John Kennedy

Back in June, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced the Senate would be skipping the usual August recess because they have “a lot of important work to do.” By Friday, August 17, the Senate had worked a grand total of three legislative days in the month of August, two of which were this week. Check out the video for some of how they spent that time.

The Senate adopted a unanimous consent resolution on Thursday stating the press "is not the enemy of the people,” a declaration put forth by Democratic Sen. Brian Schatz and Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer. Republican Sen. John Kennedy told Roll Call Thursday afternoon that he’s “always supported freedom of the press.”

The House has left Washington for the summer, but both chambers had a week of attempted comedy, struggles with technology and thoughts of eating crickets for lunch.

The Senate’s farm bill debate this week brought about talk of the other white meat, pivot irrigation and lots and lots of cattle. Plus, learn what member of the Trump administration Rep. Denny Heck calls “a homie.”

While female members of Congress geared up to face the press in the annual Congressional Softball Game, Sen. John Kennedy offered a hypothetical scenario in a committee hearing: why can’t he and his spouse do cocaine in the privacy of their own home? Also, Sen. Dan Sullivan discussed Alaskan delicacies on the chamber floor.

Thumbnail photo: Sens. David Perdue, Ron Johnson and John Kennedy wait in the U.S. Senate Radio & Television Correspondents Gallery before a news conference. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call)