Washington Tidbits
Does Age Really Matter?Article I Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution provides, “No person shall be a senator who shall not have attained the age of thirty years….” While the Constitution is clear on this point, you may be surprised to learn that it has not always been followed. In fact, the youngest U.S. Senator to be sworn in was John Henry Eaton (TN) at the ripe old age of 28 years, 5 months on November 16, 1818. Had someone decided to challenge his position as a U.S. Senator, he could have pointed to precedent established in 1816 and 1806 when Armistead Mason (VA) and Henry Clay (KY) who were 28 and 29 years of age, respectively, took office. The issue reappeared when Rush Holt (WV), after waiting six months into the session, was sworn in at the age of 30. The youngest person to take office after Senator Holt was current U.S. Senator Joseph Biden (DE) at 30 years, one month in January 1973.
Spring is in the Air
Washington, DC is a town full of spectacular views. There are some views, however, that are available just once a year and only for a few weeks. It all began in 1912 when the United States received a gift of 3,020 flowering cherry trees from the people of Japan. The gift of “friendship” attracts visitors from all around the world each year. The visitors come to see the cherry blossoms blanket the monuments in a sea of color. The gift was returned, most notably in 1981, when Japanese horticulturalists took cuttings from Yoshino cherry trees to replace trees destroyed by a flood in Japan. Today, there are over 3,700 cherry trees. It is truly a sight to behold!
The Rare Journey: Capitol Hill to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
As the race for the White House continues, one thing is certain, the next Commander-in-Chief will be one of only three. In the history of the presidency, fifteen senators have gone on to become President of the United States. The last former U.S. Senator to become President was Richard M. Nixon in 1969. It is even rarer, however, for a sitting senator to become President. It has happened only twice. Warren G. Harding, a first-term Republican Senator from Ohio, became President in 1921. John F. Kennedy, a second-term Democratic senator from Massachusetts, was the second to be elected president as a sitting senator in 1961. Neither President Harding nor President Kennedy served a full term. Regardless of whether John McCain, Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama are elected President, the winner of this fall’s election will be only the third sitting senator to move directly up the street to Pennsylvania Avenue.
From an Annual Message to a State of the Union
Article II, Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution states, “He shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient….” President George Washington first fulfilled this requirement in a speech before Congress in Federal Hall in New York on January 8, 1790. From 1801 to 1913 the annual message was sent in writing and not presented in person in response to President Thomas Jefferson’s belief that the oral presentation was too “kingly.” The annual message was not spoken again for the next 112 years. It was not until President Woodrow Wilson gave his annual message in 1913 that the annual message was again spoken before a joint session of Congress. In 1935 President Franklin Roosevelt first used the term “State of the Union.” The annual spoken message has been known as such ever since.
Election 2008 Special Edition: Delegates 101
The race for the White House began on January 3 in Iowa with the first delegates being awarded to Republican and Democratic hopefuls. The contenders are now barn-storming from state-to-state in an effort to win primaries and caucuses with the hope of securing the necessary number of delegates to become their party’s presidential nominee. What is the role of delegates in this process? Over the upcoming weeks and months you will see and hear a great deal about state primaries and caucuses and the race for delegates. The Republican and Democratic national parties establish the rules by which they nominate their candidates for President. Both parties rely on the use of delegates at their national conventions. In most instances, delegates to the national conventions are awarded to a candidate proportional to the percentage of the popular vote the candidate receives in the state’s primary or caucus. The Democratic party rules differ slightly in that a candidate must receive at least 15 percent of the popular vote in order to be awarded any of the state’s delegates. The Democratic nominee must secure a simple majority (2,225) of the party’s 4,049 possible delegates. Conversely, a Republican hopeful must secure a simple majority (1,191) of the 2,380 available delegates. These numbers can fluctuate a little between now and the time of the Democratic and Republican Conventions that will take place at the end of August and the beginning of September in Denver, Colorado and Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota, respectively. To date, an estimated 300 delegates have been awarded. The race to become the 44th President of the United States is well underway!
