Washington DC is a big city, and for a visitor from rural Stevens County, it’s an easy place to get lost. It was a humid May morning when I wandered off of the Metro and toward the Nation's Capitol. Many Senators offer weekly opportunities to meet with constituents from their home state, and I had secured a reservation to attend a Wednesday morning coffee meeting with Patty Murray in the building where her office is housed, adjacent to the Capitol building.
Finding the Russell Senate Office Building wasn't nearly as hard as finding the meeting room where the Constituent Coffee was held. I stepped through security at one of the back doors of the building and true to form, didn't ask the guards for directions. I circled the cool, marble halls of the first floor, reading names on the placards by each door that were surprisingly familiar. I passed the offices of Ted Cruz and Paul Rand, pausing for a moment to consider the nation-altering conversations that happen behind these doors. The detailed wood work around the tall doorways was a throwback to the early 20th century, and I could almost see Jimmy Stewart's lean frame emerging from one of them as Jefferson Smith in the iconic classic, Mr. Smith Goes To Washington.
So much history in these walls - intrigue and maybe even some scandal. On my second circle I found the coffee room, which was designated by a large poster in front that I had somehow missed the first time. I went in quietly and took a seat alongside the wall, in between several smartly dressed 20 somethings who seemed to know what they were doing. At a large table in the middle of the room, a dozen or so people were seated, dressed in varying degrees of casual tourist and business attire. All of these were residents of Washington State, like me, stopping in for a chance to meet and maybe bend the ear of one of our senators.
I realized quickly that I had probably taken an inappropriate seat, as one of the sharp 20 somethings asked me which committee I was serving on. I am sure my look of total confusion set him back and then he introduced himself as one of the interns helping Senator Murray field any specific questions that might emerge about Food and Drug Related Issues in the State of Washington. It turns out that each of the several young professionals in the room was a specialist in some field. "Staffers" they are called on the hill, and they are designated to help the Senator deal with the massive amounts of paperwork, constituent concerns and the plethora of details that go along with every piece of legislation and issue in the Senate. While the young man was giving me the quick and dirty version of what everyone does, the Senator's administrative assistant stepped up to instruct us about how the coffee meeting would proceed.
Every constituent filled out a card identifying themselves and giving a brief physical description, so that photos taken with the Senator could be mailed to the correct individuals later. We lined up near the door when Senator Murray came in, and one by one we introduced ourselves and shook her hand and posed for a picture. Once the logistics of photos and hand shakes were over, we took our seats and Senator Murray asked each visitor to give a brief introduction, including names, where they were from and the nature of their visit to Washington D.C. The visitors ranged from families with school aged children on an educational vacation, to a student from a Community College in Spokane who was there to address a Senate Committee about higher education issues.
Senator Murray gave a quick talk about the jobs she performs on Capitol Hill and what issues she would be addressing in the Senate that day. Unfortunately for visitors on that particular Wednesday, there were no issues going to a vote on the floor, and while we were all given passes to the Capitol to watch the Senate in progress, Senator Murray explained that she would be moving between several meetings that she was scheduled to be at and would rarely be on the floor, if at all. It was a brief but concise glimpse into the daily life of a busy Senator. When she finished, the Senator opened up the meeting for any questions from the constituents. A pastor from the west side of Washington State brought up the issue of the recent Pilchuck School shooting and what could be done. Senator Murray offered a compassionate response that put the focus on getting communities the resources needed to recover from an incident like the Marysville Shooting, as well as building up the families to provide the mental health care that would prevent such tragedies.
After a few minutes, another staffer appeared to whisk Senator Murray off to her next meeting, and the professional 20-somethings stayed behind to answer more questions and mingle with constituents. I was impressed with Senator Murray's efficient but engaging interactions with the visitors, she asked many questions about their sightseeing plans, backgrounds and made suggestions for their visits. It was a good glimpse of a Senator that is easy to write off as a distant politician, and a chance to experience the bustle of Capitol Hill outside of what we see on The West Wing or HBO.
Leaving the Constituent Coffee, I took one more lap around the building for good measure, and also to avoid the humidity that was rapidly escalating outside. It occurred to me that although there was a little less makeup and suspense than on the set of a political drama, the inner workings of our legislative branch of government is a fascinating machine, staged in the magnificent setting of buildings that speak of poise and power. We live in one of the youngest nations in the world, but our Capitol carries that youth with an air of purpose that befits the legends who have walked these same marble hallways.
For Washington State residents who are visiting Washington DC, reservations to attend the Senator Murray's Constituent Coffee can be made through the website: http://www.murray.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/weeklycoffee, or by calling: 202-224-1425.
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