press conference here. 

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