Heard on the Hill: Shooting Hoops

Posted March 8, 2011 at 5:58pm

Lawmakers and their staff will get a chance to show off their basketball skills — or lack thereof — next week.

To honor the start of March Madness, the U.S. Olympic Committee and the Congressional Olympic and Paralympic Caucus will host a free-throw contest Wednesday on the Hill.

Sens. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) are expected to attend, as are Reps. James Langevin (D-R.I.), Dave Reichert (R-Wash.) and Ed Perlmutter (D-Colo.), among others.

Several Olympic athletes will be on hand, including basketball gold medalists Teresa Edwards and Christian Laettner, and figure-skating gold medalist Evan Lysacek.

The event, which takes place in the Rayburn House Office Building, is designed to raise awareness about the Olympic organizations.