House gets back to work and quickly falls into a cycle of punishing its own

By LISA MASCARO, Associated Press Congressional Correspondent

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. House is back in session after a multi-week hiatus , but its agenda has been quickly overtaken by a sudden flurry of censures, reprimands and the investigation of members, leaving little bandwidth for legislating.

With few bills to consider — and no quick fix for the problem of skyrocketing health insurance premiums — the House has instead devoted time to lawmakers’ demands to punish each other for their personal and political transgressions in showy spectacles on and off the chamber floor.

“I feel sorry for this body,” said Del. Stacey Plaskett , a Democrat who represents the U.S. Virgin Islands and was the subject of a failed effort by House Republicans to censure and remove her from the Hou