EXTERNS ON THE HILL

Submitted by Meg Knox, Washington State University

"The unsaid changing etiquette in congressional hearings

My name is Meg, and I am the June 2023 American Veterinary Medicine Association (AVMA) Government Relations Division (GRD) Extern in Washington, D.C. Coming from Washington State University (the OTHER Washington…), the East Coast has been a big and exciting change. This externship offers me the special opportunity to meet a multitude of veterinarians that work for governmental agencies in the D.C. area and experience the legislative work the AVMA does to aid the veterinary community. Some of this legislative work takes form in congressional hearings on Capitol Hill. Here’s the story of my clumsy attempt to blend in at some of those hearings.

Before I came to D.C., I had no idea what a hearing was aside from court hearings I’d seen on television and in movies - think Elle Woods or Judge Judy. Let me tell you, that is NOT what a congressional hearing is like. To prepare for my first hearing visit, I did a bit of research in hopes of not looking like a newbie. I knew that hearings are open to the public and that there is no dress code; however, blogs I found and coworkers at the AVMA GRD advised me to dress professionally and show up early to secure a seat. 

The first hearing I attended was a subcommittee Senate meeting about a provision in the latest Farm Bill (a huge piece of legislation passed every five years that pertains to many facets of American agriculture). I showed up an hour and 15 minutes early and was afraid to open the door. It’s daunting in the buildings of Congress! People walk around like they belong there; I barely found my way to the right room. When I did muster up the courage to walk in, I told them I was there for the hearing and eventually explained I was a public member. They gave me a number (#1) and told me I could sit down. Clearly, I was aggressively early. So, I sat down for over an hour, keeping myself busy with emails and my book. The hearing itself was more intimate than I was expecting, and very interesting to be a part of. The room was grand, but the senators were seated at a large table near the witnesses, reporters, staff members, and the public. There was no grand theater or throne. The senators moved in and out of the room, leaving for other meetings and returning later, all while bumping into other chairs and people in the crowded space. It brought these leaders down to Earth for me, and I was glad that I went. 

I attended a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee hearing as my round two on Capitol Hill. I felt confident I wouldn’t make the same fledgling mistakes (except showing up an hour and 15 minutes early, which I could not help but do again). I planned how I would introduce myself when I walked into the room: “I’m a public member hoping for a seat at the 10 am hearing.” It was vague and concise: introductory gold. But of course, this hearing was entirely different. I walked into the room and instead of a holding area or lobby, the doors lead to the hearing room itself. There was only one other woman in there who didn’t give any guidance past pleasantries. With no clue as to where I belonged, I sat in an unmarked seat for the next 15 minutes. Eventually, a different staff member told me the public was supposed to wait outside until 9:45 – at this point it was 9 am. So, I bashfully walked out of the room, knocking down a sign at the door as I left (which did NOT say I wasn’t supposed to come in). I waited with some other confused interns and externs, explained to newcomers the state of the union, and eventually was seated in the hearing. This hearing was much more high-profile, with an overflow room and individuals waiting in line even once the hearing had begun. I was embarrassed, and honestly frustrated, that I hadn’t learned anything from my first hearing.

Looking back at it now, I’m proud of myself! I put myself out there and made some friends in the line along the way. Additionally, I got to sit in person with many senators and distinguished witnesses as they talked about some of the important issues impacting our community on a national scale. 

If you ever get the chance to visit D.C., I advise you to embarrass yourself at a congressional hearing. For all the grief it gave me to find the correct door, wear the right shoes, and not sit in the wrong seat, I learned so much about lawmaking in our nation by attending these hearings. I got to see the emotions of lawmakers, as I sat in the room with them and listened to compelling witness testimonies. I got to observe a sliver of the decisions Congress makes for us every day. And you know what? I would sit and wait for an hour and 15 minutes all over again."