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 of Indiana has been appointed to fill the vacancy. I haven't figured out why the vacancy existed yet, but I will probably find out tomorrow.

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.

I'm Back

... and don't worry, you didn't miss much. Friday was filled with big projects. Most of it was filling binders with reference material for Members and Staff, the rest was basically moving boxes or tables. My parents landed in the afternoon so I headed out early. We met Walt and his wife Mary in Union Station for a great 3 hour supper (yeah, supper, learn Minnesotan, it's cool) talking about our pasts and our family's past, and how we're all related, kind of. I was the itinerary maker for the weekend, and I think I wore them out a little.
On Saturday we had a Capitol tour by yours truly. I quickly showed them around the public area in the Library of Congress just a block away. We then hit the National Mall to the Air and Space and Natural History Museums as well as eating at the Museum of the American Indian Cafe. We went to the Archives to see the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, Bill of Rights et cetera, and found a big interesting exhibit (better than all the museums as far as friendly for the whole family) that was interactive and a place no one really knows about right behind the main Archives rotunda. We literally went home and took a nap, as I had them up early and to bed late for Minnesota time. That night we went on a DC Night Tour to see all the monuments, and it really is the best way to see the monuments (at night, not paying $30 a person for a tour).
Sunday we simply went to Arlington Cemetery and Mount Vernon. Both places are similar in that they are big and take some time just to get around, and the sites are sights themselves.
I went to work yesterday, where we were setting up for our hearing today on Credit. In the mean time I sent the family over to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, the Holocaust Memorial Museum and the International Spy Museum, and they said they enjoyed all three. I got House Gallery Passes for the whole family last night, and we were lucky to see three votes between 6:30 and 7:15, with about 408 Congressmen showing up. I still remember how different voting was than I thought it would be, and it was interesting to hear the questions that I now take for granted as simply a normal procedure. Then we went to Tortilla Coast last night for some chips, burritos and quesadillas.
This morning I came to their hotel for continental breakfast (it was overall an inexpensive weekend for me. Dad, not so much) and they flew out this afternoon. This morning we had our CCER Subcommittee hearing, with an overflow room! This eased some of the tension, but it will still be nice when 1300 opens up (we're working out the technical stuff, it takes time but needs to be done). Tonight a few of us stayed late to set up for tomorrow's hearing, on Crop Program changes. I've got that tomorrow morning, and set up for another hearing on Thursday, which is on the Colony Collapse Disorder in honeybees, that would be a fun one to sit in on, but I doubt I'll be able to as it affects not only honey bees but alfalfa and specialty crop producers (along with basically any other plants that need pollination).

Still Turning People Down

I unfortunately did not see another band nominated for vocalist of the year award today (p.s. credit to Garrett for finding that reception for us), but I did see my sister. She has been out here since Sunday and will remain with her program until Friday night, and then join my parents and brother Saturday morning to stay with them until they leave Tuesday afternoon. I was able to give her the tour of the committee's offices, hearing rooms and the Chairman's personal office while she killed some time after her appointments with her various Congressmen. She made the mistake of eating lunch in Cannon Carryout, which is basically just burgers, fries, and sandwiches, and missing out on the great cafeteria in Longworth and the good cafeteria in Rayburn. Rookie mistake, she'll learn.

Earlier in the day, we held a hearing for the Subcommittee on Specialty Crops, Rural Development and Foreign Agriculture about rural development in the upcoming Farm Bill. The interns worked the door, and hopefully turned away hopeful viewers for the final time as our main committee room receives its final touches.

The rest of the day I spent finishing drafting a letter to follow up on some questions some Congressmen had during a recent Energy Research briefing for the Subcommittee on Conservation, Credit, Energy and Research, and getting the subsequent signatures from the three signatories of the letter.