Snowstorms force House to scrap workweek

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Mother Nature’s wrath has forced the U.S. House to scrap its workweek.

No. 2 House Democrat Steny Hoyer said Tuesday the body will not meet the rest of the week, and no votes are scheduled. His comments came as Washington remained paralyzed from one blizzard and hunkered down in anticipation of a possible additional 10-20 inches of snow.

Last weekend’s storm closed area airports for a few days, preventing many lawmakers from returning to the nation’s capital. With Congress on a previously scheduled break next week for the Presidents’ Day holiday, lawmakers won’t be back in Washington until Feb. 22.

-- Associated Press

With the U.S. Capitol shrouded in snow, National Park Service employees Frank Brown (R) and Matthew Newman lower flags that had been flying at half-staff around the Washington Monument February 9, 2010 in Washington, DC. The government ordered flags to fly at half-staff in honor of Rep. John Murtha (D-PA), 77, who died yesterday after being in the hospital with complications from gallbladder surgery.