Three, two, one, zero, all engine run.

There is no other institution that has the ability uniquely.

Without a heritage, every generation starts over.

To remind the current regime.

We the people tell the governor what it is allowed to do.

All the action to get back in their box and stay there.

Lift-off.

We have a lift-down.

From the Heritage Foundation, this is Heritage Explains.

Okay. This is Heritage Explains. The August recess has been a staple of the congressional calendar for decades.

In the 1960s, the demands placed on the U.S. Congress were changing.

Lawmaking had moved from a part-time to a full-time gig,

and as the pace of life intensified, so too did the workload on legislators.

Looking for a way to balance their busy schedules with those of families,

some members of Congress pushed for a defined summer recess.

This they received in the form of the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1970.

Now every summer, the Congress takes a recess in the month of August, allowing members

to go home, meet with constituents, or simply take vacation.

But the political machine in Washington never stops turning.

And when the members come back, more work is always waiting.

This year is no exception as Congress returns to work this week.

Here to discuss what we might expect over the next few weeks is Steve Charton, vice president of government relations here at the Heritage Foundation.

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