June 15, 2013

Today, there was an event held in Statuary Hall for the longest serving congressman, John Dingell! Speakers at the event included Vice President Biden and Speaker Boehner.

There was even a musical guest who got many of the congresswomen to their feet dancing! (inquire within if you want to see the hilarious video of them dancing!)

This week has been very hectic! I had family, friends and future constituents buzzing around Washington to pay me a visit. 

Happy Friday Y'all!

Its a rainy morning on Capitol Hill! Luckily I have my obnoxious bright yellow rain coat to keep me dry! The Speaker headed to his home district in Ohio last night, so the office is very relaxed without the big man on campus.

I've had a very exciting week! Yesterday I had the privilege to to go to one of the hearings about the IRS scandal! Chairman Issa and Deputy Chair Cummings of the Government Reform and Oversight Committee ran the hearing. The hearing was focused on the wasteful spending by the IRS at conferences over the last few years. There has been scandal after scandal with the IRS lately. This issue specifically has fallen to the back burner because of Tea Party targeting, but it is a huge issue that needed to be addressed. The witnesses included Faris Fink -- the IRS official who played Spock in this not so informational IRS employee training video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxU6n4pAnrU . Rep. Issa and Rep. Cummings absolutely ripped Fink apart about this 2010 employee conference. Issa insisted that Fink's employee's were guilty of tax evasion and Cummings howled about the conference basically stealing tax money from the low-income constituents of his home district. Safe to say this was a very rousing and exciting hearing to witness.

When I returned to the office from the hearing it was crazy busy. The Speaker was in and out of the office the whole morning for meetings. In the midst of these meetings, Representative Aaron Schock came by my desk to use the Speaker's balcony. After he asked me if it was alright to go out, he gave me a little wink. Obviously I died and went to heaven. For those of you who don't know why, this is Congressman Schock:

At the end of the day all the interns gathered in the Speaker's Conference room to meet with the Cheif of Staff, Mike Sommers. This was a really unique opportunity to sit down with a man who has accomplished so much. I look up to him and admire what he does. I know Mike very well because he walks past my desk probably 50 times a day to go into the Speaker's office, but it was so interesting to hear his life story story of "started from tha bottom, now he here".

I'm ready for an exciting weekend of taking the ACT, sight seeing and meeting up with friends from Cleveland! Happy Friday everyone!

God Bless America,
Ali

June 5, 2013

It's been a crazy week! (aren't they all?) I spent the weekend in Cleveland presenting my Hawken project (basically a senior project, but juniors are allowed to do them too) at the school. My presentation went really well and I passed with flying colors! It was nice seeing loved ones and being at home, but it is realllly nice being back in DC! When I returned on Sunday night I still didn't have a roommate, which I am really enjoying. Here is a picture of my dorm:

Monday and Tuesday were interesting days around the office.. While I was gone another intern downloaded a virus on my computer so I was computer-less for a couple days. I kept busy doing as much work as I could find that didn't involve the computer. Luckily, I threw my ACT book in my bag on Monday morning so I occupied some time with that. 

I also bought some candy to put in a jar on my desk. It's gone over really well- people really appreciate it! Through a very careful investigation, I figured out what Boehner's favorite candy is. Being new to the DC area I spent a solid few hours last night scouring the city for these little green mints that they basically sell nowhere! 

I walked 25 blocks to and from work yesterday instead of taking the metro. It is a very lengthy walk, but very every exciting and beautiful with all the monuments and activity around town! 

I went to another exciting committee hearing this morning! It was on the OPM (Office of Personal Management) revolving fund! It was super interesting. The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform held this hearing- a great warm up for my IRS hearing with the same committee tomorrow! Today's hearing basically summarized how this government office, who deal with human resources, has been wastefully spending and how that needs to stop.  

I have another exciting day ahead of me! I hope Boehner likes the mints I ran around the city looking for! Also, on a side note, I love saying that I'm from The Speaker's office when I go to commitee hearings like this. People act like I must be super important and end up giving me their business cards. Lol

God Bless America,

Ali 

May 23, 2013

I've come to the realization that leaving the house just five minutes late can easily result in a nearly forty minute late arrival to work. This unfortunate delay left me rushed and frazzled out of my mind by the time I set foot on the DC metro. Somewhere in my crazed journey I  dropped my staff ID to the Capitol (it could have been very bad if it fell into the wrong hands). Luckily, a good samaritan brought my ID to the our office and saved my butt before I had to admit my mistake. Success. 

Today I went to a hearing called: al Qaeda Threats to Homeland Security from Syria and Iran. It was really so interesting to see how a committee hearing operates and learning about these al Qaeda threats right from the people who make decisions regarding it. If my boss tells me it's okay, I will post the  memorandum I wrote about the hearing. 

Also, I uncovered another national scandal today!!!!! ... Unfortunately I could not blame this one on the Obama administration. 

