House and Senate Members could be voting just days before Christmas next month in an end-of-the-year rush to move health care reform legislation.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) announced Wednesday that the House will be in session the week of Nov. 16, the week of Nov. 30, the week of Dec. 7, and the week of Dec 14. Hoyer also warned the House could “be in session on Monday, Dec. 21 and Tuesday, Dec. 22 if needed.—

“As action on health insurance reform legislation moves to the Senate, the House is updating its schedule for November and December to reflect that, and to ensure there is time to complete our work on other important issues,— Hoyer said in a statement.

In the Senate, Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has not ruled out the possibility of working on Saturday, Nov. 21, the weekend before the Thanksgiving recess. Both chambers are scheduled to be in recess the following week for the Thanksgiving holiday, observed Nov. 26.

Health care reform could begin to make its way to the Senate floor as early as next week. The overhaul is expected to consume the Senate agenda for the rest of the year. While the Senate has not announced an official schedule for the remaining weeks of 2009, Reid spokesman Jim Manley said Wednesday that the chamber “will be in session as long as necessary.—