Skip to content

Word on the Hill: ‘From Home to the Dome’

Hispanic Heritage Month and 25 years as a Senate staffer

Sen. Grassley at 4:15 a.m. on Thursday after a 6.23 mile run. (via Instagram)
Sen. Grassley at 4:15 a.m. on Thursday after a 6.23 mile run. (via Instagram)

Sen. Charles E. Grassley, R-Iowa, is turning 83 on Saturday and he celebrated in his favorite way: by running six miles.

The senator traditionally runs from his townhouse in Arlington, Va., to the Capitol on his birthday, The Des Moines Register reported in 2014. On Thursday morning, he posted a photo on Instagram of his running watch showing that he ran 6.23 miles in an hour and 31 minutes. That’s a little bit under 15 minutes a mile. At almost 83 years old.

The Senate Judiciary Committee also chimed in about Grassley’s birthday during a hearing on Thursday. Sen. Richard J. Durbin, D-Ill., said the Iowa Republican and Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., open up the Senate gym in the mornings and usually have the place to themselves for an hour — but not on Grassley’s birthday. 

GOP kicks off Hispanic Heritage Month

In the House Republican’s latest Snapshots video, Rep. Carlos Curbelo, R-Fla., shares his personal story in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month. His father is from Havana, Cuba, and Curbelo says in the video, “It was a flawed country but most of them wanted Cuba to remain their home, but they had to leave.”

Celebrating 25 years

Senate Democrats’ floor assistant, Tim Mitchell, celebrated his 25th anniversary as a Senate staffer on Thursday. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., Minority Whip Sen. Richard J. Durbin, D-Ill., Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., and Sen. Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., were on the floor offering tributes. 

Photo of the week

The door of the Senate Subway train to the Russell Building closes on North Carolina Sen. Richard M. Burr's leg as he leaves the Capitol following a vote on Thursday. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call)
The door of the Senate Subway train to the Russell Building closes on North Carolina Sen. Richard M. Burr’s leg as he leaves the Capitol following a vote on Thursday. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call)

Pre-work jam sesh

Congress’ in-house musician Rep. Joseph Crowley, D-N.Y., tweeted a photo of himself and Rep. Keith Ellison, D-Minn., playing guitars together in a Capitol office building on Thursday morning. He wrote that it was an ‘impromptu jam session.’

Also on Twitter…

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., gave rapper Jay Z a shout out.

Happy Birthday to…

Rep. Ralph Abraham, R-La., 62.

Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, 42.

On Saturday: Sen. Charles E. Grassley, R-Iowa, 83.

What’s going on?

Have any tips, announcements or Hill happenings? Send them to AlexGangitano@cqrollcall.com.

Recent Stories

At the Races: Only the young

California sues to stop tariffs levied under economic emergency

5 takeaways from first-quarter fundraising reports

Judge starts contempt of court process over US immigration moves

HHS to look at environmental toxins as cause of autism

US, Europe diverge on infectious disease messaging