We ended a busy work week, both on the floor as well as in our Committee, with a busy Thursday and Friday.
Yesterday I got a little side-tracked, and decided sleep was a good thing to have. The Conservation, Credit, Energy, and Research Subcommittee held a hearing on the proposals for the Conservation Title to the farm bill. I stood guard for a while, as this was our best attended hearing yet, but was able to put a simple note on the doors asking people to enter quietly about 2/3 of the way in. Yesterday afternoon slowed down some, but we were watching the debate as to whether Washington, D.C. (and Utah, adding 2 total seats) would be approved to have a delegate in the House of Representatives (which passed in the House, and is on its way to the Senate). During the hearing my good friends Al Franken and Dick Gephardt stopped by. Okay, while they are not my close friends, Franken really does have a sense of humor, you can hear his laugh halfway down the hall, and Dick Gephardt, well, he lost the presidential nomination for the democratic party to Kerry in 2004.
Today was kind of retying all the knots that came loose during the week. With three hearings in three days, we go through a lot of paper (while we print double sided, recycle into newsprint, mixed, and white, and conserve and reuse as much as we can), miss a lot of calls and emails, and have projects which were pushed back during the week all due at the same time. I got a few small things I had set aside earlier done this morning, but at noon I was kindly reminded that I had a book full of information due at 1:30. I was already done, so I was heading to lunch, when I was reminded that the book needed to be done in triplicate. I remembered this and frantically tried to put two additional books together in an hour and a half. Luckily, I had already printed off the materials for the final books, I just had to rearrange the pages, make tabs and labels, and get them all exactly identical. When the requester of my project walked in to ask me if I wanted to head to lunch at 1:25, I thought he was joking. "Oh, yeah, sorry, that meeting got canceled, [Member's name] took an earlier flight home." So I finished the books by 1:30 anyway since I was on pace to, and had a free afternoon to get ready for next week.
This weekend looks like it is going to be 80 degrees and clear. This will be perfect as a friend and I are heading to Baltimore to check out the National Aquarium, take in an Oriole's game at Camden Yards, and take the train back all in 12 hours. Why the National Aquarium is in Baltimore, I'm not sure, but at least it gives us something else to do! Amtrack is pretty affordable for the short 40 ride each way, so I looked up a ride to Minneapolis. It costs twice as much as a plane ticket and can last for 4 days! Thank God for airplanes.
4/20/07
4/18/07
Organic Chemistry
As with most days revolving around a hearing, there was some work today. Everything went as planned for our 10 am hearing on Organic agriculture. We also tried using our overflow room, with live audio and video from the main room. It worked quite well, but the crowd was not big enough to flow over.
I watched the door, and was only able to sit in for the last 20 minutes of testimony and questions. It was interesting, I actually learned a lot about the Organic way of life. It was funny watching the crowd react as there were people in the crowd who were upset with the way things were worded and I, well never mind, that's all I should say.
This afternoon we put away the room for a reception (which was great, sorry Brian, I'll leave out the food details) and started preparing for tomorrow's hearing. While sitting at the front desk creating documents for tomorrow's hearing we got some calls to inform us that today was the day of action for elephants. The people calling just told (those of us at the front desk) us that today was the day of action, we said "Okay?", and they would politely say thank you and goodbye.
Tomorrow we have a hearing for the Subcomittee on Conservation, Credit, Energy and Research discussing the USDA Farm Bill conservation programs. One important thing that happened today for that subcommittee is that Joe Donnelly ofIndiana
I watched the door, and was only able to sit in for the last 20 minutes of testimony and questions. It was interesting, I actually learned a lot about the Organic way of life. It was funny watching the crowd react as there were people in the crowd who were upset with the way things were worded and I, well never mind, that's all I should say.
This afternoon we put away the room for a reception (which was great, sorry Brian, I'll leave out the food details) and started preparing for tomorrow's hearing. While sitting at the front desk creating documents for tomorrow's hearing we got some calls to inform us that today was the day of action for elephants. The people calling just told (those of us at the front desk) us that today was the day of action, we said "Okay?", and they would politely say thank you and goodbye.