THERE WAS MESSY FLAVORED CREAMER IN THE REGULAR CREAMER PILE! 

Wow- if the speaker would have seen this tragic demonstration of negligence he would be out for the count. 

God Bless America,
Ali

P.S. I was completely starstruck today when Paul Ryan wandered though the office. My first instinct was obviously to stick out my hand and resume then ask to be his running mate in the 2016 election, but unfortunately the only thing I could get out of my mouth was "good morning" (this is at 3:00 in the afternoon btw)

May 21, 2013

Today was another exciting day on Capitol Hill! I spent most of my morning traveling at the heels of Speaker Boehner. I accompanied him, and the Press Staff, to a GOP Press Conference where they discussed the devastation in Oklahoma after the recent tornado [ http://www.politico.com/multimedia/video/2013/05/boehner-becomes-emotional-talking-about-oklahoma-tornado.html?ml=vi_3 ]. It is touching to see the emotion of these Representatives when watching them speak live. What they are saying really feels genuine, rather than watching the clips on TV later when the media frames them as heartless.

Later, I traveled to watch the speaker record a couple one minute speeches that will be used at different events where he can not be present, but wants to give remarks. I also made a cameo in the recordings- its a little surprise for my final Hawken Project presentation.

We've had a lot of big names around the office in the past few day. They have ranged from the President of Turkey to Cardinals from the Vatican. My commute into the capitol today was delayed by the arrival of the President of Burma. These special guests have flooded my desk asking for bathrooms and waters before meeting with The Speaker. He invites often has special guests, but I almost every day I can expect his usual suspects- GOP Leadership. I've been chatting it up with Whip McCarthy, Minority Leader McConnell and Majority Leader Cantor all the time. I wish I had more pictures of all of these people, but I'm afraid of looking like paparazzi taking pictures as they walk past my desk.

The rest of my afternoon was filled with paperwork. Tedious, but a necessary task in this office. Every time a staple a paper or make a copy I think of some future intern I'll have working for me doing the same tasks! mwahaha

God Bless America,
Ali

May 15, 2013

If you've ever wondered how long the Obama Affordable Care Act [Obamacare] really is, this is it....

(This is called the Red Tape Tower and you can follow this stack of regulations on twitter @theredtapetower)

This over three-hundred pound document is really a drag, I can tell you from experience. A few other Interns and I had the pleasure of moving it around today between meeting rooms in the Capitol complex. The stress I felt carrying the document is nothing compared to the stress the American people will be feeling when the act goes in to full effect at the end of the year.

Also today, I watched Speaker Boehner swear in our newest Congressman, Sanford (R-SC). I only caught the end of the ceremony because I was busy doing very important / top secret things back in the office. Rest assured I will be on the Hill long enough, now and in future years, to see more swearing in ceremonies. I caught the end of a press conference with The Speaker and other Republican Leadership today, too. These are always so interesting to watch! [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=cIzrjM_7Ssk ]

More exciting news, today was The Speaker's first day in the office since I've been back and he totally remembered who I was!! First thing this morning he walked down the hallway toward my desk and said to me, "well, well, well; look whose back! I am very excited you're working with us again this summer, Ali" (yeah we're basically bffs, nbd)

Tomorrow I am planning on going to my first committee hearing- yay!

God Bless America,
Ali

First Day !!!

I woke up this morning energized in anticipation of my first day back on Capitol Hill! After almost a year exactly I was finally returning for my second tour of duty working in the office of Speaker of the House, John Boehner.

As expected, not much surprised me when I arrived on Capitol Hill this morning- my old desk, familiar co-workers and the comforting smell of coffee brewing. Along with the old, there were new treasures that unwrapped themselves today- along with promises of new surprises throughout the summer.  

Something was new this year: I am obligated to go to at least one hearing or debate per week and write a one page memo about it. I can go to as many hearings as I want. I am still trying to decide on major topics and legislation I would like to follow in hearings throughout the summer but I am thinking gun control, immigration or the economy. These are all obviously interesting and guarantee action. I am extremely excited to have this new experience! I will see first-hand what legislators and policy-drivers do in their daily jobs. 

I also created a set of goles I would like to accomplish this summer:

·         I would love to go to some hearings on gun control, immigration or economy in general.

·         One of my goals this summer is to learn a little about how people have gotten to where they are. Including school, internships etc. as I begin my own college application process and decide what I want to do with my life. I’m meeting with a few alumni from my high school that have thriving careers in the DC area and political field. I hope to get to know about everyone around this office. Networking!!! 

·         Another short term goal is to complete a video project for school. Its due 2 weeks but basically I just need to get my video camera out for one day and ask people if they can tell me in 10 seconds or so, in their own opinion, what a congressional office does.

·         Lastly, have fun!

I'm excited for another great day tomorrow!

God Bless America, 

Ali