House Dems say GOP wants too many days off

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House will be in session less than one out of every three days next year, a slight decline from past years.

House Republicans say they are running the place more efficiently and lawmakers need the time to be with constituents in an election year. Democrats say that's too few days on the job during an economic crisis.

The tentative schedule for the House in 2012 allows just six voting days in January. House members would take off almost all of August and most of October as they campaign ahead of Election Day, Nov. 6.

The 109 days scheduled for work in Washington next year compares to 119 days the House was in session in 2008, the last presidential election year.