Expeditious Legislating
The U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate operate under extensive parliamentary rules. The ability to move legislation through Congress is often contingent upon a bill sponsor’s ability to maneuver through parliamentary roadblocks that can be placed by opponents of legislation along the way to its approval. Both the House and the Senate have rules under which “non-contentious” bills can be moved by unanimous consent. In the Senate, the maneuver is called “hotlining.” The process takes its name from a dedicated telephone line that allows senators to alert one another of unanimous consent requests on bills that are almost ready for consideration. This allows senators to shield the legislation from public attention. Fortunately, it takes only one senator to stall the legislation by placing a “hold” on the bill.
A Desk With A History
Many of us throughout the course of the day will utilize a desk. Few, however, will ever have the opportunity to use a desk with the history of those used by U.S. Senators. Following the torching of the U.S. Capitol on August 14, 1814 by British troops, Thomas Constantine was selected to construct 48 desks and chairs for the re-built Senate Chamber. The cabinet maker from New York was paid $34 for each desk and $48 for each chair. While the chairs have been replaced, all 48 desks remain in use today. Additional desks and chairs have been added over the years to accommodate the expansion of the Senate. The newest desks were built in 1959 for the Senators from Alaska and Hawaii. To date, over 1,600 senators have sat at the senate desks!
Play Ball!
During these summer months one often flips on the evening news or opens the local paper to see how the home team played the day before. One game that you may not have seen the score for is the Annual Roll Call Congressional Baseball Game. Each year, congressional Democrats and Republicans field teams that play each other to raise funds for charity. The first game was played in 1909 with the Democrats winning 26 to 16. The most recent game was played Monday, June 25. The Republicans won 5 to 2. Since the game’s inception in 1909, seven former professional baseball players have played in the game--they were elected to Congress following their baseball careers.
The 10,000 Votes Club
Since the U.S. Senate first convened in New York City on March 4, 1789 many milestones have been reached by sitting senators. Perhaps one of the most impressive occurs when a senator casts his or her 10,000th vote. Of the 1,246 people who have served in the Senate, only 28 people ever have voted more than 10,000 times. Of these, 13 senators still serve today, including Robert C. Byrd (D-WV) who has cast well over 17,000 votes!
Congress by the Numbers
Congress first convened on March 4, 1789 under Article I, Section 1 of the US Constitution which provides that “All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and a House of Representatives.” Since 1789, 11,792 individuals have served in either the House, the Senate or in both chambers. There have been 1,246 individuals who served as senators while 9,903 people have served as representatives. Only 634 people have served in both the House and the Senate. Alaska, which entered the Union on January 3, 1959 as the 49th state, has had the fewest representatives and senators (10). New York, which entered the Union on July 26, 1788 as the 11th state, has had the most individuals serve as representatives and senators (1,457). For more detailed information and a break down of representation by states and commonwealths, you may visit http://clerk.house.gov/.
Moving can be an arduous task
Imagine the challenge confronting the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) of the U.S. House of Representatives every two years. In order to prepare the House for the new session of Congress that began on January 4, over 1,000 employees completed a move almost beyond comprehension. CAO staff moved a total of 209 member, committee and leadership offices containing 8,392 pieces of furniture. Communication demands required 4,900 telephones to be moved and 11,000 individual web addresses changed. It took 4,100 gallons of fresh paint and 10,000 yards of drapery to cover the House office walls involved in the transition. For a finishing touch, the CAO staff hung over 5,400 pictures and installed 15,000 florescent light tubes. Your next move may not seem so bad. (Data Source: RollCall)
Article I Section 1 of the U.S. Constitution reads...
“All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and a House of Representatives.” The Constitution goes on to create a structure where Congress operates in two year segments creating a first and second session. In 1789 Congress fulfilled its Constitutional obligation and convened the first session of the First Congress in New York City where it met until 1790. Congress met in Philadelphia, PA from 1790 until 1800. It was not until the first session of the Sixth Congress in 1800 that Congress met in Washington, DC.
Prior to the adoption of the 20th Amendment to the Constitution, Congress convened its first session on March 4th of each odd-numbered year. After ratification of the 20th Amendment in 1934, Congress began to officially convene in January of each odd-numbered year. This continues to the present day.
All Politics is Local, But...
Former Speaker of the House of Representatives Thomas P. “Tip” O’Neill (Speaker 1977 – 1986) said, “All politics is local.” Nowhere is this more evident than across the country in the 435 House districts. Each member of the House represents an average of 646,952 people. In addition, each state is represented by two U.S. Senators. The composition of these two legislative bodies, although elected locally and representing limited geographic areas, has far-reaching implications.
