Yesterday we kicked off the start of a new Congress and the reopening of Capitol Hill. When COVID-19 hit and the country shut down, keeping the government up and running was critical. At that moment moving to a virtual government was necessary. But, it was never meant to become permanent. COVID-19 made it easier to implement rules that allowed for greater flexibility for Congress to work from home and implement a proxy system. If not for our profession, temporary rules might have become permanent.
Once the country started safely opening up after the pandemic, the National Institute for Lobbying & Ethics (NILE) was front and center meeting with congressional leaders, Capitol Police, public interest groups, and engaging with the lobbying profession on ways we could support a safe reopening of Capitol Hill. It didn’t happen as quickly as we had hoped, but your voice has been heard, and starting yesterday, Capitol Hill has been reopened to the people.
It wasn’t easy, but it did get done with the help of some critical champions, including:
Congressman Kevin McCarthy: Not only worked with us on a reopening plan but included NILE in dialogues that led to letters to former Speaker Pelosi and the House Physician.
House & Senate Democrats: Supported our position and worked with NILE on ideas that would make selling a reopening possible.
Majority Leader Steve Scalise: Supported NILE and heard our concerns and solutions to effectively reopening Capitol Hill.
The Capitol Hill Police: Met with NILE on several occasions to discuss the strains they are seeing in their workforce and the challenges they were hit with during the shutdown of their training facility during COVID. Being able to have a direct line to the Capitol Police helped us understand their needs and the challenges to reopening.
Former Rep. Rodney Davis: Met with NILE on several occasions to discuss how reopening Capitol Hill can be done safely.
Senate Leadership: Worked with NILE on concrete plans to ensure everyone is safe during a reopening.
Rep. Ralph Norman: Met with NILE several times and discussed how best to ensure people have access to their elected officials.