One week to go before next recess

Today we had “a suspicious package” in the first floor ladies restroom. Capitol police were repeatedly broadcasting caution and directions to avoid that area. It certainly made for a distraction while researching and writing notes for a speech for the Senator. We all received a message that said:

“From: Senate Alerts
Sent: Wednesday, May 14, 2008 4:00 PM
To: Senators_OfficeAlerts@saa.senate.gov
Subject: Suspicious Package
Importance: High

The US Capitol Police are responding to a suspicious package outside of room SH-141 of the Hart Senate Office Building. All staff and other personnel are directed to avoid this area until further notice.”

This is just another reminder that “I'm not in Kansas anymore.”

At 4:45pm we were informed that the amendment we were working on finally received support from the needed Senate leaders, and that we had 5 minutes to make 50 copies (the number of Senators of the supportive party plus the original, with original signature) and deliver them to the Senate committee room (which closes at 5pm). Of course I didn’t know that for the copy machine to collate a 9-page amendment, you press the “sort” button. Good thing for interns!

We delivered the first half as soon as they were ready (literally hot off the press), with our lame excuse that the machine was slow to copy. I soon followed with the rest, only to learn that 7 other Senate offices’ staff came in after us with their amendments, too. We’re all there in the committee office hand writing the sequential number of our amendment on all of the copies (ours was #69, so you can imagine the workload of the committee mark-up meeting the next day).

Today was spent preparing talking points for the Senator for three of his many appearances this weekend. Background notes are also prepared so he has the benefit of staff research with which to prepare his speeches and appearances.

I’m close to agreement with that House office on exact language for our bill, which I hope to “drop” this week. I’ve also been meeting with constituents, as always, coming to talk about research for NIH for diseases, about debt forgiveness for medical students and other incentives for primary care practitioners, for improvements in the Medicare and Medicaid program (rules, reimbursements, etc.), and many other issues. The Senate schedule included a briefing on CLIA lab testing standards, but having worked in a health center for over two decades, I found myself very familiar with the info being presented.

The Shakespeare Folger Library is a branch of the Library of Congress. http://www.folger.edu/

One of their many activities is a poetry series, which hosted Lucille Clifton last night.
http://www.folger.edu/woSummary.cfm?wotypeid=4&season=c&woid=410
I went with two colleagues to hear her read her own poetry, and those from poets who influenced her. It was very entertaining, and had special meaning, since I selected one of her poems to represent my marriage – “Salt.”* I was hoping she would read it last night, but no requests were taken.

Senate softball starts next week, and I feel like a puffball now. I need some practice! This week is Bike To Work Week, but it still feels unsafe, with traffic having little interest in sharing the road with two-wheeled vehicles. I decided to just take the Metro in the mornings, walk home from work in the early evenings (weather permitting), and save my bike riding for before work. It just feels safest that way.

I am, however, wearing the pedometer the Senate wellness group was distributing, and after two days have logged 18,000 steps (about 5 miles?). The winning office gets a donation made in their name to the Special Olympics, so I’ve noticed my office getting to the Senate gym treadmills more often this week. Who says Senate staff aren’t competitive?

Question: How much longer will these delicious strawberries last at the local farmer’s markets?

* Salt - By Lucille Clifton

He is as salt
To her,
A strange sweet
Peculiar money
Precious and valuable
Only to her tribe,
And she is salt to him
Something that rubs raw
That leaves a tearful taste
But what he will
Strain the ocean for
And what he needs.