16 Comments
Facebook
Fark
Digg
Reddit
Stumble
Published Saturday, Nov. 20, 2010 | 7:50 p.m.
Updated Saturday, Nov. 20, 2010 | 8:25 p.m.
Newly elected congressman, Joe Heck, is photographed at his offices in Las Vegas Wednesday, November 3, 2010.
Congressman-elect Joe Heck is headed home after an opening week in Washington marked by meetings, match-ups and more elections.
Ninety-three freshman soon-to-be-members of Congress — nine Democrats, the rest Republicans — had their official orientation in the Capitol this week.
Were it not for that setting, the ubiquitous U.S. flag pins, and the percentage of new faces topped by graying hair, one could say the schedule was just like one might experience the first week of college.
Members-to-be were shuttled through a grueling schedule of lecture sessions about how to cope with Congress — everything from lawmaking ethics to House rule-making procedures — and sorted through a room lottery into their new offices.
They were also invited to take their first votes: On codes of lawmaking conduct (for the GOP, no earmarks, unanimously) and for class reps, of which Heck is now one.
That’s right, the House of Representatives may be the body that most represents the American people, but it has its student councils of sorts — and for the GOP, that’s the Steering Committee.
The House Republican Steering Committee is a body of 38 reps this year whose job it is to staff all the other committees on the Hill. That means those on the committee have a whole lot of unofficial policy-making authority as well.
For the next two years, Heck will be in their ranks.
“We did mount a kind of grass-roots campaign talking to some of the other freshmen...I talked to folks that I thought that I already had a connection with: Folks from my Young Guns class, former military members, folks from the Southwest,” Heck said, explaining how he sought out the position. “It was our class who voted about who they wanted to represent them on the committee.”
It apparently worked. Heck was elected on the first ballot and is now one of only three freshmen to have gained a seat at the table.
The position comes with its responsibilities to the caucus but, also, opportunities for the congressman — and by extension, potentially his constituency.
Starting the week after Thanksgiving, Heck will be part of the decision-making process for several committee appointments that could dictate the progress of legislation considered vital to Nevada on the Hill, from energy issues to transportation to the legalization of online gaming.
With the changeover in leadership, every House chairmanship is technically up for grabs, even where there seem to be obvious successors to the top post, and Heck will be Nevada’s one voice at the table.
“This is a great opportunity for Joe and great opportunity for Nevada,” said Dean Heller, Nevada’s senior GOP congressman.
How he’ll use that clout remains to be seen. But his good fortune in the steering committee race appeared to trickle over into Friday’s office lottery, an all-day affair where new members selected their digs for the coming session.
Heck drew a respectable No. 19, enough to net him his second-choice office.
“I wanted to be in 126, right across from Dean Heller,” Heck said. “But I’ll be right down the hall.”
He had his wife, Lisa, help him scope out offices earlier in the week. He moves into Cannon 132 — the first-floor, crimson-accented office now occupied by Bill Posey of Florida. Posey was one of the few new Republicans who came to office in 2008 and is now moving on to cushier digs.
Heck won’t just be setting up shop in the Cannon building, though. According to a spokesperson for the campaign, he plans to sleep in his office, too.
“He plans to fly back every weekend,” said Heck spokeswoman Mari Nakashima, making it easier for Heck not to take up a residence in Washington, D.C.
If he sticks with the plan, he’ll be unique among Nevada representatives but not the first congressman to crash on his couch (so to speak; it’s probably more likely to be a cot).
Rep. Jason Chaffetz, a Utah Republican who will chair the subcommittee that oversees the federal workforce, the post office and the goings-on of the District of Columbia next session, does the same. He says it saves money and time spent commuting from an apartment.
Is there a shower in the office?
Dear Congressman Heck
Even though I didnt vote for you I would like to take this opportunity to wish you well and good judgement in representing us in Nevada.
I do believe you will be your own man and this is what I am hoping for
Cheap Cheap Cheap.
A violation of health and safety codes and zoning ordinances to live in an office or commercial location.
Typical politician, he doesn't want to deal with the high cost of living the average person faces, so he makes his own rules.
All medical benefits should be stripped from elected officials until all Americans have medical care.
I'm calling the DC Fire Department and zoning people about this, come January..live in the office...why don't you sleep under a bridge?
nice plan to live in govt housing for free .too cheap to pay for a apartment out of that huge congressional salary . how about a pay cut for congress . lets tax untraceable political contributions ...
Instead of criticizing Rep Heck, we should be praising him for his dedication to hard work, efficient use of his resources (paying for airline tickets rather than apartment rent), and for living up to his family responsibilities (he has three children). If there are zoning laws against sleeping in one's office, maybe they should be repealed as long as there are bathroom facilities as there are in Congressional offices. Way to go, Joe!
He's going to fly back and forth?? 1. It is about $400 each way for regular advance purchase tickets, which computes to about $800 each week, about $ 3,400 per month. or $12K per year. 2. That doesn't include the commute to the airport, or the taxes or airport fees 3. And he is going to pay for this out of his own pocket? or will this be paid for by taxpayers? (A room or apartment or hotel -- all of which he could find for less) would come out of his own pocket.
We can only hope that this is not yet another "Deficit-Hawk" who is keen to cut public spending on everyone but himself.
Will he be exempting himself from the body scan and/or pat down (groin grope) for his weekly flights to and from D C?
Good for him! Part of the trouble with our Washington DC representatives is the total disconnect with their constituents. Flying home every week will keep him grounded in reality.
Wedo - there is a dog at the Henderson Animal Control named Wedo - what does it mean? No disrepsect intended at all, just wondering the significance of the name - I've never seen it before.
Now, onto the article. I don't care if Joe flies back and forth on my dime, but if you guys supporting him are the ones screaming about Pelosi doing the same, then you might want to re-think your opinion.
I didn't vote for him, and thought Titus did a fantastic job - I do however wish him the best.
He'll be down on C Street at the "Family" compound in no time living it up with Larry Craig and David "hooker" Vitter.
At least Congressman Heck won't be getting subsidized, sub-market rent courtesy of a shadowy interest group, like some of the other people serving do or have done. It takes more fortitude to fly cross-country weekly than I have, plus he will have a first-person view of the brouhaha over airport security, and perhaps lend a touch of sanity to that issue. By the way, I did not vote for him, but he is my representative and until he proves unworthy of it, he has my support.
Assuming he's paying for his airfare, if he wants to crash on his couch and fly home for weekends & holidays, more power to him. Spending time with family and constituents is probably a better use of his time than staying in the DC bubble like so many others.
Wow. Talk about dedication to the district. Flying from Las Vegas to DC every week is going to be tough on the guy. I am sure his weekends will be packed with meetings and events in Las Vegas, but it's shows he is more interested in what's happening in Nevada than the weekend mixers in DC. Good for him, already showing he's fiscally responsible.
In the eyes of liberals, conservatives can do nothing right. I like the fact that Heck is going to DC to do the will of The People, not "live-it-up" and act like royalty. Other politicians should show such frugality. To lericgoodman: $3400/month does not equate to $12K per year. To mred: why are you so concerned about a person bunking in his/her office? There are monumentally disastrous things going on in DC--and you are bothered by this trivial matter? Why, because Heck is a conservative?