- Here's an explanation from the U.S.Senate's website.
It's about the heat:
Each year, Congress recesses for the month of August. During the Senate's early years, senators typically convened a session in December and adjourned in the spring, before the summer heat overwhelmed them and their small staff. When the Senate moved to its current chamber in 1859, senators were optimistic about its "modern" ventilation system, but they found the new system ineffective. The 1920s brought "manufactured weather" to the Senate chamber, but even modern climate control could not cope with the hottest days, forcing 20th-century senators to find ways to escape the summer heat. By the mid-20th century, a more modern air conditioning system brought relief, but year-long sessions presented new problems. By the 1950s the job of a U.S. senator was a full-time, year-round job and there were very few breaks built into the legislative calendar. In 1963, for example, the Senate met from January to December without a break longer than a three-day weekend. Consequently,members of Congress sought a way to establish a summertime recess. In 1970, finally facing the reality of year-long sessions, Congress mandated a summer break as part of the Legislative Reorganization Act. Today, the August recess continues to be a regular feature of the Senate schedule, a chance for senators to spend time with family, meet with constituents in their home states, and catch up on summer reading.
A congressional staffer argues that the recess makes life better for everyone.
Since the explanation mentioned the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1970, here's a bit on it:
- Wikipedia: Legislative Reorganization Act of 1970.
- Public Law 91-510.
- Here is the description of the reorganization from House.gov:
Proposed by the Joint Committee on the Organization of Congress, the legislation overhauled congressional internal procedures and administration for the first time in a generation. The House passed the final version of the bill on October 8, 1970. The reforms made House and Senate processes more transparent by making all committee hearings (excluding national security meetings and Appropriations) public, as well as by permitting televised broadcasts of many of these committee hearings. The most extraordinary change to the House of Representatives was the addition of electronic voting to the House Chamber. The state of the art million-dollar system eventually went into operation on January 23, 1973. The first vote was a 15 minute roll call vote of Members, which prior to the electronic system took on average 30 to 45 minutes.
If you feel ambitious read the following:
- A Brief History of Congressional Reform Efforts.
