Lawmakers embrace Madness
By Jordy Yager
By Jordy Yager
Posted: 03/18/09 08:29 PM [ET]
Shortly after noon on Thursday, productivity around the nation will dip for a few hours as millions tune into this year’s NCAA men’s basketball tournament — and lawmakers seem in agreement that their staffs are not immune to March Madness.
Yes, the nation’s economy is roiling. Congressional staffers are clocking 12-hour days in an attempt to blunt the crisis. But come on — this is arguably the best sports weekend after the Super Bowl. And it is easily among the more acceptable excuses for blowing off a little work.
Lawmakers generally say they are willing to turn a blind eye and let staff watch, as long as the work ultimately gets done.
“I would be amazed if my staff bothered to ask permission and disappointed if they didn’t seize the opportunity to keep an eye first and foremost on the University of Oklahoma,” said Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.). “But as long as they get their work done, I would turn a blind eye.”
The NCAA has joined with CBS College Sports again this year to provide free online streaming of all the tournament games, so a pair of headphones and a deft hand on the mouse can make this less conspicuous than the old-school distraction of an office-full of aides huddling around a television.
Of course, Cole’s aides had better be rooting for the second-seeded University of Oklahoma, which plays its first game Thursday evening.
The sixth-seeded University of California-Los Angeles, which lies in Rep. Henry Waxman’s (D) district, plays Thursday evening as well. Waxman said considering how much his staff has worked on measures like the economic stimulus package, he’s fine with letting them watch the games.
“I don’t expect my staff to come to me with questions about every moment they spend working,” he said. “I expect them to do their jobs, and if they follow some event or news story or sports story, I leave that up to them. My staff puts in long hours and into the weekends, so if they watch a basketball game, I won’t be too upset.”
But what about the added Web traffic? Nearly 5 million people tuned in to watch online last year, clocking about 5 million hours of streaming video.
In September, as the House considered passing a Wall Street bailout measure, constituents e-mailed their members so much that the House Web servers slowed and the Chief Administrative Office (CAO) limited the amount of incoming e-mail. The House has since upgraded its Web servers and has not experienced any stoppages since.
A spokesman for the CAO declined to comment on whether online viewership of the tournament will slow the servers.
Not everyone is eager to let his or her staff watch the college basketball games, which run through April 6.
“Why would I let my staff watch the games if I can’t watch them? If I miss them, then my staff has to miss them, too,” said Rep. Artur Davis (D-Ala.).
“Maybe there’ll be some late votes in the next few weeks and we can all watch them together.”
Before Rep. Al Green (D-Texas) lets his staff partake, he plans to gauge interest and make sure it doesn’t violate House rules.
“Before I can give a definitive answer, I’d have to talk to [the] ethics [committee] to see that it’s done within whatever the constraints of the rules are, and I’d have to find out if my staff was interested,” said Green.
Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) also has reservations, but not necessarily with the ethical ramifications of watching the games. She’d rather walk the line of maintaining productivity at work and rooting for the right team.
“As a senior member of the Judiciary Committee I’m a lover of the First Amendment, freedom of expression, freedom of choice,” she said. “I hope that they will take advantage of the idea of streaming it for future use. It’s such an exciting time, I can’t imagine that they don’t want to see it.
“I hope they will serve the American public as they enjoy March Madness. However they’re able to serve the American public while they enjoy March Madness, I’m OK, as long as they’re rooting for Texas teams.”
Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), ranking member of the Budget Committee, said his office staff can watch, but not his committee staff.
“They always do the office pool, and if they stay productive, I’d allow [them to watch],” Ryan said of his office staff. “But my Budget Committee staff won’t be able to watch — we’re just too busy.”
.
Yes, the nation’s economy is roiling. Congressional staffers are clocking 12-hour days in an attempt to blunt the crisis. But come on — this is arguably the best sports weekend after the Super Bowl. And it is easily among the more acceptable excuses for blowing off a little work.
Lawmakers generally say they are willing to turn a blind eye and let staff watch, as long as the work ultimately gets done.
“I would be amazed if my staff bothered to ask permission and disappointed if they didn’t seize the opportunity to keep an eye first and foremost on the University of Oklahoma,” said Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.). “But as long as they get their work done, I would turn a blind eye.”
The NCAA has joined with CBS College Sports again this year to provide free online streaming of all the tournament games, so a pair of headphones and a deft hand on the mouse can make this less conspicuous than the old-school distraction of an office-full of aides huddling around a television.
Of course, Cole’s aides had better be rooting for the second-seeded University of Oklahoma, which plays its first game Thursday evening.
The sixth-seeded University of California-Los Angeles, which lies in Rep. Henry Waxman’s (D) district, plays Thursday evening as well. Waxman said considering how much his staff has worked on measures like the economic stimulus package, he’s fine with letting them watch the games.
“I don’t expect my staff to come to me with questions about every moment they spend working,” he said. “I expect them to do their jobs, and if they follow some event or news story or sports story, I leave that up to them. My staff puts in long hours and into the weekends, so if they watch a basketball game, I won’t be too upset.”
But what about the added Web traffic? Nearly 5 million people tuned in to watch online last year, clocking about 5 million hours of streaming video.
In September, as the House considered passing a Wall Street bailout measure, constituents e-mailed their members so much that the House Web servers slowed and the Chief Administrative Office (CAO) limited the amount of incoming e-mail. The House has since upgraded its Web servers and has not experienced any stoppages since.
A spokesman for the CAO declined to comment on whether online viewership of the tournament will slow the servers.
Not everyone is eager to let his or her staff watch the college basketball games, which run through April 6.
“Why would I let my staff watch the games if I can’t watch them? If I miss them, then my staff has to miss them, too,” said Rep. Artur Davis (D-Ala.).
“Maybe there’ll be some late votes in the next few weeks and we can all watch them together.”
Before Rep. Al Green (D-Texas) lets his staff partake, he plans to gauge interest and make sure it doesn’t violate House rules.
“Before I can give a definitive answer, I’d have to talk to [the] ethics [committee] to see that it’s done within whatever the constraints of the rules are, and I’d have to find out if my staff was interested,” said Green.
Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) also has reservations, but not necessarily with the ethical ramifications of watching the games. She’d rather walk the line of maintaining productivity at work and rooting for the right team.
“As a senior member of the Judiciary Committee I’m a lover of the First Amendment, freedom of expression, freedom of choice,” she said. “I hope that they will take advantage of the idea of streaming it for future use. It’s such an exciting time, I can’t imagine that they don’t want to see it.
“I hope they will serve the American public as they enjoy March Madness. However they’re able to serve the American public while they enjoy March Madness, I’m OK, as long as they’re rooting for Texas teams.”
Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), ranking member of the Budget Committee, said his office staff can watch, but not his committee staff.
“They always do the office pool, and if they stay productive, I’d allow [them to watch],” Ryan said of his office staff. “But my Budget Committee staff won’t be able to watch — we’re just too busy.”
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*P.S. Highlights added for emphasis.
Related (Jackson Lee):
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