Senator Rick Scott of Florida has criticized the U.S. Senate's reduced work schedule, stating that the chamber has been in session for only 79 days this year and has yet to pass legislation aimed at securing elections. Scott is advocating for the passage of the "Save America Act," which he argues has broad support across party lines for its core components: voter identification and ensuring only U.S. citizens can register to vote.
Scott, a Republican, pointed to the Senate's typical schedule, which often involves arriving late on Mondays and leaving early on Thursdays, with Fridays and weekends frequently unused. He contrasted this with the demands placed on American workers who, he stated, work five days a week. "At the slow rate we are getting stuff done, we should be working 7 days," Scott wrote in an opinion piece published by Fox News.
The senator emphasized that the Senate has not yet delivered on key promises made to the American people, including election security. He noted that despite widespread support for voter ID among Republicans, Democrats, and Independents, the legislation has stalled. Scott believes this lack of progress is a cumulative problem that has worsened over decades, leading to decreased productivity.
"The job of a Senator used to be to arrive in Washington to debate, vote on, and accomplish all our agenda items before we allowed ourselves to go home," Scott stated. He argued that the current approach, where senators leave for the week even when critical deadlines approach, has consequences for the nation's safety, security, and stability. He specifically mentioned the need to fund the government to prevent a shutdown and to cut spending to combat inflation.
Scott plans to bring forth policies he ran on to the Senate floor in the coming weeks. He called for a change in the Senate's business practices, urging colleagues to stay in Washington until legislative tasks are completed. "It would mean sitting down and working together to find solutions, instead of throwing up our hands and going home," he said. Scott asserts that the Senate must demonstrate a work ethic that aligns with the expectations of the American people and fulfill the promises made to constituents.