Congress' Freshmen Arrive In D.C.
Mel Martinez used to be secretary of the Housing and Urban Development Department, leading 9,000 employees. Now, after months of grueling politicking, he is the senator-elect from Florida and says he was "thrilled to find out I've become No. 98 in seniority."
Martinez, the first ever senator born in Cuba, is one of nine future senators and 38 new House members being oriented this week on everything from roaming the tunnel system beneath the Capitol to navigating the partisan political maze they are about to enter.
It will be easy for the seven Republicans who will take office in January. Besides Martinez, the other six either served or are serving in the House. They include John Thune of South Dakota, who ousted the Senate's Democratic leader, Tom Daschle.
The two Democratic freshmen are relative newcomers: Barack Obama, 43, of Illinois, will be the first black man in the Senate in 25 years, while Colorado attorney general Ken Salazar will join Martinez as the only Hispanics in the Senate. His brother John Salazar, D-Col., is among the House freshmen.
The House freshmen include eight women, four blacks, two Hispanics and Bobby Jindal, R-La., the son of immigrants from India. Three - Dan Lungren, R-Calif., Bob Inglis, R-S.C., and Cynthia McKinney, D-Ga. - previously served in the House, and four - Dan Boren, D-Okla., Dan Lipinski, D-Ill., Connie Mack, R-Fla., and Russ Carnahan, D-Mo. - had parents who served in Congress.
Seven, including five Republicans, are from Texas, a result of the redrawing of districts initiated by the GOP-led state legislature.
Republicans outnumber Democrats by 23-15 among the freshman House members, with Democrat Brian Higgins of New York still facing a challenge in his race. Louisiana will have two run-off elections next month, and the freshmen who will represent those districts were not in Washington.
Starting Sunday, the freshmen have been briefed on such subjects as security, legal liabilities, ethical rules, setting up an office and dealing with strains on family life.
They lunched Monday at the White House, took a class picture on the Capitol steps, were meeting with Republican and Democratic leaders and will participate in elections this week for party leaders in the coming 109th Congress.
Thune said he learned they would not have permanent office space until April or May. "This is our first exposure to the deliberative pace of the Senate," the former House member said.
All said they hoped to do something about the toxic partisanship that has characterized Congress in recent years.
"I'd like to be part of a bipartisan effort to try to change some of the habits that are established here," said Jim Costa, D-Calif., a former state legislator.
Gwen Moore, D-Wis., said she was determined her voice would be heard but joined others in saying that, being the newest of a group of 535, there remains "a lot of mystery" about "how I'll be able to articulate my concerns."
Moore said she wasn't worried about being in the minority in the House, where the majority Republicans almost always prevail. "I have a lot of experience being in the minority," said Moore, one of four black freshmen, all Democrats.
With Republicans expanding their majorities in both chambers, new GOP members were more confident about making a difference.
Jindal, who is running for GOP class president, insisted that the freshmen "have a lot to offer, and I want to amplify our voice."
Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., at 29 the youngest freshman, said he was also the youngest of five children and had been the youngest member in the North Carolina statehouse. "The great equalizer is we all get one vote," he said. McHenry said that if things become partisan, "I'm ready to duke it out."
Jim DeMint, the newly elected Republican senator from South Carolina, said he was ready to tackle the big items on President Bush's agenda, overhauling the tax, Social Security and health care systems. "We've got some changes to make that you can't make with little steps," he said.
By Jim Abrams