We're Still Here

Recess is a distant memory, as crisis begets crisis, and comedy tragically reigns.
The House passed a bailout package for the automakers (after their return plea), which the Senate Republicans have understandable concerns about, and are proposing an alternative - which Majority Leader Reid said he'd consider. Does a weekend session loom?

As President-elect Obama continues to make cabinet appointments, the Congressional staff dominoes also continue. And with the Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich selling the vacant Senate seat (what was he thinking?), the two-step of interest over that seat speeds up. The Minnesota senate seat is the last remaining undecided election, and the New York and Illinois seats remain to be appointed. Committee seats and chair-person-ships remain to be determined, and it looks as if no additional Cabinet seats will go to sitting Congressmembers (although you never know). The halls of the House buildings (Cannon, Russell, Longworth) are filled with outgoing office furniture (often with Bush/Chaney stickers on the filing cabinets), and half the office doors seem to be nameless now.

Health care reform is getting reinvigorated, with more briefings on and off the Hill on the subject, the appointment of former South Dakota Senator Tom Daschle as health czar and the verbal positioning of the HELP, Finance and Ways and Means Committees all placing their markers on the table of debate. SCHIP (state children's health insurance program), health IT (information technology), prevention (hurrah!) and improving how the CBO (Congressional Budget Office) "scores" the bill are all in play.

The country is so in debt that almost anything is willing to be talked about. Pity our grandchildren, although reform is very much needed, and a cost saver in the long-term.

The holiday is in the air, as is the Norwegian Embassy display again at Union Station of the model train (with the trolls under the bridge like last year). Now I know I've been here a year. Apartments have their holiday lights on, the Capitol and White House trees are decorated and lit, and scores of receptions are advertised over the staffers' emails. Even I have paperwhite narcissus coming up on the windowsill.

The Senator hosted his annual staff luncheon at a wonderful restaurant, where we spent the afternoon relaxing, singing and having fun. I can't say more about the jokes without revealing the office, but wit and witticism abounded.

The new Capitol Visitor Center opened with pomp and ceremony, along with great criticism of design and cost. (Regardless, it's worth a visit.) And the inaugural stands are further along, as the freshly cut wood aromas wafts passed us pedestrians. Ads are increasing in local newspapers and on Craigslist as residents hope to make big bucks by renting out their apartments for out-of-town inauguration visitors (e.g., $8000 for 4 days - and this one's five miles away!).

The NJ Public Health Association invited me to its annual meeting to talk about legislative advocacy - a favorite topic of mine these days. It was nice to see friends and colleagues. Otherwise time is spent meeting with the very occasional constituent, job hunting, keeping up with the dominoes of job openings, and trying to stay healthy (a race I seem to be losing right now, with a cough and sore throat I'm guessing I picked up on an airplane flight to visit my mother).

With 12 new Senators, and many Republican staffers looking for new jobs, the competition is keen for new openings. Most of the ads seems to be for press secretaries, schedulers, and legislative assistants for finances and foreign policy. Fingers remain crossed, and maybe hiring is especially slow over the holidays. I believe the new Senators are sworn in on January 6th.

The rest of the month looks like finishing business, finishing the transition, preparing for the holidays, and finding a job (unlikely until February?), plus my birthday. My heart goes out to all of the unemployed (who now likely don't have health insurance, either).

The DC Metro is falling apart, the Congress didn't uphold its gun ban, and now they're allowing the bars to stay open until 5am - a perfect storm brewing?