Going to the capitol was very different from what I had pictured. I was shocked to see that it wasn’t very well organized. There were lots of different rooms and chambers, but other than that, everyone was just talking, roaming around, and didn’t seem to be too serious. My first thoughts before entering the Capitol were that I needed to start taking things seriously and look the part.
When we went into the hearing room, I expected it to be silent, everyone sitting down and listening, and possibly for it to get into intense topics. None of those really happened. Half the people were standing, most were talking, and only a few committee members were actively paying attention. The speakers in the room were not very good, and it was hard to hear.
In the House of Representatives room, out of all the hundred or so people there, maybe only 15-20 were at their stations ready to listen. Most of them were talking to one another and sitting on their phones. With all of that happening, I happened to see a lady there on her phone at her desk, with her feet up on it like it was her living room. Even while the Representative was speaking, only a few listened, and a few pitched in to discuss a subject. There were instances where the Representative had to repeat the members’ names to get the okay to proceed. Members indicate that they want to proceed with the bill by swirling their finger in a circle in the air. I was surprised by the ignorance of these members, eating and talking while their peers were speaking.
Of all the cases mentioned, the one that received the most attention from the committee members was the passing of Ofilia Torres. She was a sixteen-year-old who was battling stage four cancer. Before she passed away, she was an advocate for her father’s (Reuben Torres Maldonado) release from the ICE detention during her treatment. Luckily, three days before her passing, Maldonado was entitled to a ‘cancellation of removal’ due to the hardships that his deportation would cause to his American children.
I wouldn’t say the Capitol was underwhelming, but it definitely was not as serious and put-together as I thought it would be. I had a great time and would definitely be interested in going back when things get a little more serious and intense later this spring.
