Taking next Tuesday off in honor of the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama isn’t sitting too well with some House members.

The Senate approved a resolution taking inauguration day off on a voice vote yesterday and the House approved the measure today, but with a much-less-than-unanimous 69-22 vote. 

“Today you’re seeing a practice that’s a little hard to defend,” said Rep. Dan Greenberg, R-Little Rock.  

“We did have one sometime back for Bill Clinton,” Greenberg said, but he noted the Legislature did not take the day off for President Bush’s inaugurations in 2001 and 2005.   

“I say this is the oldest living democracy, the old surviving constitution, and for me everytime a new president is sworn in, that is an occasion for celebration,” Greenberg said. “This notion that we’re going to pick and choose, as we’ve got a history of doing, is a harsh lesson for some of us more than others.”

Fellow Republican Rep. Rick Green of Van Buren spoke for the resolution, noting that “a resolution can be brought up anytime celebrating any president.”

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