Congestion keeps congresswoman from casting debt vote

So many people were parked in the halls of the Capitol on Monday that Rep. Gwen Moore (D-Wis.) couldn’t manage to make it in time to one of the House’s highest-profile votes.

According to the congresswoman’s office, Moore intended to vote yes on the debt-ceiling deal. She cast her “present” vote during a quorum call at 6:51 p.m. and then left to return to her Rayburn office across the street. Moore then headed back to the Capitol, in what her office describes as “what normally would have been plenty of time.” 

But Monday was no normal day, as tons of people — including an influx of journalists — packed the Capitol ahead of the vote.

In a statement to ITK, Moore’s office said, “Unfortunately, she arrived on the House floor just seconds too late — in large part due to congestion in the hallways.” The vote was closed at 7:09 p.m.

Got to hand it to the congresswoman for not pushing and shoving her way in for an important vote — apparently she’s never tried to squeeze into a Metro car right after a Nationals game. 

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