New Members of Congress Hit the Books in DC
It’s just like college, but with more catering
Posted Nov 13, 2018 5:03 AM
Katherine Tully-McManus
Freshly elected faces will descend on Washington on Tuesday for the start of their congressional orientation, including a new session on workplace rights on Capitol Hill. If past years are any indication, they’ll be eating tens of thousands of dollars of food.
Lunches, tours and briefings will pack the agenda, and winners from around the country will mix and mingle like freshmen on a college campus. It will be their first taste of life as a member of Congress, from interacting with media to forging relationships with their future colleagues.
The biennial tradition “is designed to assist members-elect with the mechanics of the official position,†such as setting up their offices, hiring staff and learning the rules, said House Administration Committee spokesperson Courtney Parella.
A new addition in 2018 is a training on workplace rights and responsibilities, led by the director of the Office of Employee Advocacy. That office was created this year as the House attempted to tackle the problem of sexual harassment on Capitol Hill.
more
https://www.rollcall.com/news/politics/new-member-orientation-2018
