Tater tots, swamp rats and an impeachment inquiry: Congressional Hits and Misses

Heard on the Hill

Tater tots, swamp rats and an impeachment inquiry: Congressional Hits and Misses

Week of Sept. 23, 2019

Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer holds up a copy of the transcript of President Donald Trump’s phone call with Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy during his press conference on impeachment in the Capitol on Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2019. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call)

By Thomas McKinless

Posted September 27, 2019 at 3:16pm

By Thursday evening, Rep. Earl L. “Buddy” Carter could barely eke out a basic unanimous consent request.

“It’s been a long week,” he said with a chuckle on the House floor. Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced the House would begin an impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump, and that was just Tuesday, folks.

[jwp-video n=”1″]

Recent Stories

Sen. Ted Cruz, left, and Sen. Maria Cantwell, right, hold a press conference Monday with families who lost loved ones in the January 2025 DCA plane crash. Christina Stovall, third from left, who lost her son Michael "Mikey" Bret Stovall, is comforted by Amy Hunter, who lost her cousin, Peter Livingston. (Heather Diehl/Getty Images)

Reagan National airport safety looms as appropriations issue

Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., speaks during a news conference in the Capitol on Sept. 17, 2024.

House clears whole milk for school menus

Reps. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa, and Darrell Issa, R-Calif., leave a meeting of the House Republican Conference at the Capitol Hill Club on Dec. 4, 2024.

House GOP unveils draft health bill package

Half a century ago, typewriters were Congress’ tool of choice for replying to constituent letters. But more than technology has changed since then, Fitch writes.

From electric typewriters to AI, constituent engagement has changed

Freshman members of the 119th Congress pose for a class photo on the House steps last November. Now that they’ve seen the workings of the Capitol, what do they think?

One year in, what do these newcomers think of Congress?

Strickland attends a House Armed Services Committee markup on April 29, 2025.