The Congressional Couch Sleepers Caucus
I’m seeking out a list of members of the House of Representatives who have gone to Washington, and have decided to convert their office space into their live in apartment building.
The best I can find is CREW’s list here:
The list of members who sleep in their offices appears to include, but likely is not limited to:
Reps. Dan Boren (D-OK), John Carney (D-DE), Steve Chabot (R-OH), Jason Chaffetz (R-UT), Hansen Clarke (D-MI), Sean Duffy (R-WI), Stephen Fincher (R-TN), Jeff Flake (R-AZ), Chris Gibson (R-NY), Tim Griffin (R-AR), Paul Gosar (R-AZ), Trey Gowdy (R-SC), Morgan Griffith (R-VA), Luis Guittierez (D-IL), Richard Hanna (R-NY), Joe Heck (R-NV), Bill Huizenga (R-MI), Bill Johnson (R-OH), James Lankford (R-OK), Dan Lipinski (D-IL), Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), Patrick Meehan (R-PA), Ben Quayle (R-AZ), Mike Quigley (D-IL), Todd Rokita (R-IN), Bobby Rush (D-IL), Paul Ryan (R-WI), David Schweikert (R-AZ), Steve Stivers (R-OH), John Sullivan (R-OK), Joe Walsh (R-IL), Todd Young (R-IN), and Tim Walberg (R-MI).
For the next Election, take this into account. Though, I won’t quite say whether you should consider it a positive or negative — does this add or detract to your opinion of Ben Quayle? It’s hard to say.
Or maybe there’s this number:
Mr. Clarke is one of as many as a dozen freshman House members who plan to bunk in their offices when Congress is in session. Though no one has hard numbers, anecdotal evidence suggests that at least 40 to 50 House members, both new and old, will be sleeping at work.
For many of them, joining the unofficial Couch Caucus is a practical way to save money and a symbolic gesture that they are both fiscally conservative and serious about changing how business is done in Washington.
Surely the House can conduct a Census?
It is probably “Tea-Party” Republican and Freshman laden, the Congress-critters rationalizing this by claiming that it’s akin to their budget-cutting ways with the federal budget.
Gosar said he is simply delivering on campaign promises, both in policy and his personal life. For the trim, tanned Arizonian, the U.S. Capitol isn’t just a place to work — it’s his bedroom, bathroom, living room and kitchen.
“I’m a dentist, I’m not a rich guy,†he said. “I’ve got to be fiscally responsible and that’s the same thing I am asking for from our government.â€
He sleeps on an inflatable mattress in his office, next to his desk. To start the day, he heads downstairs to shower at the congressional gym. When he has time, Gosar whips up a batch of buckwheat pancakes on a hotplate in set up in his dusty office storage unit.
Like a lot of measures, it’s symbolism over substance — if you can call it that.
But, I love this:
Mr. Rokita simply found it unpalatable to pay $2,000 for the 600-square-foot basement apartment that his wife begged him to at least consider.
Sheesh.
The group of office sleepers, which stretches across party lines, is a male-heavy crowd. No one knew of any women who had gone public with plans to sleep in their offices, although Kristi Noem, a Republican from South Dakota, toyed with the idea before ultimately renting a small basement apartment near the Capitol.
Ms. Noem is “not afraid of roughing it,†she wrote in an e-mail.
The logistical nightmares:
Superintendent of House office buildings Bill Weidemeyer has said that members sleeping in their offices adds some burden to the housekeeping staff and has made building maintenance more difficult since members complain they can’t sleep through the noise of construction.
That would be a “You Problem” for the “unofficial Couch Caucus”.
This is a satire, by the way. At least I think it is. The 414 – 21 vote count kind of gives it away…
In the earliest days of this Republic, there were more formal dorm arrangements for Congress critters, and in the early pre-political party environment — party factions formed around living quarter arrangements. As we hurled through history, well — there’s this.