Capitol Hill Intern Update (September 7, 2021)
With August behind us, it’s time to officially welcome new fall interns. Welcome, new friends! We’re here to keep you in the loop and have a little fun in the process.
Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram @internupdate and on Twitter @intern_update to keep up with news and events throughout the week.
Check out the archives and resources on Medium.
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THIS WEEK ON THE FLOOR
No votes this week. The Senate returns from August recess on September 13. The House is in District Work period and returns September 20.
THIS WEEK IN COMMITTEE
House committees continue markups of their portions of the Budget Reconciliation bill, aka the president’s “Build Back Better Plan.”
WHAT WE’RE WATCHING
The House and Senate have directed 13 House and 12 Senate committees to each draft their portions of a $3.5 trillion reconciliation bill. One big challenge: getting House and Senate Dems to agree on what should be in it
Sen. Manchin [D, WV] called for a pause, citing concerns of “runaway inflation”
VP Harris presided over a pro forma session last week to allow for the passage of H.R. 5085, to provide assistance for Americans returning from Afghanistan
The U.S. Supreme Court declined to block a new Texas law that prohibits abortion after a heartbeat is detected, with no exception for rape or incest, and rewards individuals $10,000 for reporting anyone who aided, performed or procured an abortion
- Lyft and Uber will cover legal costs of any drivers targeted under the new law
- Speaker Pelosi [D, CA] says the House will vote on the Women’s Health Protection Act (H.R. 3755/S. 1975) to codify the Roe v. Wade standards when members return
Temporary federal ban on evictions ended after a 6–3 SCOTUS vote against the CDC’s extended moratorium
As the Biden administration weighs options for COVID-19 booster shots, note that waning immunity works to our advantage
President Biden signed an executive order calling for declassification review of 9/11 documents
OF INTEREST
Hope you had a great Labor Day! Check out these lesser-known facts about the holiday that dates back to 1882
New, non-lethal Navy weapon can stop people from talking
China will limit minors to 3 hours per week of video games
Scammers are using bots to enroll fake students in community college classes and apply for financial assistance
What is the value of a college degree and how do you measure it?
World’s fastest roller coaster in Japan shut down after some riders experienced bone fractures
It’s been 23 years since 22-year old Monica Lewinsky became America’s most famous intern; the story will be re-told starting this week on FX in “Impeachment: American Crime Story”
The latest Marvel movie, ‘Shang-Chi’, shattered an all-time Labor Day record with a box office of $71.4 million (it’s a rarity on Rotten Tomatoes, too)
Reminder: Intern-a-Palooza is this Thursday and Friday — Register by 12 PM TOMORROW!
Intern-a-Palooza is a virtual, two-day orientation event that will provide interns with basic information about the legislative process and Capitol Hill, networking opportunities and tips on how to be a successful intern. Check out the schedule and register here!
note: the dates may overlap with your Congressional internship, so check with your internship supervisor about attending the event!
Webinar: Black Staff on Capitol Hill
On Wednesday, join Congressional Black Associates and the Senate Black Legislative Staff Caucus for a critical discussion on the current state of Black staff on Capitol Hill. RSVP for the meeting here.
Save the Date: Join BWCA for Book Club on Sept. 20th!
Join the Black Women’s Congressional Alliance for virtual monthly book club — this month’s read is Seven Days in June by Tia Williams. Register for the meeting here.
EVENTS THIS WEEK
Tuesday, September 7th
- 1 PM — 2 PM: Securing the Pharmaceutical Supply Chain
- 1 PM — 2 PM: Capitol Conversations — Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
Wednesday, September 8th
- 12 PM — 1:30 PM: Telehealth’s Moment: How States Are Leading the Way
- 1 PM — 2 PM: Military Challenges to Future NATO Enlargement
- 1 PM — 2:15 PM: Renewing US rural prosperity: Federal policy in the Biden administration
- 2 PM — 2:45 PM: What Lies Ahead for the U.S.-ROK Alliance? A Conversation with Reps. Ami Bera and Young Kim
Thursday, September 9th
- 1 PM — 2 PM: Webinar: The Connection Between Housing and Health: Measuring Community Impact
- 1 PM — 2:45 PM: A Clash of Contagions: The Impact of COVID-19 on Conflict
- 2 PM — 3 PM: What’s Next for Afghan Refugees?
- 2 PM — 3 PM: Race in America: Giving Voice with Aasif Mandvi
- 2 PM — 3:15 PM: Book Event: The Enduring Struggle: A Conversation with John Norris
- 3 PM — 4 PM: Protecting Our Planet: Ocean Conservation and Sustainability with H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco
Friday, September 10th
- 12 PM — 1 PM: “A La Calle” with Maxx Caicedo & Leopoldo López
- 1 PM — 2 PM: Capitol Conversations — The Battle of Lake Erie
- 3 PM — 4 PM: 9/11: Twenty Years Later with Condoleezza Rice
- + Many more events at Hill Happenings
CONTRIBUTORS
This newsletter is brought to you by these organizations. We know today’s interns are tomorrow’s Congressional staffers. And we want you to have a great experience — no matter where the internship happens!
