Things you may not know about the US Congress.

Since a lot of people lately talk about politics—not in a good way—I decided to share fun facts you may not know about the US Congress to brighten the mood.

I had the honor of representing WCS and AZA in the US Congress over a year ago, so, I will share with you as many interesting details as my memory can recall. Before I begin, I want to say that it’s really a remarkable place to be in and when the pandemic will end, I recommend you to take a tour. I don’t think the House offers one but the Senate definitely does.

I don’t know about you, but I was very surprised to get in their cafeteria and see junk food. Seriously, they have their own pizzeria in the House. It’s good, though. So if you thought that congressmen and congresswomen eat healthy food, you’re wrong. I’ve seen one of the most notable representatives of New York eating hamburgers and chips. That’s nice to remember that no matter your position, you are still being yourself. So don’t forget to order that large size of fries on your next takeaway. Be yourself! Just remember to balance your diet, though.

No one tells you that but the more famous/powerful you’re in the US Congress, the fancier room you have. I’m serious. One representative had a tiny room he shared with four other people, his staff. And the other had a room that is...let’s just say a chic. The Senator’s room (more like three conjoined) left me speechless. It’s filled with old paintings in golden frames that on the eye pretty much look like made of real gold which only means that the paintings are priceless.

I doubt you ever wondered about their furniture, but you may be surprised to know that they make their own sofas IN the US Congress—in the House, if be precise.

Let’s talk about trains! You may have heard about a train that connects the House and the Senate, but did you know that there are two of them? One is for representatives and their staff, and the other is for senators. First, it can be faster to walk rather than taking this train. Second, only senators can take a fancy train—yes, there’s a huge difference. And third, if you’re not a representative or a senator, it can be a pain in the butt to get permission to use the train. Yes, these fancy brooches they wear are like their ID—I’m being serious.

Many think that representatives and senators are the ones who decide everything and you will be disappointed (or relieved) to learn that it’s not exactly true. Many underestimate those people who work on congressmen and congresswomen, but the truth is that they are the brain behind them. I had the pleasure to know the person who decades worked for a congressman. He told me that they have a lot of powers many don’t even realize. Since all these campaigns and ideas are basically coming from them, they have a great influence on the congressperson.

I hope you found this information interesting. Next time, maybe I’ll share how AZA brought half of the zoo into the House:)