House joins Senate in shutting down until after elections

The House recessed Friday after passing a continuing resolution to keep the government running through Nov. 14--finally sending members home to campaign in a cliffhanger election only four days away.

"The members feel like we've clearly won the objectives that we had to have," said House Majority Leader Dick Armey, R-Texas. House members now join their Senate colleagues, who left town earlier this week after deeming the CR to have been passed once the House acted.

Congress will return to try to resolve a host of issues in a lame duck session beginning Nov. 13 in the House and Nov. 14 in the Senate in a new and uncertain political environment.

House Republicans initially said they hoped to pass the same CR after the Senate acted Wednesday, but balked when they got wind that Democrats would oppose the deal and accuse Republicans of neglecting their work. But a two-day pause that yielded no negotiations between Republicans and the administration apparently convinced legislators on both sides that there was no political advantage to be gained by keeping Congress in session.

House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., Friday said his staff had received assurances from minority staff that Democrats would go along with the CR--provided it was done without a recorded vote.

"They gave us a message and said 'We're willing to do this,' " said Hastert.

Hastert was able to back up those assurances through a conversation with Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md. Hoyer, who downplayed his role in the matter, also said he ran into Armey at the cleaners this morning and discussed the idea.

"Posturing at this point is somewhat pointless," Hoyer said. "Who are we kidding? We're not going to get this done."

House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt, D-Mo., said Thursday Democrats were willing to pass short CRs by voice vote and then left for his St. Louis district. A Democratic leadership aide said Democrats had offered to pass the CR by voice vote Wednesday, but that Republicans had turned down the offer.