Under Article II, Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution, the President of the United States "may on extraordinary occasions, convene both Houses, or either of them." While the Congressional impasse over the budget for the upcoming fiscal year does not seem extraordinary compared to recent years, the American public should not allow itself to grow complacent in the face of incompetence by our elected leaders.
In the weeks leading up to their 5 week vacation, Congress neglected to even debate critical budget resolutions, instead once again choosing to dedicate their time to settled matters (i.e., the Affordable Care Act). With a government shutdown quickly approaching, Congress should not take a recess which encompasses more time than most American workers take for vacation in a single year.