{"id":479,"date":"2025-04-28T11:10:08","date_gmt":"2025-04-28T01:40:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/jeff-bleich-centre\/?p=479"},"modified":"2025-04-28T11:10:08","modified_gmt":"2025-04-28T01:40:08","slug":"congressional-off-session-week","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/jeff-bleich-centre\/2025\/04\/28\/congressional-off-session-week\/","title":{"rendered":"Navigating a Congressional Off-Session Week"},"content":{"rendered":"
Written by Alyce Ferme, Washington Internship Program, 2025<\/strong><\/pre>\n
With my internship in Congressman Lloyd Doggett\u2019s office now wrapped up and having arrived back in Australia, I\u2019ve had the chance to reflect on just how much I\u2019ve learnt and experienced over the eight weeks spent in Washington, D.C.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
The week of February 17th was an off-session week in the U.S. House of Representatives, meaning most Members of Congress returned to their home districts. While this provided a slight reprieve from the usual fast-paced nature of Capitol Hill, the office remained busy with meetings, research and daily responsibilities.<\/span><\/p>\n
Tuesday began with a briefing hosted by the Modernizing Foreign Assistance Network on the implications of President Trump\u2019s executive order to halt all foreign aid. The discussion provided critical insights into how this decision has impacted international development efforts and how organisations are working to navigate these challenges.<\/span><\/p>\n
Wednesday was a personal highlight of the week, as the Australian Embassy hosted a thank-you event for all congressional intern offices. It was a fantastic opportunity to connect with staffers from other offices, Australian government representatives and fellow interns while enjoying some classic Australian treats – sausage rolls, lamingtons and pavlova.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
\"\"<\/p>\n
I attended a meeting on Thursday on behalf of the foreign affairs staffer, which focused on the organisation\u2019s actions to respond to the ongoing foreign aid freeze. The discussion offered a deeper understanding of the challenges global aid initiatives are currently facing. Later, I worked on finding photos for Congressman Doggett to use at an upcoming Ukrainian Caucus press conference and a one-minute floor speech – an exercise that underscored the importance of visual storytelling in shaping policy narratives.<\/span><\/p>\n
On Friday, I met with other staffers in the TX-37 Office to discuss my research paper for the Internship Program. I have decided to focus on how U.S. allies have responded to President Trump\u2019s tariffs and the implications for Texas trade relations. This topic aligns well with my interest in policy and international trade, and I\u2019m eager to explore it further.<\/span><\/p>\n
Amidst all of these engagements, the everyday responsibilities of answering phones, routing emails and assisting staffers continued. While these tasks might seem routine, they provided valuable exposure to constituents\u2019 concerns and the intricate workings of a congressional office.<\/span><\/p>\n
As I reflect on my internship, I am more appreciative than ever of the experiences I have gained. These eight weeks in Congress have not only solidified my passion for policy but also reinforced the importance of adaptability, curiosity and initiative in a fast-paced environment like Capitol Hill.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Written by Alyce Ferme, Washington Internship Program, 2025 With my internship in Congressman Lloyd Doggett\u2019s office now wrapped up and having arrived back in Australia, I\u2019ve […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6079,"featured_media":480,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[623,428],"tags":[403,187,217,186,288,346,636],"class_list":["post-479","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-internships","category-washington","tag-amercian-studies","tag-capitol-hill","tag-democracy","tag-internships","tag-us-study","tag-washington-internship","tag-wip-2025"],"yoast_head":"\nNavigating a Congressional Off-Session Week - The Jeff Bleich Centre<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/jeff-bleich-centre\/2025\/04\/28\/congressional-off-session-week\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Navigating a Congressional Off-Session Week - 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