Energy on the House Floor

I’ve never seen members of Congress quite so energized. On Friday August 1, 2008 at 11:23am, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif) adjourned and Congress went into recess. However, certain Republicans were not happy with Pelosi’s decision, and stayed on the House floor Friday to continue talking. They met again Monday, August 4th, to continue talking in the dark.

Although not technically dark (the base lights in the ceiling were on, creating a dim glow), the floor itself, with no microphones, cameras, or recording equipment that was broadcasting, was technologically dark, save for Blackberries.

Certain members of Congress, such as John Culberson (http://twitter.com/JohnCulberson), have been utilizing Twitter while on the House floor. Via the live-blogging platform, he has been “tweeting” messages of his own thoughts while tourists stream in and out of the floor itself.

I sat in the press balcony, watching. Nearly every seat was occupied-not by members of Congress- and the audience clapped and whistled. When Congressman Tom Price (R-GA) stood and demanded that Pelosi come back and let them vote, the audience gave him a standing ovation.

Recording devices, not normally allowed in the chamber, were present in nearly every reporter’s hand. The reporters pretended they weren’t holding them, and the Capitol Police pretended not to see. At one point, I saw a member of Congress on the floor wave up at those of us in the balcony, and when I turned to see to whom he was waving at, I discovered Congressmen in the press balcony, standing behind me. “Hey, what’s up,” one of them said. I was speechless.

Congressman Mike Pence, (R-IN) summed it up nicely: Americans are not getting a vacation from high gas prices, and so Congress shouldn’t be on vacation either. The audience cheered.