Current Members of Congress Who Used to Be Interns
Everyone gets their start somewhere. For some members of Congress, their careers kicked off at the bottom of the totem pole, by serving as interns for other members of Congress. Below is a list of key current members whose experience with the legislative branch started with answering phones and other administrative duties. Speaker Nancy Pelosi […]
A History of Annual Congressional Sporting Events
Many Americans love sports, and members of Congress are no different. A few times a year, lawmakers from both parties gather to play games in a variety of sports with the goal of raising money for charities. Here are some of the games where Representative and Senators have the chance to take a break from […]
Members of Congress Related to Celebrities
Most members of Congress aren’t household names, but quite a few have people in their family who are, particularly in the world of film and television. Here are some notable celebrity-lawmaker connections. Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI) The Michigan congressman’s niece is model and actress Kate Upton. Kate was born in her uncle’s hometown of St. Joseph, […]
What Will ARPA-H Look Like?
There’s a new federal agency in town. The Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 omnibus appropriations bill officially created the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), which the Biden administration first proposed last year to drive “transformational innovation” in health research. However, the omnibus bill is scant on details, and lawmakers have much to decide about the structure of the […]
Will Hill Staffers Unionize?
Hill staffers say they’ve had enough. Long hours, low pay, and cases of emotional and physical abuse are driving more and more congressional staffers to form the Congressional Workers Union with the hope of delivering better working conditions and higher pay. But forming a union on the Hill is easier said than done, and staffers hoping for better working conditions in […]
Congress’s Long-Standing History of Delaying Medicare Cuts
Medicare cuts are coming. Automatic spending cuts like Medicare sequestration and PAYGO were initially put in place with the goal of reigning in federal spending, but time after time, Congress has delayed them to shield the popular health care program from payment cuts. These cuts are nothing new – in fact, they’re part of a […]
When Will the Capitol Reopen to Visitors?
Washington, DC is coming back. Since the Omicron wave has receded, the Smithsonian is expanding hours at its museums, foot traffic is picking up along K Street, and downtown bars are feeling a little more crowded during happy hour. But one major exception to DC’s reopening is the US Capitol Complex, which is still largely closed to […]
What Happened, What You Missed: March 7-11
Biden Poised to $1.5 Trillion Appropriations Omnibus into Law Late last night, the Senate voted 68-31 to pass a $1.5 trillion omnibus appropriations bill, which is now headed to President Biden’s desk to be signed into law. The spending bill contains wins for both parties, with Democrats cheering a 7% increase in non-defense spending and Republicans touting […]
How Is the Pandemic Changing Dress Codes on Capitol Hill?
It’s time to reopen the US Capitol to visitors, say a growing number of lawmakers. Last month, 26 Republicans senators cosponsored a resolution to reopen the US Capitol and Senate Office buildings to the public, and Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) said he’s supportive of restarting tours in the Capitol building. Even external stakeholder are joining the call – the National Institute […]
Why ARPA-H Needs to Be Independent from NIH to Be Successful
The nation needs more breakthrough medical treatments. While the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the government’s leading biomedical research agency, unfortunately, it takes a long time to turn NIH-supported research into cures. To bridge this gap between research and innovation, Democrats are proposing an Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) with the hope […]