Americans across the country went to the polls on November 6 to cast their votes for school board members, mayors, county commissioners, house members, senators and more. Hanging in the balance at the Federal level was control of the House and Senate. The party in the majority controls the rules and committee structures through which legislation is advanced. All politics starts out local, but in the end it has national and international implications. Did you take the time to vote in your local elections?
The Washington Monument
Washington, DC is a unique major U.S. city in many ways including the fact that it does not possess a large distinguished skyline. However, on July 4, 1848 a cornerstone was laid for what would become one of the most recognizable structures in the world, the Washington Monument.
Completed in 1885 for a total cost of $1,187,710, the monument stands at 555 feet 5 1/8 inches. It consists of 36,491 blocks. The outside of the monument is different shades of white due to the use of white marble from three separate quarries during the various stages of the monument’s construction. This is most evident 152 feet from the bottom where construction was halted due to insufficient funds and the Civil War. The base walls of the monument are 15 feet thick, while the walls at the observation level are 18 inches thick. The monument, which is open to the public for daily tours, is topped with a 3,300 pound capstone and a 8.9 inch tall, 100 ounce tip made of the rarest of medals at the time—aluminum.
An Inside View
Earlier this year the ACOI added to its staff an individual charged with tracking and monitoring Federal legislation and regulations impacting the practice of medicine and specific issues of importance to osteopathic internists, subspecialists and medical students. The foundation for the position was laid over 230 years ago (1787) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at the Constitutional Convention, well before the ACOI was established in 1941. The Constitutional Convention consisted of 74 appointed delegates. Only 55 of the delegates regularly attended the sessions. Of these, 39 delegates signed the Constitution, 14 delegates departed for home prior to signing the founding document, and three delegates refused to sign. Nineteen delegates did not participate in a single session. Despite intense disagreements between the Federalists and Anti-Federalists, in just under 100 working days a four page document containing 4,543 words and measuring 28 3/4 inches by 23 5/8 inches was crafted creating a government that has proven capable of withstanding the test of time. Since its ratification, the Constitution has been amended a mere 27 times with the last time occurring in 1992, limiting efforts to vary the compensation for U.S. Senators and Representatives.
The Constitution creates the Legislative, Executive and Judiciary branches of government in Articles I, II and III, respectively. Collectively and separately, these branches have the ability to impact the practice of medicine and the delivery of health care services. To this end, the ACOI will continue to monitor the activities of these branches of government created hundreds of years ago and will advocate on behalf of its membership.
Taking a Break
As temperatures climb to over 100 degrees here in Washington, Congress prepares for its annual August recess. This recess is grounded in both tradition and statute. For many years, Congress would try to conclude business in late spring before the oppressive heat and humidity of Washington, DC could take hold. However, increased work loads required additional time in Washington, thus making it more difficult to conclude business before the “dog-days” of summer.
During the 1800s and early 1900s numerous options were explored to improve the working environment for senators and representatives. An innovation by the Carrier Corporation in August of 1929 for the first time created “manufactured weather” in the Senate chambers—air conditioning found its way to the Hill. While this was a breakthrough, the system was still at times overwhelmed by the DC climate. The amount of time spent in Washington continued to grow. Congress approved the “Legislative Reorganization Act of 1970.” A small provision of this legislation requires that Congress recess for 30 days in August, unless it votes otherwise, during even-numbered years. The intent of this provision is to allow senators and house members a consistent opportunity to spend time with their families and constituents back home.
While the provision applied to even-numbered election years, the intent of the legislation has been honored in odd-numbered years as well. The Senate and House recessed on August 6, 1971 and returned on September 9 completing the first August recess to occur under the Act.
Happy Birthday, America!"
Each year on July 4 we celebrate the birth of a nation and the development of a document that laid the foundation for the growth of a democracy that has endured for over 230 years. While July 4 is a monumental date in history, it is one in a series of dates culminating in the creation of the Declaration of Independence.
