Joining The Dance

In a nutshell, my first week on Capitol Hill felt a lot like a 7th grade sock hop at Horicon Junior High. I was intimidated, self-conscious, and sweating on the sidelines while the “cool kids” did all the dancing. Even without a D.J. and a smelly gymnasium, there were several dance-related conversations on The Hill – each of national significance.

As you might imagine, I had daily opportunities to eavesdrop on the inaugural ball plans of my new colleagues. “Do you have a dress?” “I found one at Macy’s for $50!” “Are you going to the Mid-Atlantic or the West Coast Ball?” “Did you hear so-in-so has five invitations?!” Like Cinderella, I told myself I couldn’t attend because I didn’t have a gown. (Of course, I also didn’t have an invitation…)

However, I was offered a seat at another exclusive event. Besides being issued my official nametag, undergoing anthrax training (complete with a gas mask demonstration) and getting lost in the Capitol’s underground tunnels, I was privy to something particularly cool. (For a political geek, anyway.) I sat in on the Senate’s confirmation hearing for our next Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan. Interestingly, what might look like a grueling questioning on C-SPAN is actually more like a well-choreographed dance. Senators asked Mr. Duncan to go on the record with his specific commitments to education while others lobbed him planted questions. Inquiries on IDEA (the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) and assessments for children with disabilities played a prominent role. Clearly, disability experts with some form of clout had gotten to our next Secretary of Ed. He has chosen us as a dance partner. My hope is these issues will continue at the forefront in the coming year.

Another dance in question, and perhaps the most important one, was centered on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act which passed the House on Thursday and now heads to the Senate. With $550 billion dollars in economy-igniting money on the table, you had better believe there was dancing. By day three of my induction into House Committee work I had sat in on various meetings of people lobbying for a piece of the pie. Educators claiming near disaster; farmers asking for flexibility and organizations presenting wish lists. It was fascinating to watch the dialogue from the inside out. In the end, people with disabilities were once again a partner, with monies dedicated (at least for now) to IDEA, early intervention and vocational rehabilitation programs.

What I learned was the process is a dance indeed. It was clear that, just like in 7th grade, social clout matters. Who you choose to dance with is perhaps the most important decision. The wrong partner can seriously alter your future prospects.

In the end, I held back many of my own opinions this week. My theory is, just like during 7th grade sock-hops, one doesn’t need to dance every song. In fact, I’d prefer to choose my partners (and song) carefully. If 7th grade taught me anything, there could be no worse fate than an excruciatingly long dance to Stairway to Heaven with Wayne What’s His Name…

Lisa Pugh is the 2009 Kennedy Foundation Public Policy Fellow. She will work on disability public policy for the House Committee on Education and Labor during the 111th Congress and is being sponsored by The Arc Wisconsin. She will live for one year with her family in Washington and return to her home in Madison, Wisconsin to share what she’s learned in January 2010.