Capitol Hill Intern Update (August 24, 2020)
Well, we may actually be entering an honest-to-goodness recess week, with all eyes on the RNC and no action in Congress (except Monday’s Oversight hearing with the Postmaster General).
That makes it a great week to ensure you’re getting the most out of your internship — and C2C-U has you covered! Sign up for their (free) “Interning on Capitol Hill 101” virtual course for tips on everything from leveraging LinkedIn for networking and mapping out your next career steps.
Got questions, suggestions, or ideas? We want to hear it!
What to Watch this Week
THIS WEEK ON THE FLOOR
House and Senate are out for August recess.
THIS WEEK IN COMMITTEE
MONDAY: “Protecting the Timely Delivery of Mail, Medicine, and Mail-in Ballots” in House Oversight and Government Reform at 10 AM ET
FRIDAY: “Voting Safely in a Pandemic” in Committee on House Administration @ 1 PM
WHAT WE’RE WATCHING
The Republican National Convention in ON this week from Charlotte, Baltimore, DC and a few other locations.
Where to watch
Schedule of events
Nightly themes:
- Monday: “Land of Promise,” with roll call and formal nominations
- Tuesday: “Land of Opportunity,” with a speech from First Lady, Melania Trump
- Wednesday: “Land of Heroes,” VP Pence speaks from Baltimore at Fort McHenry
- Thursday: “Land of Greatness,” President Trump will deliver acceptance speech from the White House
The weather and the AQI:
Sending good vibes and best wishes to those of you working from California, where fires are raging, and the Gulf Coast, with two storms swirling offshore.
- Check live data from indoor and outdoor air quality sensors at PurpleAir
- View California’s statewide incident map
- Follow reports from the National Hurricane Center for developments on Marco and Laura
Stay safe out there, friends!
Capitol Hill Working from Home Guide V.2
The Modernization Staff Association released the second version of its Capitol Hill Working from Home Guide.
The guide has new resources for staffers based on their requests and suggestions, such as tips on writing, managing and being managed, mental health resources, additional ideas for intern projects, and more. This version also includes quotes and resources from junior and senior staff across the Hill.
The Working from Home Guide is published once a month and will continue to include new and updated content. If you have ideas on what’s missing, please submit them to this Google form.
Follow the Modernization Staff Association on Instagram @msacaphill
District or DC? In-person or Remote?
We asked readers of this Intern Update about their internship. 75% of you are working fully remotely, with another 25% partially remote with some time in the DC or district office. No one reported a fully in-person internship in district or DC office.
Of Interest
- Tips for staying involved in local government during COVID-19 distancing from Women’s Public Leadership Network
- Need to talk? The Office of Employee Assistance provides free, confidential counseling for House staff and interns. Call 202–225–2400 or email to schedule an appointment.
- Ever want a security clearance? Do not be this guy
- Interning remotely? Get your DC experience through 20 films and TV shows featuring the capital
- Check out health services available from the House Wellness Center, including discounts through Zipongo on Sun Basket, Plantable, Instacart, Amazon Fresh, and Grubhub
- New report from Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies highlights lack of diversity in top posts in Senate personal offices:
- “The lack of racial diversity among personal office top staff impairs the ability of Senators to understand the diverse perspectives of their constituencies. People of color are underrepresented in various occupations, but a lack of diversity among top Senate staff warrants special attention because Senate decisions affect everyone in the nation.”
- Source: “Diversity Among Top Staff in Senate Personal Offices” by LaShonda Brenson, Ph.D., Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies (August 2020)
Want to make your boss a “Congressional Champion”?
Join 70+ member offices receiving trained and mentored interns from College to Congress. Their easy sign-up process is promoting socioeconomic diversity on Capitol Hill while helping your Member’s constituency. You can visit here for more information to share with your Chief today!
Events This Week
It’s a light week for events with most orgs in recess mode and the RNC underway.
MONDAY AUG 24 @ 2 PM ET: Gender Equality 100 Years After the 19th Amendment @ Brookings
TUESDAY AUG 25 @ 1 PM ET: National Press Club Virtual Newsmaker: Harold Holzer, “The Presidents vs. the Press” @ National Press Club
TUESDAY AUG 25 @ 2 PM ET: Can we alleviate racism and systemic inequality by expanding broadband during COVID-19? @ Brookings
TUESDAY AUG 25 @ 3:30 PM ET: An AI National Strategy for Congress @ Bipartisan Policy Center
WEDNESDAY AUG 26 @ 11 AM ET: DEI and the Future of Public & Government Affairs @ Fiscal Note
WEDNESDAY AUG 26 @ 7:30 PM ET: Join the Women’s Congressional Staff Association for a “Netflix Party” and screening/discussion of “Suffragette” (Register)
WEDNESDAY AUG 26 @ 1 PM ET: Got Mail? Why the 2020 Election May Depend on the U.S. Postal Service @ Brookings
THURSDAY AUG 26 @ 7:30 PM ET: Join the Women’s Congressional Staff Association for a “Netflix Party” and screening/discussion of “Suffragette” (Register)
THURSDAY AUG 27 @ 11:30 AM ET: GSPM MasterClass with Steve Benen @ GSPM
THURSDAY AUG 27 @ 1 PM ET: Powering America’s Economic Recovery at the RNC @ Politico
ONGOING EVENT SERIES: Tri-Caucus Staff Association’s “Transition 2020: How to Get the Job You Want” Virtual Professional Development Panel Series (with events through September 28)
Find more events at Hill Happenings
MARK YOUR CALENDAR:
Sept 1: Innovating Congressional Offices: How to think different and stand out
On September 1 at 4 PM ET, join TourTrackr founder, Melissa Media, and College to Congress for a discussion about being an innovator as an intern. Offices look for self-starters who are looking to make constituent services more efficient. Sometimes finding a new way to do things helps you stand out!
Contributors
This newsletter is brought to you by these organizations. We know today’s interns are tomorrow’s Congressional staffers. And we want you to have a great experience — no matter where the internship happens!
Congressional Management Foundation
