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Congress Opens August Work Period With Partisan Messaging Tours and Epstein File Dispute

Republicans are turning an annual home-district recess into a campaign-style push to highlight their legislative achievements to voters

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson departs after speaking to the media outside the House Chamber at the US Capitol on July 23 in Washington, DC.
The US Capitol building in Washington, DC, on Wednesday, July 23.
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Overview

  • Speaker Mike Johnson characterized the district recess as “arguably the most important work month” and insisted it would not be a vacation for House Republicans.
  • GOP lawmakers are traveling across their districts to promote the recently signed “One, Big, Beautiful Bill” through roundtables and meetings with local stakeholders.
  • House Democrats, led by Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, are staging nationwide town halls to advance their policy agenda and critique the Republican legislation.
  • Johnson adjourned the House session one day early to avoid a floor debate on a bipartisan discharge petition by Reps. Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna seeking release of Justice Department files on Jeffrey Epstein.
  • Senate leaders, including Majority Leader John Thune, are considering canceling or shortening their August recess to clear a backlog of President Trump’s nominees.