Congress has its ups and downs, but despite the frustrations, there are moments for members that make weeks away from their families worthwhile.
While some members’ favorite moments revolve around legislative wins or moments with their families, others recall more light-hearted, funny moments. In a series of interviews, the Washington Examiner asked lawmakers to share their most memorable moment in Congress.
Relationships across the aisle
House Appropriations ranking member Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) pointed out, “There have been only 11,000 individuals who have served in the House since 1789.” Although she could not pick one specific favorite memory, she “feels blessed to be here.”
“I love the interaction with my colleagues, whether on both sides of the aisle, and it’s great, and it’s also the ability to be able to connect with my own folks and that interaction with good people, and listening and talking to people about their lives and how we can do something here,” DeLauro said.
The congresswoman has been known for her time serving as a leading member of the powerful House Appropriations Committee with optimism and bipartisanship. Time and time again, she has expressed her faith in the institution through every funding fight.
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act
Some members did not share the same bipartisan sentiment.
Rep. Brandon Gill (R-TX) told the Washington Examiner his favorite moment during his first year in Congress was when “we passed the tax bill, it wasn’t just passing the bill, it was watching them [Democrats] get upset.”
Rep. Mike Lawler’s (R-NY) favorite moment also revolved around the passage of President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
The New York Republican went on to tell the Washington Examiner about last-minute discussions to negotiate state and local tax caps.
“Have you heard they want to eliminate SALT?” Trump asked Lawler about where the Senate stood on the issue. The president went on to tell the congressman that it would be “terrible for New York,” to which Lawler quipped back, “terrible for New York, it would be really bad for you.” The New York Republican told the president that if the SALT cap were pulled from the bill, he would “kill” it.
After this back-and-forth, the SALT caucus ultimately got its way in the megabill, which will likely be the centerpiece of Trump’s second term.
Chaos in the lower chamber
Rep. Greg Landsman (D-OH) had a much different memorable moment, telling the Washington Examiner a story of the first time he addressed the House floor, a very important moment in any lawmaker’s career.
The Ohio Democrat had worn jeans without knowing that it was against House floor rules to address the floor in something other than dress pants, even though the lawmaker stands behind a podium. Frantically and eager not to reschedule, Landsman walked over to former Democratic Rep. Rick Larsen and asked to borrow his pants, who promptly said no. In the end, a staffer on the House floor let Landsman borrow his pants so he could address the floor for the first time.
Other members recalled the dramatic, chaotic moments that often plague the lower chamber. “It was memorable when we took out [former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA)] in a lot of different ways,” Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC) told the Washington Examiner.
Although Norman did not vote to oust McCarthy, he went on to write that he had been “profoundly disappointed in several key elements of Mr. McCarthy’s performance as House Speaker.”
Swearing-in ceremonies
Two members reflected on the day they were sworn in to Congress.
“When you come in through a special election, the first night is particularly special, and you sort of get to speak to the whole class on your first day of school,” Rep. Gabe Amo (D-RI) told the Washington Examiner. “I think the best parts here are the times that I get to spend with members in one-on-one settings, where I get to learn about their families, and that’s where you see the people illuminate.”
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Being in Congress can feel lonely, as lawmakers spend many months of the year away from their family and friends, but it’s the moments they get to share with those who mean the most to them in Washington that often mark the most special.
“I would say the first time I had my kids on the floor, when I first got sworn in, and Speaker Pelosi brought them up on the dais behind her,” Rep. Mike Levin (D-CA) told the Washington Examiner. “That was amazing. That was surreal. That’s got to be No. 1.”