In line with the tide of sentiment overtaking the colonies, the Virginia Convention passed a resolution on May 15, 1776 directing the Virginia delegates to the Continental Congress to propose a resolution declaring the United Colonies free and independent and absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown. Richard Henry Lee of Virginia proposed the resolution in Philadelphia on June 7, 1776. Prior to approving the Lee resolution, the Continental Congress recessed for three weeks and charged five delegates to prepare a statement to the world setting forth the case for independence. The statement was drafted by Thomas Jefferson and primarily edited by Benjamin Franklin and John Adams. The Lee resolution was adopted on July 1, 1776 and the Continental Congress immediately proceeded to consideration of the Declaration.
Twelve of the thirteen colonies approved the Declaration on July 4, 1776 with New York abstaining. Not until July 9 was the Declaration approved by New York. Once approved by all thirteen colonies the document was engrossed and signatures were completed on August 2, 1776. The Declaration consists of 56 signatures arranged according to geographic region with the New Hampshire delegates first and the Georgia delegates last. Twenty-four copies of the original document are known to exist today. Seventeen are owned by American institutions, two by a British institution, and five by private owners. More information may be found by visiting the National Archives website at www.archives.gov.
The House Finds A Home
When one thinks of the nation’s capitol thoughts turn to an area south of Maryland now known as the District of Columbia. This was not always the case. Not until the signing of the “Residence Act” in 1791 by President George Washington and the ceding of land by the State of Maryland did the nation have a distinct capitol. Prior to the Act, Congress met in Philadelphia, PA, Baltimore, MD, Lancaster, PA, York, PA, Princeton, NJ, Annapolis, MD, Trenton, NJ and New York City.
French engineer Pierre Charles L’Enfant designed the District of Columbia’s layout. When he came upon an area of land that rose 88 feet above the Potomac River called Jenkins’ Hill he said it was “…a pedestal waiting for a monument.” Now known as Capitol Hill, the U.S. Capitol Building rests upon the pedestal envisioned by L’Enfant. Then Secretary of State, Thomas Jefferson thought the design for the capitol building itself should be chosen through a design contest. The winner of the competition, Dr. William Thornton, a Scottish-trained physician, received $500 and a plot of land in the city for his design.
The Capitol, as it exists today, is the result of years of construction, reconstruction after a British attempt to torch it in 1814, and expansions through the 1960s. Today, the Capitol building has 540 rooms, is 751 feet long, 350 feet wide and rises 288 feet to the top of the 19 foot Statue of Freedom that rests atop the dome. A subterranean visitor’s center is under construction and when completed will be nearly three quarters the size of the Capitol itself.
American Osteopathic Associations’ Hill Day
The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution provides, “Congress shall make no law…abridging the freedom of speech, or press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.” From the earliest days of the United States, individuals such as shipwrights concerned about tariffs, merchants seeking to end taxation of molasses, and military officers seeking reimbursement for personal funds expended during the Revolution would petition their government. Railroads sought the assistance of the government in the 1800’s and the practice of “lobbying” took off. Senator Francis Warren (R-WY 1890 – 1893 and 1895 -1929) acknowledged the importance of lobbying and in defending the practice said, “I want facts to build up my arguments.” In continuation of a practice begun at the earliest days of our nation, over 815 osteopathic physicians and students converged on Capitol Hill on April 27, 2006 to lobby their elected officials as part of the American Osteopathic Associations’ Hill Day. Throughout the day, participants from 45 states visited 90 Senate offices and 262 House offices to promote legislation to reform the medical liability system, to reform Medicare physician reimbursement rates and to promote graduate medical education, as well as other issues of importance to the medical profession. Osteopathic internists were well represented by ACOI President Frederick A. Schaller, DO, Immediate Past-President Thomas A. Cavalieri, DO, Robert S. Juhasz, DO, Karen J. Nichols, DO, and many others. You may lobby year-round by contacting your elected officials on matters of importance to you today.
The Library of Congress
President John Adams signed legislation moving the federal government from Philadelphia, PA to Washington, DC and appropriated $5,000 to establish the Library of Congress on April 24, 1800. The library was to serve as a reference library for the legislative body and was housed within the Capitol. British troops torched the Capitol and destroyed the contents of the library in 1814. Within one month, retired President Thomas Jefferson offered his private collection of 6,487 books to replace the library. Today, the Library of Congress is the largest library in the world with more than 130 million items occupying over 530 miles of bookshelves.