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Rep. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), an infrequent Twitterer, used his account on Monday to share a story about his survivalist trip last summer to a deserted island in the Pacific Ocean.

The 46-year-old congressman's tweet is almost as rare as the nature of his week-long trip. Flake subsisted on coconuts and fish he caught himself. He purified his own water, slept in a hammock, and made fire from dry branches.

He tweeted for the only the third time since March:

I spent a week alone on the remote island of Jabonwod. You can read about this experience in the Washington Post -... http://bit.ly/4DoWNq

The Hill's Christins Wilkie also obtained photos and Flake's travel journal. Flake spent some of his time becoming companions with hermit crabs:

"I picked up a hermit crab, and wrote a #1 on the back of his shell. I repeated this act whenever I felt a bit lonely ... and kept a tally on a tree in the camp. When #12 climbed on my foot and pinched my big toe, ‘he bit me’ was written next to his number."

LATER: "I’ve labeled 102 at this point. I just saw #1 again today. He remains one of my favorites, as is #12, long since forgiven for pinching my toe."

In the Washington Post, Flake, who spent time as a Mormon missionary in Africa before being elected to Congress, described the trip as a childhood dream:

Some dreams come true, others are deferred. Our life's journey took us from Hawaii to Utah to Washington, D.C., to southern Africa and ultimately back to Arizona, where we are happily raising our five children. Along the way I managed to get elected to Congress. I have the best job in the world, but still the islands beckon.

Congress' responsibilities are still on Sen. Chuck Grassley's mind even though the legislature is not in session today.

The Iowa Republican took to his famous Twitter account to sum up his thoughts on Congress' oversight powers in a pun:

:)my rule for doing Constitution rule of ovrsite: In God we trust. Everthing else we oversight. :)

Or as the Founders put it in the "necessary and proper" clause:

To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof.

Grassley (left); "father of the Constitution" James Madison (right)

Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-Mich.) took to Twitter on Monday to label Sen. Max Baucus' (D-Mont.) "style" of healthcare reform "deceitful."

Baucus, who is chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, released his long-awaited healthcare reform proposal several weeks ago that did not include a public health insurance option favored by liberals. Conservatives, however, have criticized the bill's price tag and for failing to attract Republican support.

Hoekstra, who is running for governor of Michigan, tweeted on his campaign account:

I believe that health care reform (Baucus style) is deceitful.It shows Americans health care will be politicized rather than quality focused

Baucus' panel is still debating amendments to the bill. It is unclear when the committee will vote on the proposal.

A conservative endorsement - Dede Scozzafava (R-N.Y.)
C-17 project will save thousands of job - Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.)
If the New York Times is "torpedoing" Rangel - Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.)
Talking rural education with Arne Duncan - Rep. Tom Perreillo (D-Va.)
What must happen before Rangel resigns? - Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio)
Don't overlook us today! - (ActBlue)

Former Vice President Al Gore took to Twitter on Friday to offer his congratulations to President Barack Obama for winning the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize.

Gore won the award in 2007 for his work on climate change, sharing the honor with the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

He offered simple congratulations:

Congratulations @BarackObama on winning the Nobel Peace Prize

Obama accepted his reward today at a Rose Garden appearance. The Nobel Committee cited Obama's "extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples."

The Democratic National Committee, which operates Barack Obama's Twitter account, offered a one word reaction to the president's acceptance of the Nobel Peace Prize this morning:

Humbled.

Obama accepted his award at a Rose Garden appearance this morning in which he said "I am both surprised and deeply humbled by the decision of the Nobel Committee."

"To be honest, I do not feel that I deserve to be in the company of many of the transformative leaders who have received this prize," he added.

The Nobel Committee awarded Obama the prize earlier this morning, citing his "extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples."

DNC chairman Tim Kaine also issued a statement this morning, saying "the Nobel Committee's decision to award this year's Peace Prize to President Obama is an affirmation of the fact that the United States has returned to its longstanding role as a world leader."

Liberal filmmaker Michael Moore took to Twitter to offer President Barack Obama a mixed bag of congratulations for his Nobel Peace Prize awarded earlier today.

The Nobel Committee surprisingly gave Obama the award; he was in office only two weeks before the deadline for the 2009 prize.

Moore tweeted:

Congratulations President Obama on winning the Nobel Peace Prize! You have filled the world with hope -- now you must make peace happen.

Upon awarding Obama the prize, the committee cited Obama's "extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples."

Obama becomes only the third sitting president to earn the peace prize; Theodore Roosevelt won in 1906 and Woodrow Wilson won in 1911.

Sen. Arlen Specter (D-Pa.) and Rep. Joe Sestak (D-Pa.), who are engaged in a tough Senate primary, each offered their congratulations to President Barack Obama for his Nobel Peace Prize awarded today.

Obama surprisingly earned the prize early this morning, becoming only the third sitting president to win the award.

Specter, who switched party affiliations earlier this year, and Sestak have spent much of the campaign appealing to the Democratic base.

The two lawmakers tweeted this morning:

Specter: Congratulations President Obama on winning the Nobel Peace Prize, and thank you for your commitment to diplomacy.

Sestak: Congratulations to President @BarackObama for being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize on your efforts in strengthening global diplomacy.

The Nobel Committee announced it was honoring Obama for his "extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples."

Obama was inaugurated just two weeks before the deadline for the 2009 award.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) took to Twitter early on Friday to congratulate President Barack Obama on his Nobel Peace Prize awarded earlier this morning. 

Reid echoed the sentiments of the Nobel Committee, who said Obama "extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation and cooperation between peoples." 

He tweeted: 

Congrats to Pres Obama for his Nobel Peace Prize win. He's created a new climate of internatl diplomacy in a short time.

The decision to award Obama was a surprising one, he was only elected two weeks before the deadline for the 2009 award. 

Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson are the other two sitting presidents who have won the prize. 

Twitter is abuzz over President Barack Obama's Nobel Peace Prize, which was surprisingly awarded to him early Friday morning, taking three out out of ten trending topics on the microblogging service. 

Trending topics allow users to track the most popular conversations among tweeters. "President Obama" is the second most popular topic,  "Barack Obama Wins" is the seventh most popular topic, and "Nobel Peace Prize" is eighth. 

The Nobel Committee announced early Friday morning it was honoring Obama for his “extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples.”

Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson are the other two sitting presidents who were awarded the prize. 

The president is expected to make a statement on the award today.