Word on the Hill: Grammys on the Hill

By Alex Gangitano

Posted April 5, 2017 at 5:00am

The annual Grammys on the Hill Awards will honor country music singer Keith Urban this evening.

Urban is the recipient of the Recording Artists’ Coalition Award for his music and work on music education programs. Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Tom Udall, D-N.M., will also be honored for their support of music programs and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Country singer Martina McBride will host the awards ceremony, which will also feature live performances by Urban, John Popper of Blues Traveler and country singer Wynona.

Several lawmakers are scheduled to attend. At last year’s event, Rep. Joseph Crowley, D-N.Y., performed onstage with some of his colleagues, including Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., Minority Whip Steny H. Hoyer, D-Md., and Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas. Zac Brown Band was the featured artist.

The ceremony begins at 7 p.m. at the Hamilton (600 14th St. NW).

On Thursday, “more than 100 accomplished music creators” will be on Capitol Hill to advocate updating music copyright laws and maintaining government support for the arts.

Video: Members tour Holocaust museum

Several lawmakers took a private tour of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum on Monday as part of a bipartisan task force to combat anti-Semitism. HOH spoke to Reps. Ted Deutch, D-Fla., Kathy Castor, D-Fla., and Marc Veasey, D-Texas, about their experience. Watch for more.

Also happening today …

The National Pork Producers Council’s Congressional Bacon Fest to “exercise your right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of bacon!” RSVP to baconfest@nppc.org. You need a congressional ID to enter. (6 to 8 p.m., 1300 Longworth)

To celebrate Greek Independence Day, Haris Lalacos, the Greek ambassador to the U.S., is hosting a reception at the Center for Hellenic Studies. RSVP is closed. (6:30 to 8:30 p.m., 3100 Whitehaven St. NW)

An Armenian Genocide commemoration reception hosted by the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues. Contact raffi@anca.org for more information. (5:30 to 6:30 p.m., North Orientation Theater, Capitol Visitor Center)

Overheard on the Hill

“If you have 218 votes, you can tell us to go fly a kite.”— Hoyer on Republicans not having the votes to pass a health care bill.“I’m hungry! Jesus!”— Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., joking as a reporter asked him a question while he was trying to go to lunch.“I hope to be home for Easter Sunday because I very much like being married.”— Rep. Leonard Lance, R-N.J., on whether the House should stay to finish work on a health care bill.