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The empty Capitol Rotunda is seen on Nov. 3, 2025, The government shutdown became the longest in history this week.

VIN and bear it — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted November 7, 2025 at 2:57pm
On. Jan. 4, 2007, Speaker Nancy Pelosi wields the gavel on the House floor after being elected to the speakership. Members’ children, including her own grandchildren, join her at the podium. The California Democrat was the first female speaker.

Capitol Lens | Pelosi in focus

By Chris Hale
Posted November 6, 2025 at 1:33pm, Updated at 3:09pm

Capitol Lens | 10 years ago today

By Chris Hale
Posted October 29, 2025 at 5:00pm
Workers demolish a portion of the East Wing of the White House on Tuesday in preparation for construction of a new ballroom.

Wrecking crew — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted October 24, 2025 at 3:10pm
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries , left, and fellow New Yorker, Republican Rep. Mike Lawler, confront each other about the government shutdown in this week's Congressional Hits and Misses.

Talk to the hand — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted October 10, 2025 at 4:56pm
Statues of Johnny Cash and Martha Hughes Cannon are pictured in the Capitol Visitor Center’s Emancipation Hall on Thursday, the second day of the government shutdown.

Shutdown show — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted October 3, 2025 at 5:04pm
Dr. Jane Goodall speaks during an event in the Rayburn House Office Building on May 2, 2007, to bring attention to the plight of Africa’s rainforests.

Capitol Lens | The Goodall life

By Chris Hale
Posted October 2, 2025 at 1:21pm
FBI Director Kash Patel arrives for the House Judiciary Committee hearing in the Rayburn building on Wednesday.

Kash flow and faux recordings  — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted September 19, 2025 at 3:34pm
Robert Redford is pictured during a House Appropriations subcommittee hearing in 2008, behind Rep. Louise Slaughter of New York.

Capitol Lens | The way he was

By Chris Hale, Bill Clark and Tom Williams
Posted September 16, 2025 at 4:27pm
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, center, concludes a news conference with Sens. James Lankford, left, and John Barrasso in the Capitol on Tuesday.

‘We can be adults’ — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted September 12, 2025 at 3:27pm
Members of Congress sing “God Bless America” on the Capitol’s West Front on Sept. 11, 2002, one year after the terrorist attacks.

Sept. 11 honored through the years

By Chris Hale
Posted September 11, 2025 at 3:46pm
Anouska De Georgiou, center, and Annie Farmer appear with other Jeffrey Epstein abuse survivors during a news conference outside the Capitol on Wednesday.

Vocal points — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted September 5, 2025 at 4:20pm
Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren this week overestimated the rigidity of a Senate floor desk.

Divided we fall — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted August 1, 2025 at 4:30pm
An American Airlines jet comes in for a landing at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on June 14.

Deflect, distract, delay — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted July 25, 2025 at 3:16pm
The House Appropriations Committee met on Thursday to mark up the Transportation-HUD appropriations bill.

Summer cram session — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted July 18, 2025 at 2:48pm
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) logo is seen during a news conference at the National Hurricane Center in Miami on May 30.

Should we talk about the weather? — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted July 11, 2025 at 3:44pm
President Donald Trump speaks to reporters at the White House on Tuesday.

Bombing Iran and f-bombs — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted June 27, 2025 at 4:42pm
New York Sen. Charles E. Schumer reads Roll Call on March 12, 2016, as he arrives for a policy luncheon in the Capitol.

Capitol Lens | The eyes have it

By Chris Hale
Posted June 18, 2025 at 7:30am
Massachusetts Rep. Silvio Conte sits in his red car named “The Judge” outside of the Capitol in 1989.

Capitol Lens | It’s been a Hill of a ride, so far

By Chris Hale
Posted June 18, 2025 at 6:30am, Updated June 25, 2025 at 6:24pm
Florida GOP Rep. Greg Steube pitches during the Congressional Baseball Game at Nationals Park on Wednesday. The Republicans beat the Democrats 13-2.

Striking up — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted June 13, 2025 at 11:41am
Tesla CEO Elon Musk and President Donald Trump listen to a question from reporters in the Oval Office of the White House on May 30.

DOGE eat DOGE — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted June 6, 2025 at 3:56pm
The Capitol is pictured on the night of May 18, 2025, before the House Budget Committee’s markup of Republicans’ fiscal 2025 budget package.

‘Buckle up, America!’ — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted May 23, 2025 at 3:33pm
Utah Rep. Blake D. Moore dozes off during a House Ways and Means markup early Thursday morning.

Nap-itol Hill — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted May 16, 2025 at 3:10pm
A view of Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay.

Between ‘The Rock’ and a hard place — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted May 9, 2025 at 3:15pm
Sens. Cory Booker, center, and Brian Schatz, right, and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries conduct a livestreamed conversation during a protest of the Trump administration on the House steps of the Capitol on April 27.

