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Special House session can be a special pain for some far-flung members
When Rep. Charles Djou (R-Hawaii) flies back to his district on Wednesday after a special House session, he will have spent three 24-hour days on an airplane in an eight-day span.
Asked what time his body’s internal clock was on, the freshman congressman replied with a tired laugh: “I have no idea.”
The move has forced members from across the country to rearrange travel and campaign schedules to return to Washington. A few members may not make it back at all. Alaska’s only House member, Rep. Don Young (R), said through a spokeswoman that it is “uncertain” whether he will return. “He is currently scheduled to be in Fairbanks, Alaska, for a campaign forum,” spokeswoman Meredith Kenny said.
Djou, who was elected in a special election in June and is facing a tight race again in November, has faced a particular headache because of the unavoidable difficulties of flying between Hawaii and Washington, where direct flights are scarce.
“It is making my life very hectic, to say the least,” Djou told The Hill. “It has definitely thrown a monkey wrench in terms of planning.”
Djou said he didn’t get out of Washington until last Sunday, two days after the House broke for recess, because of a flight cancellation. He returned to the capital mid-week for a meeting with the Micronesian ambassador, which was scheduled weeks ago when the House was still planning to be in session for the first week of August. (Democratic leaders later amended the schedule, before it became clear they would have to return for the state-aid vote.) Djou returned to Hawaii for planned district and campaign events over the weekend, and will hop on a plane back to D.C. on Monday.
Because each trip to Hawaii is 12 hours, a round-trip flight means a full day in the air. And that’s not counting the three and a half hours Djou spent on the tarmac last weekend because of “mechanical problems.”
“I knew what I was getting into when I signed up for this,” the congressman said. “But knowing and doing are two different things.”
Djou’s Hawaii colleague, Rep. Mazie Hirono (D), is a bit more used to the cross-country flights, having represented the state’s 2nd district since 2007. Her district, which she said “covers a lot of open ocean,” comprises seven different islands and is one of the most spread-out geographically in the country. She is canceling a couple of district events but will return to Washington on Monday. “It’s an important vote,” she said.
While Djou and Hirono are expected to make it back to Capitol Hill by Tuesday, Del. Gregorio Sablan is staying put in the Northern Mariana Islands. Sablan can vote on amendments to bills but not the underlying legislation, and because no amendments are expected for the state-aid bill, Sablan’s journey back could be fruitless.
“His work is already done: the Northern Mariana Islands’ interests are well-covered in the legislation,” Sablan’s chief of staff, Bob Schwalbach, said. “And, as always, Congressman Sablan is conscious of the cost — not inconsiderable for a last-minute flight halfway around the world.”
The hasty schedule change came at a more fortuitous time for Del. Madeleine Bordallo of Guam, who had planned to be in Washington for a few days next week after returning from a congressional delegation trip to Afghanistan. “One of the few times things have worked out for us,” spokesman Derek Mandell said.
It was unclear Friday how many lawmakers would skip the special session. Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), a member of the Democratic leadership and chairman of the party’s campaign arm, downplayed the grumbling within the caucus.
“I think our members understand that it’s very important to come back,” he told reporters on a conference call.
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