Tuesday, January 25

Today was about the same as yesterday (it's obvious when I start writing about my reading habits that I'm really bored.  By the way, I finished my book today).  In the morning we saw Newt Gingrich being escorted by all the high-and-mighties; there were also FFA members from several schools on tours with their respective reps on the floor.  On the floor below in the rotunda, protestors from the Citizens for Community Improvement were piled up against Governor Branstad's office door.  I could hear them all the way from the House floor. 

A task I enjoy several times each day is going to the bill room.  There are two ladies that brighten up each time I walk in, and they have an organized system for storing House Files, House Study Files, House Joint Resolutions, and who knows what other kinds of stuff.  Storing and handing out every single piece of legislation would be overwhelming, but not for these two.  I suspect they have had plenty of time to think about how to do it; the room is tiny and has shifting aisles and a vertically rotating file cabinet and has an atmosphere of its own.  Anyway, I told them I would write about them sometime.

Things should pick up (a lot) later this week because the marraige amendment will be debated. 

Monday, January 24

This morning I had a quick, 14-minute commute to work after rush hour because we didn't have to be at work until 10:00.  Still, it's quite a difference from the 20-second trip to and from school.  Speaking of school, I spent an hour this morning updating the activity calendar so it's easier to go from month to month.  For anyone looking for something to do, I created the calendar up to July of 2013, although everything past this August is blank...

At 11:00 this morning we had a Lunch 'n Learn - when all the pages gather in a room for lunch and Charlie and Meghan, the Chief Clerk/Asst. Chief Clerk, talk to us about what we think is good and bad and answer any questions we have regarding the going-ons of the House.  In the future, Charlie has arranged for Majority Leader Upmeyer, Minority Leader McCarthy, Speaker Paulsen, a judge, and either the governor or Lt. governor to meet us for Lunch 'n Learns in the future.  That should be interesting.

The House convened at 1:00 for about 15 minutes and then adjourned for the day.  Once again, it was slow all the day long and nothing happened, at least not that I noticed.  On a positive note, I am reading an excellent book and should be done with it tomorrow!

Thursday, January 20

This was definitely a boring day.  The sessions were short and it was adjourned for the day by 12:10, after which both parties caucused outside of the chamber.  I staffed the Ways & Means committee.  We had lunch in the gallery.  Then I was in with the Economic Development Committee which hosted Iowa's new economic development director, Debi Durham.  She seems to have lots of good ideas for increasing, well, Iowa's economic development.

Wednesday, January 19 - Part 2

In the morning, it wasn’t too busy but in the afternoon that changed.  Lobbyists were going crazy because the floor was finally opened for debate for amendments for the Taxpayers First Act (TFA).  The first major back-and-forth was for an amendment, proposed by Democrats, which would continue funding for 4-year-old preschool.  While the Republicans argued that the greater need was downsizing government and reducing the budget by making tough sacrifices, the Democrats argued that the greater need was providing quality, early-childhood education for more Iowans.  In my opinion, both sides are right! But was is the greater need?

Another major amendment was to continue funding for anti-substance programs like D.A.R.E., J.E.L., and Quitline Iowa, once again proposed by the Democrats.  Both sides held their positions for the same reasons as before.  Such went every amendment proposed by the Democrats.

The amendment results?  On these two amendments, the vote on whether to pass was Nay-60; Yay-40.  The split between Republicans and Democrats?  60-40 respectively.  There are no partisan politics whatsoever down here.

The results on the Taxpayer First Act? After 8-9 hours of nonstop (a.k.a. no breaks, recesses, at ease etc.) debate, the TFA was passed 60-40 around 11:30 p.m.  The best part? When I got here this morning I couldn't find the paper with the full-page+ of written-out blog so I recalled all of this from memory!!

Wednesday, January 19 - Part 1

What an... interesting day.

I was halfway to my car around 11:30 after a late debate when I remembered I had left my notes for my blog in the chamber.  I was giving someone a ride home, and then went back to the capitol to get it.  That was when I found out that not even our high tech badges will let us in at 11:45 pm. Well I got home at midnight (the blogspot clock is wrong) and will give a complete recap of the day tomorrow when I can think somewhat straight.

Tuesday, January 18

After a restful 4-day weekend it was back to the grind once again.  Today's session began at 10:00 am and we had to be there at 8:00.  As a result, for two hours, there wasn't very much to do.  However, after the two-minute session it was very busy - there were lots of lobbyists who wanted to talk to Reps.  At some point today a couple pages cleaned out an old filing cabinet in the page's corner.  Several small treasures were found - crayons/colored pencils, a Zen garden, an original texting ban bill from last session, and most of all, several letters from last year's pages.

One letter was addressed to (last year's) Senate pages saying that so-and-so was not authorized to sign a surrender document (and any such document was null and void) on behalf  of the House pages.  Something terrible must have gone down.  Another letter was written by a couple pages on a slow day.  I still don't know if Maynard has a letter or not (see last post) - it would be like him (in a good way) to make up the whole thing to drive us nuts.

I did something today that I'm not proud of - I was carrying a box out to a Rep's car and very-nearly locked the key in it.  I looked it up and she is from a far corner of the state and the car didn't look like it would have OnStar, so I'm really glad I didn't have to come back and tell her...

In both of the page's corners, behind the length of the benches, are massive heat vents which blast a non-stop inferno of hot air into the room (as if there isn't already enough).  What a terrible place to have a heat vent: right behind the hardest-working, most active people in the room.  Anyway,  in between the bottom of the windows and the window sills are small flaps that open to the outside.  To keep from drenching our dashing uniforms in sweat, we have been opening these vents.  Today Maynard came over and told us that in order to please the Reps, the vents should be closed (his exact words were "I'd rather argue with you than a representative").  Following my talent of forming creative solutions, I was inspired to move across the corner to a chair which is not nearly as comfortable, but at least is not in front of a blazing inferno.  Best of all, I can be both comfortable and dashing at the same time.

Thursday, January 13

The highlight errand of the day was running up to the third floor to a pop machine and writing on a notepad with a marker all the kinds of pop available.  When I got back to the Rep he thanked me and told me he'd ding again once he knew what he wanted.  It wasn't nearly as fun as de-icing wipers, but it did make me thirsty which is almost as bad as being numb.  I staffed the Natural Resources Committee meeting at 11:00.  Once again, it was simply introductions and approval of the rules.

I talked to Maynard about a letter that last year's pages left for us.  He said he has it, but he's too stubborn to let us read it.  It probably has all the helpful hints that have eluded us thus far.  Or maybe it's a list of the big no-nos of the House, half of which I've probably unknowingly broken.  Whatever it is, it must be pretty juicy, otherwise Maynard wouldn't care if we saw it.

Today was fairly (extremely) slow - several meetings and caucuses took place, so the floor wasn't terribly busy.  Once again, it was adjourned shortly after 1:00.  Tomorrow is Branstad's re-inauguration.  We were all given first shots at tickets, which are free, but I chose to decline because my mom would like me home ASAP.  On the plus side, I learned how to fax today.  All fax machines are different!!

Finally, the House pages have come together to form the G.P.A. (General Page Assembly).  As acting treasurer, I have the duty (privilege) of cashing in all the bottles and cans thrown into recycling boxes in our corners.  I even went beyond the call of duty and raided a couple of bins outside the chamber when (almost) no one was looking.  Hopefully by the end of the session there will be enough money to buy a pizza.  Even if it's a small and we all have to share.

P.S. I'm off tomorrow (Friday) and Monday for MLK Jr. Day, so there won't be posts.