Marking the days — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted May 2, 2025 at 4:21pm
Capitol workers wind the Ohio Clock in the Ohio Clock Corridor in the Capitol in 2020.

Turn back time — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted April 11, 2025 at 3:33pm
Sen. Cory Booker’s 25-hour, four-minute speech this week set the record for longest floor speech in the Senate’s history.

The last word — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted April 4, 2025 at 4:27pm
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and CIA Director John Ratcliffe testify during the Senate Select Intelligence Committee hearing on Tuesday.

Busy Signal — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted March 28, 2025 at 3:31pm
A House member quoted one of George Costanza’s classic lines from “Seinfeld” on the floor this week.

‘As the great George Costanza once said’ — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted March 14, 2025 at 3:59pm

Focus on ‘The Eyes of History’

By Chris Hale, Bill Clark and Tom Williams
Posted March 10, 2025 at 2:18pm
Texas Rep. Al Green is ejected from the House chamber during President Donald Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday.

Address-ing down — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted March 7, 2025 at 2:57pm
Florida Democratic Rep. Maxwell Alejandro Frost created a ruckus with his words in a House Oversight hearing this week.

Greetings, earthlings — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted February 28, 2025 at 4:27pm

Capitol Ink and McConnell: Capping a unique relationship

By R.J. Matson and Chris Hale
Posted February 25, 2025 at 7:00am
Mitch McConnell and his wife, Elaine Chao, address the Election Night crowd in Louisville, Ky., on Nov. 4, 2014, after the Kentucky Republican defeated Democratic challenger Alison Lundergan Grimes.

Capitol Lens | A Mitch in time

By Bill Clark, Tom Williams and Chris Hale
Posted February 20, 2025 at 3:04pm
A worker stocks eggs at a grocery store in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 12. What does the price of eggs have to do with censorship? Watch this week’s Congressional Hits and Misses to find out.

Food, and Nazis, for thought — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted February 14, 2025 at 2:52pm
New York Republican Rep. Mike Lawler gives his impression of President Donald Trump at the Washington Press Club Foundation's dinner on Wednesday night.

‘It’s a dumb time’ — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted February 7, 2025 at 2:59pm
Sen. Bernie Sanders questions Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, during the Senate Finance Committee’s confirmation hearing in the Dirksen Office building on Wednesday.

Onesie, Tulsi … Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted January 31, 2025 at 3:17pm
Donald Trump dances as the Village People perform the song “YMCA” at a rally at the Capital One Arena on Jan. 19 in Washington.

It takes a Village (People) — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted January 24, 2025 at 4:15pm
Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to be Defense secretary, testifies during his Senate Armed Services confirmation hearing in the Dirksen Building on Tuesday.

Confirmation overload — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted January 17, 2025 at 4:22pm
A man holds a Carter-Mondale campaign sign outside the Capitol on Tuesday night as people arrive for the general public viewing of former President Jimmy Carter, lying in state in the Rotunda.

Welcome back, and farewell, Carter — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted January 10, 2025 at 4:29pm
The specter of a government shutdown harshes everyone’s holiday buzz in this week’s Congressional Hits and Misses.

Shutdown and out — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted December 20, 2024 at 4:18pm
With the presidential primaries in full swing by February, Matson had fun skewering Republican priorities.

Capitol Ink: Putting the cap on 2024

By R.J. Matson and Chris Hale
Posted December 17, 2024 at 8:00am
This week saw many departing lawmakers giving their final thoughts before heading for the exits.

Farewell tours — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted December 13, 2024 at 2:17pm
The sun is setting on the 118th Congress in this week’s Hits and Misses

Hillraisers and Spam dunks — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted December 6, 2024 at 4:51pm

Capitol Lens | Feeling the Bern

By Chris Hale
Posted December 5, 2024 at 7:30am
The drama surrounding former Rep. Matt Gaetz’s brief designation as would-be attorney general highlights this week’s episode.

Gaetz-keeping — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted November 22, 2024 at 2:37pm
Former President Jimmy Carter and former first lady Rosalynn Carter arrive at the Capitol on Jan. 20, 2009, for President Barack Obama’s first inauguration.

Capitol Lens | A century of service: Jimmy Carter

By Chris Hale
Posted October 1, 2024 at 7:30am
Capitol Hill will be a ghost town for the next six weeks as lawmakers focus on Election Day.

Stopgap and gone — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted September 27, 2024 at 3:32pm

‘Bustin’ Loose’ — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted September 20, 2024 at 3:50pm
“They’re eating the dogs! They're eating the cats,” former President Donald Trump declared during Tuesday’s presidential debate.

‘Dogs and cats … mass hysteria!’ Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted September 13, 2024 at 3:22pm
Delegates cheer as Vice President Kamala Harris delivers her acceptance speech during the final night of the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago on Thursday.

