Primer for the freshman class of the 114th Congress

Congratulations on your election.  You soon will have the privilege of assuming one of the highest positions in the United States government.  The Founding Fathers placed the Congress as the first Article of the Constitution. The Presidency and the Executive Branch were relegated to the second spot in Article Two. 

Here follows a non-ideological guide as you take on your new duties: 

·       Pinch yourself every day and repeat, “This is not a dream.”  Be respectful of the institution you are about to enter.  Giants in the history of America were there before you and chances are slim you will be accorded a statue or be inducted  into the Congressional Hall of Fame.

·       Decide early on that it is better to become known as a work-horse than a show-horse.

·       Get to know other members, all of whom have a story about how they were elected which is different and probably more interesting than yours.  

As you consider your office organization, base it on what you were in real life.  This will make things more comfortable.  If you were a lawyer, set it up like a law firm, if a businessman set it up as though it is a business.

·       Select your staff carefully.  Campaign personalities are not always suited to the often complex policy issues of Capitol Hill.  Recruit experts from your state if you can.  Non-campaign and experienced Washington office managers and schedulers are invaluable.  Make sure they are simpatico with your positions on issues. 

·       Be kind to the Congressional pages and the myriad staffers on Capitol Hill.  They tend to grow up and become important later in life.   

·       Find two or three issues you really care about and study them, master them and become an acknowledged expert.  You will then be taken seriously.           

·       Congress is about deliberation.  It is not a pop quiz.  Don’t let people push you to a snap judgment.  You must now start governing and start listening—to your constituents, to your leadership and to your conscience. 

·       Do not under any circumstance go against your word.  Your word is all you have and if you get a reputation for breaking it you might as well head back to your district and get a job in a 7-11.    

·       Watch your schedule. Do not over-accept speeches, receptions  or events.  Be selective and make sure they are in your district’s interest. 

·       In seeking committee assignments, yes, try to seek those where your personal interests might be, but if you are from a farm state it makes sense to seek Agriculture; if you are from New York opt for one of the financial committees.  

·       Once you are settled do not balk at foreign trips.  They will be called junkets, but as a member of Congress it is important to visit foreign countries and foreign US member and International organizations (NATO, EU, Trade missions and the like).  Avoid non-U.S. government sponsored or shopping trips disguised as oversight. 

·       Read as many papers as you can every morning. Check your iPhone or computer often for breaking news. You must be knowledgeable on the issues of the day. If stumped simply say  “ “I’ll get back to you,” which is  better than a misstatement.

·       Be respectful and mindful of the hordes of news media waiting to talk to you.  Initially try to opt for the local media from your state.     

·       In dealing with the president remember he is President of the United States whom you respect, not so much the personality you may have  berated in the campaign.  Also remember the Executive Branch could be the biggest employer in your state—and more likely than not the Defense Department.  Be mindful of the issues involving those entities. 

·       Do not be afraid of lobbyists. They have a Constitutional First Amendment right “to petition the government for redress of grievances.”  More than likely they represent “the special interests”—one and the same which elected you.  They are merely experts with an agenda.   

·       Don’t forget to be a real person.  Introduce yourself by your first name. Do your own grocery shopping. Always fly coach. Show up at meetings where you are part of the audience, not the keynote speaker.  If you have school aged children, make sure to go to class programs, teacher conferences and the PTA. Don’t let the quest for a 100 per cent voting record rob you of important life experiences.

·       On the ethics side, remember codes of ethics bind the ethical and if it feels good it’s probably wrong.  

Korologos, who has been in Washington D.C. since l962 is a strategic adviser at DLA Piper.  He has been a Senate staffer, a White House Congressional liaison, a United States ambassador, served in Iraq as a senior adviser, and worked extensively in the private sector as a Congressional affairs specialist.