Tomorrow we have a hearing for the Subcomittee on Conservation, Credit, Energy and Research discussing the USDA Farm Bill conservation programs. One important thing that happened today for that subcommittee is that Joe Donnelly of
4/17/07
When it Rains, it Pours
The activity level has risen. Room 1300 has completed its first hearing. The Farm Bill creation process is officially underway (as it has been for a while, but we're back from a break). The upcoming hearings (probably about 10 in the next month) will be precursors to the business meetings the Subcommittees and full Committee holds as I am leaving. Of course the schedule is subject to change, but I figure I will see virtually all of the "inputs" for the Farm Bill. As I return to MN, I think the "outputs" from the Congressmen will begin production.
Today's hearing had the purpose to review the market structure for the livestock industry. We had three panels; the first was administration, the second industry representatives, and the third was producers from the various species. This hearing was partly designated as "mine". The upcoming hearings were divided up, and I was given some duties not part of my normal routine. For this hearing I was to contact the witnesses, send invitations, and create an informational book for the Chairman of the Subcommittee which will be updated with current events as time goes on. For doing this, our Staff Director allowed me to sit on the dias (in the corner behind where the Members sit) with the rest of the staff to observe from there. For the first two hours of the hearing I had a semi-emergency project that I had to redo about 8 times as new data and requirements were added. I was still able to see the last half of the hearing from a different view than my normal position outside the door. It was very interesting observing the reactions of my staff, and the Members as the hearing progressed. Members are handed questions to ask if they can decipher the quick jottings of the staff as the situation changes, and it creates for the possibility of a hearing heading in a much different direction from where it was intended. This was especially true in a debate where we could see a battle between the two sides taken on the amount of regulation and bureaucracy needed in meat inspection.
We have two more hearings Wednesday and Thursday, and tomorrow's is the first ever review of economic impacts of production, processing, and marketing of organic agricultural products. I would imagine it would be well attended but, like today's hearing, we have much more room and even allow people to stand in our larger full committee room. Another nice thing is that during our set up we have little to do, as our normal installation of microphones takes only minutes instead of hours, because the cords disappear into the floor and dias instead of needing to be strategically gathered and taped.
Time rolls on, I have basically one month left, and if it weren't for my living conditions after work I don't know if I would be ready to leave. I'm heading to an Oriole's game at Camden Yards this weekend by train. For just $35 I can take a 40 minute train each way for a Sunday matinée. I'm excited. I love baseball. I miss the Twins and am stuck watching the (COUGHhorribleCOUGH) Nationals and Orioles play on the area's virtually all-baseball network. I am going to try to make it to a Nat's game at some time before I leave, but I bet the experience would be much better in next year's brand new ballpark, it looks pretty nice.
Today's hearing had the purpose to review the market structure for the livestock industry. We had three panels; the first was administration, the second industry representatives, and the third was producers from the various species. This hearing was partly designated as "mine". The upcoming hearings were divided up, and I was given some duties not part of my normal routine. For this hearing I was to contact the witnesses, send invitations, and create an informational book for the Chairman of the Subcommittee which will be updated with current events as time goes on. For doing this, our Staff Director allowed me to sit on the dias (in the corner behind where the Members sit) with the rest of the staff to observe from there. For the first two hours of the hearing I had a semi-emergency project that I had to redo about 8 times as new data and requirements were added. I was still able to see the last half of the hearing from a different view than my normal position outside the door. It was very interesting observing the reactions of my staff, and the Members as the hearing progressed. Members are handed questions to ask if they can decipher the quick jottings of the staff as the situation changes, and it creates for the possibility of a hearing heading in a much different direction from where it was intended. This was especially true in a debate where we could see a battle between the two sides taken on the amount of regulation and bureaucracy needed in meat inspection.
We have two more hearings Wednesday and Thursday, and tomorrow's is the first ever review of economic impacts of production, processing, and marketing of organic agricultural products. I would imagine it would be well attended but, like today's hearing, we have much more room and even allow people to stand in our larger full committee room. Another nice thing is that during our set up we have little to do, as our normal installation of microphones takes only minutes instead of hours, because the cords disappear into the floor and dias instead of needing to be strategically gathered and taped.