Democrats, via Chicago — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted August 23, 2024 at 4:37pm
Former President Donald Trump is seen at the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) convention on July 31, 2024 in Chicago.

Summer laugh-a-lympics — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted August 2, 2024 at 3:33pm
Vice President Kamala Harris’ rise as the expected Democratic presidential nominee — who’s “brat” on social media — highlights this week’s Congressional Hits and Misses.

Brat and scat — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted July 26, 2024 at 3:58pm
Former President Donald Trump is pictured with his sons Don Jr., left, and Eric, in Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wis., on Monday, the first day of Republican National Convention.

‘Trumpamania’ in Milwaukee — Congressional Hits and Misses, RNC edition

By Chris Hale
Posted July 19, 2024 at 11:14am
Congressional Democrats spent the week wringing their hands over supporting President Joe Biden, who continued to add to their woes.

Gaffe track — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted July 12, 2024 at 3:11pm
President Joe Biden, right, and former President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump participate in the presidential debate at the CNN Studios in Atlanta, Georgia, on June 27, 2024.

Debate debacle — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted June 28, 2024 at 3:13pm
From left: Georgia Rep. Rich McCormick, who is also a physician, attends to home plate umpire Jerry Park after a collision with Rep. Morgan Luttrell, catcher for the Republicans, during the Congressional Baseball Game at Nationals Park on Wednesday.

Hold on to your bats! — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted June 14, 2024 at 2:13pm
Kids steal the show in this week’s Hits and Misses,

Child’s play — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted June 7, 2024 at 2:24pm
Lawmakers bust a move on the Senate floor during a vote in this week’s Congressional Hits and Misses.

Getting down on the Senate floor — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted May 24, 2024 at 12:56pm
A House Oversight markup went off the rails this week and highlights this episode of Congressional Hits and Misses.

House Over-slight Committee — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted May 17, 2024 at 3:30pm
Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene speaks to media in the Capitol’s Statuary Hall on May 6, 2024. Her unsuccessful attempt to oust Speaker Mike Johnson highlights this week’s Congressional Hits and Misses.

‘Geek out a bit’ — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted May 10, 2024 at 4:22pm
Reps. Mark Takano, left, and Mike Bost donned Obama-era tan suits at a House hearing this week.

Tan suits are back! Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted May 3, 2024 at 3:55pm
A classic Run-DMC reference is the soundtrack to a lot of happenings in this week’s Congressional Hits and Misses.

‘You talk too much’— Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted April 19, 2024 at 3:53pm
From left: Sens. Amy Klobuchar, Richard Blumenthal, Jeanne Shaheen, Lindsey Graham and Elizabeth Warren watch the solar eclipse on the balcony of the Russell Senate Office Building on Monday.

Total eclipse of the Hart (and Russell buildings) — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted April 12, 2024 at 3:49pm
Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman is pictured near the stairs to the Senate floor in the Capitol on June 13, 2010. The former Connecticut Democratic senator died Wednesday at the age of 82.

Joseph Lieberman: A Capitol life in photos

By Chris Hale
Posted March 28, 2024 at 12:40pm
Lawmakers hurried this wrap up their appropriations fights before leaving town for the spring break recess.

‘The smell of jet fumes at DCA’ — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted March 22, 2024 at 5:28pm
The House puts social media app TikTok on its chopping block in this week’s Congressional Hits and Misses.

TikTok show — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted March 15, 2024 at 4:50pm
President Joe Biden brought some “Irish fire” to his State of the Union address on Thursday.

‘Irish fire’ — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted March 8, 2024 at 4:54pm
The ages of President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump highlight this week’s Hits and Misses.

Over the Hill — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted March 1, 2024 at 4:08pm
Senate filibusters of the $95.3 billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan highlight this week’s Congressional Hits and Misses.

‘Bad performance art’ — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted February 16, 2024 at 3:26pm
Speaker Mike Johnson, left, and Sen. Christopher S. Murphy face Capitol Hill dysfunction head on in this week’s Hits and Misses.

The border and disorder — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted February 9, 2024 at 3:29pm
House Republicans’ efforts to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas was described at a markup this week as “mental dullness and high tension.”

‘Mental dullness and high tension’ — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted February 2, 2024 at 3:11pm
Barbs from Monday night’s California Senate debate in Los Angeles highlight of this week’s Congressional Hits and Misses.

Political mass — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted January 26, 2024 at 3:08pm
A snow storm in the Washington area on Friday shortened the work week on Capitol Hill.

Snow jobs and heated words — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted January 19, 2024 at 6:31pm
Hunter Biden’s surprise appearance at a House markup to hold him in contempt of Congress highlights the first Hits and Misses of 2024.

