End of Week Two

And it feels as if I've been here for months, but in a good way. I've sat in on four constituent meetings, which are happening throughout the House and Senate. These 3-4 months that the budget is being prepared are the time folks back home (often termed by the media as "special interests" and lobbyists) come to the Hill to request support (read $$) for either a specific project of theirs, or for a department or agency in the federal government.

I've been part of the National Health Education Advocacy Summit, where we would come to the Hill in mid-March to request support for specific bills being considered, and specific levels of funding for such agencies as CDC and specific programs of these agencies.

While many corporations and non-profits are accompanied by their contracted lobbyists or in-house government relations staff, many just come by themselves, making their best case. Tips on making your best case:

1. Do your homework. Know what you're asking for, from whom, and why. It works best when your request (aka "ask") is to the state you're working in, or to a Member on the committee with the authority to include this in their budget requests. For example, know who the chairs and members of the twelve appropriations subcommittees are (House: http://appropriations.house.gov/members110th.shtml and Senate: http://appropriations.senate.gov/members.cfm). While it helps to have the project passed by the authorizing committee, if it doesn't have money "appropriated," it won't get funded.

2. Be efficient with time. Be clear and concise about what you're asking for, how much it costs, how it's beneficial (scope and numbers), some measure of capability and past success, and if this is start-up or operating funding. Constituents with relationships seem to get 15-30 minutes/visit with the Legislative Assistant with expertise in the area of your request. No relationship? Much closer to 15 minutes. So create a relationship, and follow up occasionally so they don't only hear from you once/year (although that's still better than not at all).

3. Leave behind a one-page (and not a sentence more) summary of your "ask", with relevant, persuasive facts. Staff will summarize (one paragraph to one page) each constituent meeting. And they'll probably include how much you're asking for, how many people it would cover (e.g., guns purchased/battalion, hot meals served/homeless, ridership for new bus), and assure that what you're asking for is appropriate for federal funding. For example, while a new school building might be important, that's a state responsibility.

There's clearly a difference of opinion about these "earmarks," inserting into the federal budget specific requests for funding for projects (sometimes referred to as "pork", but likely only if it isn't your project - your state's new airport, your district's bridge repair, your region's social service program or research project). The Republicans say they don't want any, the Democrats say they've cut the number in half (which they remind was greatly increased by the Republicans), and the president threatens to veto any "earmark" slipped into report and not voted on by the Congress specifically. We'll see how this progresses.

I've continued to watch key committee meetings (televised through the computer screen, so I can work and watch at the same time). My senator introduced a bill that is close to getting a bill "marked up" by the committee relevant to its subject (health, in fact, so it's the HELP - Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee), so we've been preparing for that process, assuring that everyone on the committee is comfortable with the existing language of the bill. During the committee mark up session, each bill and amendment being considered (and there are almost ten at this committee meeting) is reviewed line by line, so you want to resolve any controversy in advance, rather than hold up the bill being released during markup. The House already passed a version of this bill, and we're keeping their version in mind as we proceed.

I attended an inspiring briefing on public health and the built environment in the capitol (senate side). The Hill buildings are connected by underground "subway" cars which staff and members use to travel to House, Senate and Capitol buildings without having to go outside (convenient in bad weather or to avoid press or adversaries). I chose to walk along the shuttle tracks to at least get some exercise, and notice the hanging plaques and flags of the 50 states, in order of entering the union.

Senate committees seem to meet on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings, listening to their invited experts and asking their questions. Sitting in the back of one particular hearing on the Economic Stimulus initiative (how much to give, to how much will that help), I couldn't help but notice that one economist testifying looked (at least from my vantage point) like Harrison Ford. The second looked like a colleague from NJ (all right, he looked like Michael Shafer) and the third like a classmate from high school. It certainly made listening to them a little more interesting.

The hearing room itself is awe-inspiring - and probably intentionally so. It has high ceilings, complete wood paneling with insets as the walls, leather chairs, large brass sconces and chandeliers for lighting, marble as a base for the dais, astrological signs in bas relief on the ceiling - just stunning. The meeting rooms in the Capitol are equally inspiring (and humbling).

Many things make me feel as if "I'm not in Kansas anymore." My mouse pad has the insignia of the senate, I pass through a metal detector entering the building every day, my husband can't have flowers delivered to my office - I would have to go outside to pick them up (not a hint, sweetie), and there are all the resources that one would need to do their best work. A department that puts your idea into legislature-ease (Office of Legislative Services), a department that researches and writes reports for your use in creating potential legislation and understanding current policy and science (Congressional Research Services - they're fabulous! You have a question at 10am, and the answer by 11am - everyone should have a CRS where they work!). And a Library of Congress that even delivers! This place, in my niece's parlance, is "way cool"!

Of course I also got pulled over by a policeman the other day. I know I'm a pedestrian, but apparently he didn't like that I walked (in the crosswalk) against a red light (which I couldn't see because it was blocked by a truck in the stand-still traffic). This is one tough town. (I did mention that I was new to town, but he reminded me that the rules are the same throughout the country, so that didn't work.) I didn't get a ticket (just tachycardia and a wee bit embarrassed), but I've stopped jay walking. Now I notice that it's only the tourists who seem to jay walk - the staffers seem to wait for the green light even if there's no oncoming traffic. Maybe they once got called out by a policeman themselves...

I've also found another way to work - longer on one metro line to the Capitol South stop, but no need to change to the red line to Union Station. (Probably a good thing, as last week two trains bumped each other while one was discharging passengers; oops.)

The city continues to be a joy, there's just less free time now to take advantage. I did join the Museum for Women in the Arts (fabulous), walked through the Textile Museum and garden (pungent boxwoods - fragrant to me, overwhelming to my sister), and went to a show by Judy Gold at Theater J (Q and 16th St, NW).