Patrick Leahy: “this week we conclude another work period by disappointing the American people. We recess, again, without concluding the…”

“this week we conclude another work period by disappointing the American people. We recess, again, without concluding the people's business and passing a strong tobacco bill. Tobacco legislation is now added to the litany of important matters the Congress has left unfinished. Last month, the Congress adjourned without even completing the federal budget and this month we recess, again, without concluding even that basic action. Most Americans think of April 15 as the day that they file their tax returns and pay their taxes, and most Americans dutifully collect their financial records and go through the sometimes arduous task of preparing their tax returns. I hope that next year and in the years ahead that task will be made a little easier by legislation I have sponsored to require the IRS to post information and forms on the Internet, along with regulations and rulings. Well, April 15 was also the legal deadline for Congress to have passed a budget resolution. While the Senate did some preliminary work on a flawed proposal earlier this year, Congress is recessing, again, without completing this fundamental task--another duty ignored, another legal requirement violated. I hope that as Congress returns from its Memorial Day break it will complete work on a balanced budget to serve the American people without additional delay.”