The Capitol was abuzz with activity Wednesday afternoon as members of both chambers took care of final items of business before departing for the holiday recess and the end of the 111th Congress. But it wasn't all serious business.
During the early afternoon, a few House members caught up on last minute Christmas shopping while the Senate voted on the START treaty and 9/11 health bill.
ITK at one point counted five lawmakers in the House gift shop at the same time: Reps. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.), John Lewis (D-Ga.), Mary Jo Kilroy (D-Ohio), and Mike Thompson (D-Calif.).
No word on what they were buying, but there were some lovely congressional Christmas ornaments for sale, in addition to the standard ties, coasters, and key chains.
Elsewhere on the Hill, more gifts were making their way around. Rep. Sam Farr (D-Calif.) had bottles of Beaujolais Nouveaux delivered to staff members of the Committee on Appropriations, complete with ribbons and a little card on each bottle.
Farther down the same third floor hallway of the Capitol, a large fridge was left open in the now-emptied leadership offices of incoming Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.). The fridge appeared to have been cleared out, but three things remained: a small bottle of Seagrams gin and two bottles of Budweiser beer.
In the Senate chamber, it was outgoing Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) who appeared to be cleaning out, perhaps in preparation for his transition out of politics. Dodd stepped away from the melee of lawmakers at one point and sat alone at his Senate desk, going through his desk drawers and pulling out old papers.
Two former senators made special appearances in the chamber for the much-anticipated vote: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Vice President Joe Biden, who exercised his prerogative as President of the Senate and presided over the vote.
Clinton spent much of her time on the floor chatting with Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), who was decked out in a really bright red Christmas suit.
But it wasn't Hutchison's suit that caught the attention of Sen. Richard Lugar (R-Ind.). It was Clinton's brooch. Lugar could be overheard complimenting Clinton on her gold Christmas tree brooch, calling to mind the famous brooches of Clinton's predecessor, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.
On the men's fashion side, Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) pulled out all the holiday cheer, sporting a bright red vest and a kelly green tie that jumped out amidst the sea of gray suits and blue shirts.
Before she left, Clinton uttered an unusually loud "Merry Christmas!" in the direction of Sen. Barbara Mikulski (Md.).
Once the Senate finished voting, it was the House's turn to approve the 9/11 health bill, and the pressure on members to get home in time for Christmas was palpable. In the Speaker's Lobby off the House floor, conversation seemed to revolve around three topics: flight delays, airport conditions, and contingency plans.
No one was speedier when it came time to vote than Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), who cast his ballot and did a sort of half-skip out the door, all in less than 10 seconds. ITK hopes Chaffetz made his flight.
For those still inside the chamber, the momentum belonged to members of the New York delegation, who were banded together and boisterous, no doubt encouraged by the more than two dozen 9/11 first responders watching from the Visitors Gallery above.
As soon as it was clear the bill would pass, the gallery erupted in cheers, egged on by New York Rep. Joe Crowley (D), who shot his hands over his head and made a "thumbs up" toward their seats.
As the members scattered for the last time this year, one New York lawmaker seemed less than merry as he walked down a side hallway: Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-N.Y.), who was recently censured for ethics violations. Asked what his Christmas wish was this year, Rangel told ITK, "Oh you know, peace," before pausing thoughtfully. "And that [our] grandchildren have a better opportunity in the world than it looks like they're having now."
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