Day of the Hunter — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted January 12, 2024 at 4:07pm
Rewind the past 12 months with this Hits and Misses recap.

Congressional Hits and Misses: 2023 Re-view

By Chris Hale
Posted December 22, 2023 at 11:03am
Lawmakers on Capitol Hill talked up the wholesomeness of whole milk this week.

Got milk? — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted December 15, 2023 at 5:33pm
Roll Call political cartoonist R.J. Matson references a classic 1963 comedy to poke fun at the state of the House in October, which had ceased to function without a speaker.

Capitol Ink: Putting a cap on 2023

By R.J. Matson and Chris Hale
Posted December 12, 2023 at 5:30am
With Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s announcement this week that he will leave Congress at the end of the year, Hits and Misses takes a look back at his brief and tumultuous tenure as speaker.

Kevin Up — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted December 8, 2023 at 3:46pm

Capitol Lens | Norman Lear, 1922–2023

By Chris Hale
Posted December 6, 2023 at 1:59pm
The expulsion of former Rep. George Santos from Congress highlights this week’s Hits and Misses.

Expelling bee — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted December 1, 2023 at 3:47pm
Tensions are high in this week’s pre-Thanksgiving Hits and Misses, especially among congressional Republicans.

Bad behavior — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted November 17, 2023 at 12:55pm

Short week, tall tales — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted November 9, 2023 at 6:53pm
Sen. Dan Sullivan and other GOP senators clashing with Sen. Tommy Tuberville over the Alabama Republican’s hold on military promotions highlights this week’s Congressional Hits and Misses.

Sharp objects … and objections — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted November 3, 2023 at 3:45pm
Former Washington Senator Frank Howard throws out the first pitch at the 46th Annual Roll Call Congressional Baseball Game in 2007.

Capitol Lens | Frank Howard, 1936-2023

By Chris Hale
Posted October 31, 2023 at 3:31pm
Speaker Mike Johnson’s rise, ending an unprecedented 22-day stalemate, and the House’s quick reopening highlight this week’s Hits and Misses. 

From backbench to gavel clinch — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted October 27, 2023 at 4:28pm
Rep. Jim Jordan’s failed attempts to become speaker dominated this week on Capitol Hill.

Dirty deeds — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted October 20, 2023 at 4:37pm
House Republicans struggled to pick a new speaker this week, keeping the chamber in a state of paralysis.

Curb your enthusiasm — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted October 13, 2023 at 4:50pm
In a historic first, the House voted Rep. Kevin McCarthy out as speaker, the first time that's ever happened.

House of shards — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted October 6, 2023 at 3:21pm

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, a life in photos

By Chris Hale and Bill Clark
Posted September 29, 2023 at 1:22pm
Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman and the Senate dropping its dress code is a highlight of this week’s Congressional Hits and Misses.

Dressing down — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted September 22, 2023 at 2:22pm
Sen. John Kennedy reading sexually explicit material at a hearing on banned books highlights this week’s Congressional Hits and Misses.

Deep Quote — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted September 15, 2023 at 3:31pm
It was a topsy-turvy week on Capitol Hill as lawmakers scrambled to finish last-minute work before the long August recess.

August body — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted July 28, 2023 at 3:41pm
Reps. Rosa DeLauro and Mark Pocan and were among House Democrats who expressed outrage at Republicans this week for striking LGBTQ projects from an appropriations bill.

Striking words — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted July 21, 2023 at 3:42pm
Rep. Katie Porter played “JeoparDoD” with witnesses at a House Oversight hearing this week.

‘You can’t always get what you want’ — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted July 14, 2023 at 4:44pm
House Republicans censuring Donald Trump foil Rep. Adam B. Schiff highlights this week’s Congressional Hits and Misses.

Ripple effects — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted June 23, 2023 at 5:12pm
Lawmakers hit the baseball field this week to raise money for charity and to show off their “athleticism” in this week’s Congressional Hits and Misses.

A bush league of their own — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted June 16, 2023 at 3:09pm
Republican runner Rep. William R. Timmons IV of South Carolina is tagged out at home plate by Democratic catcher Sen. Christopher S. Murphy of Connecticut during the 2021 Congressional Baseball Game at Nationals Park.

Capitol Lens | A decade of congressional baseball

By Chris Hale
Posted June 14, 2023 at 2:31pm
Rep. Eric Swalwell points out what Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene wants for “dessert” at a House Judiciary subcommittee Hearing in this weeks Congressional Hits and Misses.

‘This is her dessert!’ — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted June 9, 2023 at 4:42pm
Speaker Kevin McCarthy striving to get the bipartisan debt limit bill through the House, despite opposition from his own party, highlights this week’s Congressional Hits and Misses.

‘Stumblin’ in’ — Congressional Hits and Misses

By Chris Hale
Posted June 2, 2023 at 3:41pm