The Hill News

House members are aiming now to adjourn at the end of next week, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said Wednesday.

The second-ranking House Democrat said that the House was hoping to finish up its business by next Friday, a week earlier than expected.

"We were scheduled to go through the 8th of October, but I think we are shooting to and probably will be able to finish up by the end of next week," he said on the liberal Bill Press radio talk show.

Hoyer had dismissed on Tuesday reports that the House could adjourn as early as the end of this week. His Senate counterpart, Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), said on Tuesday that the Senate would eye leaving next week, too.

Hoyer said that no decisions had been made about whether to leave early, or when Democrats would do so. The ability to leave, the Maryland Democrat explained, would hinge on the Senate's ability to send the House a continuing resolution to pass before lawmakers leave.

Senate Democrats still have a number of unfinished items on the agenda, which includes a campaign finance bill on which they plan to vote on Thursday and a food safety bill, among other items.

Democrats might also be forced to punt on the major looming item, the tax cuts set to expire at the end of the year. Lawmakers had said they'd hoped to vote on extending the rates for all but the highest earners, but Hoyer left open room on Wednesday for the House and Senate to punt on such a vote.

"We don't know that to be the case," he said when asked if Demo! crats would definitely address taxes before leaving. "Obviousl! y we can address that sometime later this year if we don't address it by the end of next week."

"What I have said is we want to see what the Senate can do on a tax bill before we spend time here working on it," Hoyer explained.

Democrats are anxious to get back to their states and districts to campaign to hold onto their seats and majority in the next 41 days. Polls show Republicans poised to make inroads into those majorities in the House and Senate, with a potential threat to take over the House.

Hoyer acknowledged Democrats' desire to spend time campaigning. "Everybody obviously wants to be back in their district talking to people about the elections," he said.