Week 5

One week to go! How fast the time flies! This was a whirlwind week.

The House undertook its first of 12 appropriations bills. The appropriations process is pretty unbelievable. The Congress hasn't completed the full appropriations process since 1994. They typically complete the process by lumping bills together in packages called omnibus bills, or by way of continuing resolution. I'll save the technical details and let you Google them for yourself, but I'd be more than happy to elaborate on the process if you'd like.

This year's appropriations process is even more unbelievable because of the way the Democrats are closing the process. On the first appropriations bill--Science, Commerce, and Justice--the Democrats closed down the Rules process by essentially making it a modified open rule, which might as well be a closed rule. However, the appropriations process has historically always operated under open rule. This severely limits the ability of Republicans to reduce out of control spending, and the Democrats frame Republican efforts as a waste of time and colluding the process.

On a lighter note...A few days ago I gave a tour of the Capitol to the Polish Minister of Agriculture. On our way over to the Senate I ran into Senator John McCain and shared some pleasant words with him. It was a wonderful opportunity and something I won't soon forget.

Next week is my last week in the office. I'm not looking forward to leaving. But I have a lot to do in between now and then. I've been asked to give two speeches on the 4th of July about the future of freedom and liberty in America. It will be my first public political speech. I'm a little nervous, but nonetheless ready to launch a career. Wish me luck! Or pray for me if you believe in that God guy! Haha.

I hope the various journeys the rest of you are taking have been as meaningful and rewarding as mine.