Serving an internship in Washington, D.C., was an amazing opportunity. I went into the internship as a bit of a cynic, thinking a few aristocrats controlled the world, but I actually gained a tremendous amount of respect for the political process. I saw firsthand the work that gets done in a congressional office, from amendment write-ups to floor votes and the enormous amount of work our members of Congress put in.
I had the opportunity to work for Jim Matheson, the only Democrat to represent Utah on the federal level. He sits on two major committees that were the frontline for some of President Barack Obama’s agenda: health care and climate change. My first few weeks in his office were when the Energy and Commerce Committee was working on the “cap and trade” bill, as it is popularly known. I found the committee process exhilarating and had opportunities to be on the floor when Chairman Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) and Matheson addressed portions of the bill and debated the details.
I might have had a slightly different experience than others, as I grew up in Washington, D.C., and my father works for the Congressional Research Service, the analytical arm of the Library of Congress. Having come back to the East Coast with the knowledge of the political science courses at the U and putting it into perspective with the office and my father’s help, I got an even deeper understanding of the political process.
Many people think Washington, D.C., is corrupt, representatives don’t listen to the people and major deals happen behind closed doors. But8212;at least in my experience with Matheson’s office8212;this wasn’t the case. I saw firsthand bill-changing amendments added to the “cap and trade” bill on the floor in full view of the public. Amendments and large legislation were available online within a few hours. Constituent letters, calls and opinions definitely had an impact on the representatives. I was there when House Resolution 3200, the health care bill, was introduced and witnessed the impact that regular people like you and me had. The process is designed to be very long and messy, but it is open and honest.
Politics aside, it was great to be back on the East Coast. I left when I was a teenager and never appreciated any of it. Funny enough, growing up, I never cared for politics and shrugged off all the field trips we went on. The Smithsonian has several museums with pretty much everything history-related you can imagine on display and for free. There are old forts, monuments and memorials for almost every event in American history. So if you love American history and politics, you need to visit Washington, D.C., at least once in your life.
I also had a few celebrity moments that included Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in the Capitol Rotunda, running into Dennis Kucinich and Barney Frank outside of the House Office Buildings, Speaker Nancy Pelosi and many others on the floor. I also had an amazing opportunity to catch the July 4 celebration on the White House lawn and caught a glimpse of Obama outside the Oval Office. My only complaint was the humidity. I was reminded quickly what “dry heat” meant the minute I got off the plane.
For all you thinking about applying for an internship8212;do it. Putting theory and textbook into actual practice is a rare opportunity. The Hinckley Institute of Politics has great connections back east and in Utah and offers internship opportunities all year round. There was also a great social aspect, because you live near about 40 other Utah interns and get to know the people in your office very well. I got a lot of credit hours for doing it and just applied for a local internship in the spring.
