Word on the Hill: Hill 2 Houston

By Alex Gangitano

Posted September 14, 2017 at 5:00am

Today is the Hill 2 Houston Kickin’ It For a Cause Charity Kickball Tournament organized by the Congressional Black Associates to help with Hurricane Harvey recovery.

Games are five innings long or last a maximum of 30 minutes. To sign up, there’s a $20 registration fee and all players will be assigned to co-ed teams. But it’s free to attend and watch from 6 to 9 p.m. at Tyler Elementary School (1001 G St. SE).

The CBA is teaming up with ProjectBlackFlag Social Sports and The Kickball Conglomerate to raise money for the Greater Houston Community Foundation.

On Tuesday, members and staffers packed USO care packages for National Guard members deployed to assist with Hurricanes Harvey and Irma relief.

Lin-Manuel Miranda makes his rounds at the Capitol

New York Rep. Nita M. Lowey and Lin-Manuel Miranda. (Courtesy Lowey’s office)

“Hamilton” actor and playwright Lin-Manuel Miranda, who accepted the 2017 Freedom Award from the United States Capitol Historical Society on Tuesday evening, attended various events around the Capitol on Wednesday. One of them was a bipartisan meeting hosted by Rep. Nita M. Lowey, D-N.Y., with members of the New York delegation about the importance of National Endowment for the Humanities funding.

“The arts aren’t left or right. The humanities aren’t left or right,” Miranda said at the meeting.

He also attended a roundtable with the House Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee in the afternoon.

UNITED STATES - SEPTEMBER 13: Lin-Manuel Miranda, creator of the musical Hamilton, makes his way to a meeting at the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies in Rayburn, during a round of meetings to urge federal funding for the national endowments for the arts and humanities on September 13, 2017. (Photo By Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call) — Miranda makes his way to a roundtable meeting at the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies in the Rayburn Building on Wednesday. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)

People all around the Capitol were taking photographs with Miranda. Rep. Derek Kilmer, D-Wash., photobombed one with the actor and a reporter for the Independent Journal Review.

Apologies. With so many people packed in, was “Helpless” just trying to “Stay Alive.” Your obedient servant, D. Kil. https://t.co/gDCb20s7jJ
— Rep. Derek Kilmer (@RepDerekKilmer) September 13, 2017

Happening today: Intelligence trends talk

The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and Georgetown University are hosting the George T. Kalaris Intelligence Conference entitled “Global Intelligence Trends: Embracing Paradigm Shifts” today. It takes place at Georgetown’s Gaston Hall (37th and O St. NW) from 9 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. Register here.

Save the date: Congressional Charity Basketball Game

The 19th annual Congressional Charity Basketball Game, which raises money for local kids in the D.C. community, takes place Sept. 26 at the George Washington University’s Charles E. Smith Center (600 22nd St. NW). Admission is free. The members’ game tips off at 7:30 p.m. House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., is scheduled to play.

This year’s game is special because Majority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., who usually plays, is still recovering from being shot at the Republicans’ Congressional Baseball Game practice in June.

Watch: McCain, Kerry on Ken Burns’ new film, ‘The Vietnam War’

Vietnam veterans Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., former Secretary of State John Kerry and former Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel attended a preview screening of Ken Burns’ new PBS documentary “The Vietnam War.” HOH was there and check out what McCain, Kerry and Burns had to say on the red carpet:

Loading the player...

Staffer shuffle

Today is the last day for John Cummins as communications director to Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La. He will soon be the new director of U.S. policy communications and media for Merck.