Senator Mark Udall is wishing for a lame duck Xmas

Monday, U.S. Senator Mark Udall expressed frustration and called on his colleagues to stay through the holidays to finish the cornucopia of bills that are left to be dealt with.

In addition to middle-class tax relief, bills that still need to be considered before the end of the year include the National Defense Authorization Act, a package of public lands and natural resources legislation, judicial appointments and ratification of the START Treaty, as well as several others. Udall said Congress needs to stay to do its job - American families can't afford for the Senate to give up and go home early.

'With unemployment rising, and our troops fighting two wars, it's shameful that we've made so little progress in the lame duck session on legislation that should be a no-brainer - bills that would create jobs, provide for pay and resources for our troops, and extend tax cuts to the middle class,' Udall said.

“I'm willing to stay through Christmas and New Year's, if that's what it takes, to fight for middle-class tax relief, the defense authorization bill, public lands legislation - which means jobs for Coloradans - and other important work,” Udall continued.