Word on the Hill: Bike Your District

By Alex Gangitano

Posted August 1, 2017 at 5:00am

Lawmakers often find interesting ways to travel across their states or districts each recess.

Last August, Sen. Christopher S. Murphy, D-Conn., walked across the Nutmeg State, and Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., did a motorcycle tour across the Wolverine State.

This August, Rep. Alex X. Mooney, R-W.Va., is biking across part of his district. He started the bike ride last year and is contributing to it this August recess. West Virginia’s 2nd District is about 20 miles wide and 300 miles long.

For this portion, he plans on biking all the way to the western most point of the district, which is just over 200 miles.

Swalwell walks the walk

Rep. Eric Swalwell said he is often told to take a hike in his line of work. (Rep. Eric Swalwell’s office) — California Rep. Eric Swalwell said he is often told to take a hike in his line of work. (Courtesy Swalwell’s office)

Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., held a hiking town hall over the weekend. He took a group of about 100 constituents on a two-mile hike at the Lake Chabot Regional Park in his 15th District, KTVU reported. The hiking constituents came with a lot of questions, mainly about local issues, Swalwell told the news station.

The congressman plans to hold more traditional town halls next weekend.

Earlier in July, Swalwell worked as a Southwest Airlines baggage handler at Oakland airport, and as a barista at Starbucks, as part of his #InYourShoes initiative.

A celebration of bacon

(Rep. Don Bacon’s office via Twitter) — Nebraska Rep. Don Bacon, second from left, celebrated bacon in Omaha on Saturday. (Courtesy Bacon’s Twitter page)

Freshman Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., attended the Omaha Beer & Bacon Festival in his district on Saturday. The beer-tasting and bacon-themed food event raised money for cerebral palsy research and for children with the disorder.

Joined with community at BaconFest this weekend, to find a cure for Cerebral Palsy and help improve lives of those with this condition. pic.twitter.com/g43vwpZcmn
— Rep. Don Bacon (@RepDonBacon) July 31, 2017

Summer intern series

CIA Director Mike Pompeo is returning to the Hill today.

Pompeo, a former Kansas Republican congressman, is scheduled to speak to congressional interns at 1 p.m. as part of the House Administration and Senate Rules and Administration committee’s Intern Lecture Series. Gen. Robert Neller, commandant of the Marine Corps, is scheduled to speak to the group at 10 a.m.