June 29-August 5 2007
The second week of our summer fling had us covering the Congress and we had the privilege of a tour of the US Capitol. How awesome was that. First up was a general tour of the public areas of the Capitol that anyone who queues up can participate in. The more exciting part of our day was going on a guided tour by the staff of Rep. Hinchey, who is Ithaca’s representative in the House. We made our way to Rep. Hinchey’s office to meet the two staff members for a little chat and collect a sticker saying “US Capitol Staff-Led Tour” with the Congressman’s signature on it. We didn’t get to meet him though because he was not in Washington at the time.
It was really cool to see the rotunda dome of the US Capitol. From the exterior of the Capitol building, the dome is the defining structure that makes the Capitol so recognizable and it was awe-inspiring to see upclose the little details and artwork that makes the interior so magnificent. Bearing in mind that during our tour, we also ran into Senators and Representatives – them nonchalantly walking past us as they went about their normal activities – that this was their office/workplace and what a workplace to be at everyday.
Little intricate figurines
Another rotunda with a beautiful chandelier
The above pic shows us in the room with the secret hearing passageway. If you stand at a particular spot in this room, you can hear whatever is being said at another particular spot across the room, which used to be an office famed for the leak of secrets. We look interested here but we were quite bored really, and trying very hard to listen to our creepy tour guide. I see a trend here, with creepy tour guides. The staff-led tour we had later on was so much better.
An underground transportation system that services the Capitol
Lindsey, me and Scully on the tram
Our guides then brought us to the press room, where Congressmen make their media reports from. It was cool and we snapped like crazy, feeling important, if only for a few seconds. We also got to see the media room where journalists work on their reports. There was a row of telephone booths where they would call their editors from to file their reports. The booths were in such close proximity to each other that journalists could actually eavesdrop on each other and sort of steal a rival’s stories. Too bad we didn’t have the chance to see it live in action – it would have been an eye-opener into the real world of cut-throat journalism. We were told however, that blackberrys and mobile phones now meant that journalists didn’t rely on these telephone booths anymore since they could do so anytime and anywhere they wanted. I think the telephones also connect to the congressional offices so that journalists can call to conduct interviews, research or background checks.
Telephone booths
Senator Jeremy.
The class was then split up – our guides were going to let us sit in for a short while because the House was in session. How cool was that! To see the congressmen live, discussing bills and voting on them! I was in the second group but when it came to our turn, we were told that we couldn’t go in anymore and that we’ll have to come again another day. Bummer. Felt a bit sorry for the few of us because we came so close to sitting in a House of Reps session. Somehow we weren’t too convinced that coming back again would guarantee us a sitting.
Group pic in Rep. Hinchey’s office with his staff members
So anyway, the topic for this week’s assignment was to be anything regarded to the US Capitol or Congress. In other words, we could write our article on anything related to the legislative branch of the US government – bills and such.
It was quite a challenge – finding a topic takes quite a bit of research and reading just to settle on one. I randomly came across a story about the Statue of Liberty and it just popped out at me from nowhere so I decided on that story. Working on this story was so fun though. Phone calls made to congressional offices went unanswered or were redirected. I had to make so many phone calls to congressional aides who were not willing to talk or comment; they either directed me to other offices or they claimed that the press secretary/communications director was not around so they were not in a position to comment. I had to assure them that this was an academic assignment and would not be print-published – and on condition of anonymity – before they agreed (very reluctantly) to speak. It is not easy to be a journalist on the Hill, fore sure. I very nearly missed my assignment deadline.
Here it is:
She Deserves Liberty
By JEREMY HOU; 14 July 2007
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The copper-clad statue sits silently atop an island at the entrance to New York Harbor, and keeps a watchful eye over the New Jersey coastline and Manhattan cityscape. A gift from the French to celebrate the centennial independence of the United States from the British, it welcomes all visitors, immigrants and Americans who have passed through the harbor since 1886. It is a symbol of freedom, of hope. It is the Statue of Liberty.
Following the September 11th terror attacks on the World Trade Center, the National Park Service immediately closed Liberty Island, denying tourists access to the grand statue. The National Park Service announced early 2004 that the Statue of Liberty would only reopen after $5 million was raised to add safety enhancements to the Statue. President George W. Bush did not include the Statue of Liberty in his 2004 federal budget, despite setting aside $8 million for the upgrading of a cafeteria and a car park at Crater Lake National Park, Oregon.
“The Statue of Liberty is the defining symbol of New York City and the United States,” said Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-Queens & Brooklyn) on February 16. “We all took a terrible blow from 9/11, but now it’s time for Lady Liberty to get up off the mat, just like the rest of the City has. Instead, the Bush budget slaps her in the face.”
In April, Rep. Weiner called on the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to launch an investigation into the fund-raising activities of a nonprofit organization, the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation.
“There are no records of any investigation on the Foundation. The only reports of the Statue of Liberty is from a study done way back in 1986,” said Elizabeth Johnston, GAO’s Legislative Advisor for Congressional Relations. “What’s even stranger is that Rep. Weiner’s name does not appear in my database.”
However, the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation insists that an investigation by GAO was carried out in 2004, though there was “nothing found to be out of the ordinary”. The Foundation raised money to assist the National Park Service to enhance Liberty Island as a whole, and not just the Statue. The Statue of Liberty was reopened on August 5, 2006, but visitors can only ascend as high as the Statue’s feet, while going up to the Statue’s crown remains a no-go.
“There are health and safety concerns that we have to deal with regarding the interior of the Statue,” said Darren Boch, Spokesman, National Park Service (New York Harbor). “Even before 9/11 occurred, we were thinking of closing access to the crown.”
The interior of the Statue does not conform to New York City’s building code. According to Boch, when the Statue was first designed, it allowed only for maintenance workers to enter the interior, and not for “thousands of visitors to climb up the narrow staircase.”
Rep. Weiner announced Congressional hearings into the reopening of the Statue on July 4. According to an aide from Rep. Weiner’s Congressional office, the National Park Service has not released a statement to them.
“Hearings will take place in the summer,” said the Congressional aide. “The Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands will review management of the Statue and the decision by the National Park Service to keep the crown closed.”
Visitors might be able to see the Manhattan cityscape once again from the crown of the Statue, and not just from her toes. As Rep. Weiner said in a press release, “It’s time to reopen the Statue of Liberty fully. To the crown.”
