Skip to content

It’s National Talk in an Elevator Day, Lawmakers Do a Lot of That

Proof: 10 photos of members of Congress talking in elevators

Republican members, including from left, Reps. Eric Cantor, Jeb Hensarling, John Carter and John Boehner, crowd onto an elevator on the 5th floor of the Longworth House Office Building following the House GOP's conference meeting on May 20, 2008. The elevator door would not close until Reps. Eric Cantor, R-Va., and John Carter, R-Texas, got off. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call)
Republican members, including from left, Reps. Eric Cantor, Jeb Hensarling, John Carter and John Boehner, crowd onto an elevator on the 5th floor of the Longworth House Office Building following the House GOP's conference meeting on May 20, 2008. The elevator door would not close until Reps. Eric Cantor, R-Va., and John Carter, R-Texas, got off. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call)

It’s the weather, the morning commute, how happy you are that it’s Friday. But mostly in the elevator, it’s awkward silence.

Not today!

Today is National Talk in an Elevator Day. To celebrate Roll Call presents photos from our archives of members of Congress talking in elevators.

UNITED STATES - DECEMBER 14: Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., left, and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., make their way off the second floor of the Capitol before the republican caucus luncheons. (Photo By Tom Williams/Roll Call)
Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., left, and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., arrive on the second floor of the Capitol to attend the Senate Republican caucus luncheon on Dec. 14, 2010. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)
UNITED STATES – JULY 27: Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., answers reporters questions as the elevator closes on the second floor of the Capitol on Wednesday, July 27, 2011. (Photo By Bill Clark/Roll Call)
Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., answers reporters questions as the elevator closes on the second floor of the Capitol on July 27, 2011. (Bill Clark/ CQ Roll Call)
UNITED STATES - NOVEMBER 30: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., talks with a reporters in the Capitol after a cloture vote on the Defense Authorization Bill for FY2012. (Photo By Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., talks with reporters in the Capitol after a cloture vote on the Defense Authorization Bill for FY2012 on Nov. 30, 2011. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)
UNITED STATES - NOVEMBER 17: Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., boards an elevator after signing a condolence book in the Capitol's Senate Foreign Relations Room for the victims of the terrorist attacks in Paris, November 17, 2015. (Photo By Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)
Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., boards an elevator after signing a condolence book in the Capitol’s Senate Foreign Relations Room for the victims of the terrorist attacks in Paris, November 17, 2015. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)
UNITED STATES - SEPTEMBER 28: Sen. Dan Coats, R-Ind., left, is pictured in the Capitol before the Senate passed a 10-week continuing resolution to fund the government, September 28, 2016. (Photo By Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)
Sen. Dan Coats, R-Ind., left, jokes with a Senate elevator operator in the Capitol before the Senate passed a 10-week continuing resolution to fund the government on September 28, 2016. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)
UNITED STATES - NOVEMBER 15: Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., holding a
Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., holding a “Make America Great Again” hat, speaks to a reporter as she gets in an elevator while leaving the House Republican Conference meeting Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2016. The Trump hats were given out to the House GOP caucus at the meeting. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call)
UNITED STATES - JUNE 20: From left, Sens. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, and Cory Booker, D-N.J., ride an elevator in Ford Building before a meeting with Congressional Budget Office Director Keith Hall where they asked for a copy of the Republicans' health care bill on June 20, 2017. (Photo By Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)
From left, Sens. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, and Cory Booker, D-N.J., ride an elevator in the Ford Building before a meeting with Congressional Budget Office Director Keith Hall where they asked for a copy of the Republicans’ health care bill June 20, 2017. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)
UNITED STATES - JUNE 22: Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., makes his way to a vote in the Capitol on June 22, 2017. (Photo By Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)
Reporters crowd the elevator door as Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., makes his way to a vote in the Capitol on June 22, 2017. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)
UNITED STATES - DECEMBER 05: Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., boards an elevator before the Senate Policy luncheons in the Capitol on December 5, 2017. Sens. Jon Tester, D-Mont., third from left, Angus King, I-Maine, right, and Mark Warner, D-Va., are also pictured. (Photo By Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)
Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., boards an elevator before the Senate policy luncheons in the Capitol on December 5, 2017. Sens. Jon Tester, D-Mont., third from left, Angus King, I-Maine, right, and Mark Warner, D-Va., are also pictured. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)

Recent Stories

In Michigan: Will ‘secret women’s vote’ or ‘Crazy Uncle Earl’ be decisive?

US agency warns of ‘fire hose’ of disinformation about the election

Capitol Lens | She’s having the best Election Day ever!

Casting a long shadow? DC’s shadow delegation enters a new era

Some GOP lawmakers air northern border crossing concerns, too

As dark money floods campaign, advocates hope Harris, Dems could push changes