Time rolls on, I have basically one month left, and if it weren't for my living conditions after work I don't know if I would be ready to leave. I'm heading to an Oriole's game at Camden Yards this weekend by train. For just $35 I can take a 40 minute train each way for a Sunday matinée. I'm excited. I love baseball. I miss the Twins and am stuck watching the (COUGHhorribleCOUGH) Nationals and Orioles play on the area's virtually all-baseball network. I am going to try to make it to a Nat's game at some time before I leave, but I bet the experience would be much better in next year's brand new ballpark, it looks pretty nice.
4/16/07
Back to Work
After a few weeks of needed and deserved rest, we were able to use it all up and become stressful and tired again. This is only the beginning. Today was literally 12 hours in the office, I left at 9 pm. 1 and 2 am are probably not unattainable feats as time rolls on. This sounds absolutely awful to someone who has never heard of staying at work that late. But then again, starting work at 9 am has its tendencies to eat away at evenings and nights more quickly. The work we were doing was important, and needed to be done. It wasn't as stressful as it was time consuming. Of course I would say what it was if I could, but it is just better at times when we are left alone to do our work and finish the product before having people criticize us (not that we would be criticized for this work, but, well, everyone needs a little privacy).
This week will have a few hearings. Tomorrow's is on the market structure of the livestock industry will probably be drawn out as you can imagine the many geographies and industries that want to have a say about livestock policy.
One minor emergency was changing out of letterhead in the office. Because of one spelling mistake as well as two recent name changes (a marriage and a nickname preference) we decided to print new letterhead because it is so early in the session. We then had to dispose of all the old letterhead because while most people could probably figure out the small changes that were made, it could potentially cause some confusion. If not confusion, it could cause angers by Members of Congress that were particular about the way their name was presented, which in a formal setting such as ours I totally understand. Especially when many people do not know who their Representative is, so if they were looking for Tim, and saw Tiim, they may keep looking for somebody else.
One thing about being in the center of it all is that we are always watching the news. While many people may not have heard much about the shootings at Virginia Tech until the evening news once they were done with work, we had most of the story early, just as CNN started reporting. It is such a small world on the Hill (because everyone knows someone from somewhere) that a few people in my office immediately reached out to friends that were on or near campus at the school (which is relatively nearby) and we had heard a facsimile of the explanation finally provided later in the afternoon by officials and reporters about 6 hours earlier via cellphone. Everything that happened today was of course a tragedy, and I was disappointed that the media even thought to question the level of security on campus and decision not to cancel classes early in the morning. I think they can wait a while longer before raising blame for an uncontrollable situation. My thoughts and prayers go out to the families affected, and hope to never hear of a similar tragedy again.
Well, it's past my bedtime and my alarm tomorrow can't be moved any later.
This week will have a few hearings. Tomorrow's is on the market structure of the livestock industry will probably be drawn out as you can imagine the many geographies and industries that want to have a say about livestock policy.
One minor emergency was changing out of letterhead in the office. Because of one spelling mistake as well as two recent name changes (a marriage and a nickname preference) we decided to print new letterhead because it is so early in the session. We then had to dispose of all the old letterhead because while most people could probably figure out the small changes that were made, it could potentially cause some confusion. If not confusion, it could cause angers by Members of Congress that were particular about the way their name was presented, which in a formal setting such as ours I totally understand. Especially when many people do not know who their Representative is, so if they were looking for Tim, and saw Tiim, they may keep looking for somebody else.
One thing about being in the center of it all is that we are always watching the news. While many people may not have heard much about the shootings at Virginia Tech until the evening news once they were done with work, we had most of the story early, just as CNN started reporting. It is such a small world on the Hill (because everyone knows someone from somewhere) that a few people in my office immediately reached out to friends that were on or near campus at the school (which is relatively nearby) and we had heard a facsimile of the explanation finally provided later in the afternoon by officials and reporters about 6 hours earlier via cellphone. Everything that happened today was of course a tragedy, and I was disappointed that the media even thought to question the level of security on campus and decision not to cancel classes early in the morning. I think they can wait a while longer before raising blame for an uncontrollable situation. My thoughts and prayers go out to the families affected, and hope to never hear of a similar tragedy again.
Well, it's past my bedtime and my alarm tomorrow can't be moved any later.
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