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Recent WLP Student Profiles

Katie Carpenter, SPEA Health Administration, Fall 2007 WLP Participant

SCHIP (State Children’s Health Insurance Plan), Toy Safety, Energy, Indian Health; these topics filled my experience interning with the Committee on Energy and Commerce in the U.S. House of Representatives. I observed firsthand the interaction between constituents and congressional offices. Working on a committee surrounded me with experts from a variety of fields such as public health, energy, and telecommunication. These very knowledgeable individuals have a passion for their subject area and for moving legislation that the leaders of the committee believe best serve the myriad of interest enwrapped in our great nation.

The Committee on Energy and Commerce is one of the seventeen committees in the U.S. House of Representatives. Members of Congress sit on one or more committees. Each committee has a staff that works with the staff in the offices of the Members. The committees hold hearings on topics that are under their jurisdiction bringing in expert witnesses to testify about the issues. They markup (edit and amend) bills then pass them out of the committee and onto the floor of the House. Through working on a committee one has access to many Congressional offices, each with its own culture. The staff of the committee is divided between Democrats and Republicans. The majority party, currently the Democrats, receive two-thirds of the committee staff and other resources and the minority party, currently the Republican, receive the remaining one-third.

Begin on Capitol Hill provided the opportunity to see Presidential Candidates whether it be riding the elevator with Congressman Dennis Kucinich, attending a hearing with Senator Hillary Clinton, or hearing Congressman Ron Paul speak at a luncheon.

I truly believe that the majority of the Members of Congress care about the institution as well as their constituents. They have a very challenging role of representing the interests of their constituents, contributing to their committee, being informed about votes on the floor, and fundraising for their next election. Some of my fondest memories and greatest moments of learning of my time in DC occurred with my Congressman from home and his staff members.

My experience was made possible through the Washington Leadership Program within the School of Public and Environmental Affairs (SPEA) at IU. Twenty-seven other IU undergrads joined me in DC. We shared experiences of our internship as well as explored our nation’s capitol together. Through these amazing individuals, who have become lifelong friends, I learned about the Government Accountability Office (GAO), Department of State, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Alzheimer’s Institute and many other organizations. We have varying political views, backgrounds, and areas of expertise which provided a diverse learning environment and endless fun! Twice a week we gathered together for class with a professor who is very experienced in federal government. Thanks to her guidance we can all read and understand the U.S. Code (collection of the federal laws, legislative branch), U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (collection of all federal regulations, executive branch), the federal budget process, watchdogs, and other topics of importance to understanding the federal government.

Before this semester I never had a strong interest in politics. But this experience has totally changed my life. I look forward to using my newly gained skills and interest in the future. Thank you to SPEA and Indiana University for this amazing opportunity!

David Huffman, Near Eastern Languages and Culture, Fall 2007 WLP Participant

This fall I had the opportunity to intern with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and its ranking member, Senator Richard Lugar.

As an intern, my job was (predictably) to do the things the professional staff did not have either the time or the desire to do. I attended think tank forums and congressional hearings, researched material to be used in legislation, and organized filing cabinets. I wrote memos, filled printers with paper, sat in on staff briefings, and hand-delivered letters. My tasks varied greatly, and, as in any business, were at times interesting and at other times excruciatingly monotonous. It was, however, one of the monotonous tasks that provided valuable insight into Senator Lugar’s and the Committee’s history. By filing thirteen years of paperwork for one of the staffers I was able to observe the origin and history of the Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction program. Started shortly after the collapse of the Soviet Union, CTR is a program whose goal is to secure and dismantle weapons of mass destruction in the former Soviet states. Senator Lugar recognized the threat of terrorism well before the attacks of September 11th and developed a plan to eliminate the possibility of terrorists acquiring poorly-guarded weapons by eliminating the weapons themselves. The dedication to the CTR displayed by the Senator was readily apparent through the years of files, and my respect for his foresight grew enormously while organizing the cabinet.

By attending certain think tank discussions (and writing memos for staffers) I was able to better understand the strategic, environmental, and economic necessity for U.S. to achieve energy independence – one of Senator Lugar’s top priorities. The development of alternative fuels has obvious positive foreign relations and security implications for the U.S., yet many Americans view energy independence as separate from security issues. The reliance on one form of fuel has led to the propagation of many undemocratic regimes propped up by energy revenues. As Senator Lugar has said, reducing dependence will lead to not only the elimination of our economic and military vulnerabilities to the “oil autocracies,” but it also will reduce global warming and create American jobs in the farming, manufacturing, engineering, and transportation sectors. The various Washington think tanks I attended confirmed the Senator’s view, and once again I was impressed with his prescience.

Finally, I was able to witness firsthand the collegial way Senator Biden’s Majority and Senator Lugar’s Minority staff worked together on the Committee. In a Congress marked by partisanship, the congeniality and readiness to work together to address pressing issues was unexpected. The similarities in the Senators’ foreign relations policies have enabled a good working relationship between their staffs which, though I am sure it is not a unique situation, is certainly far from universal.

Though my experiences as an intern in Washington this semester have varied greatly, ranging from the incredibly interesting to the exasperatingly mundane, they all have contributed to a fuller understanding and appreciation of the work of Senator Lugar and his staff on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Amanda Jenkins, SPEA Policy Analysis, Fall 2007 WLP Participant

Many Americans have a skewed image of Washington D.C. and the elected officials that work there. They envision corruption, greed, and people out of touch with the rest of the country. I had the chance to intern in D.C. and meet the politicians and can attest that they are wonderful, caring individuals.

For my three month stay in D.C. I had the great opportunity to intern with the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), in the Member Services Department. Our department is the core hub where the Democrats in the House of Representatives fundraise for their next campaign. We typically would average sixty members a week using our services to gear up for the upcoming election.

A typical day in the DCCC would begin at 9 A.M. and from the first pot of coffee the excitement would start. The private fundraising consultants would be the first ones in the office, setting up their phone lines and computers, printing call sheets, and preparing for their respective Member to arrive. Around 10 AM the first few Members would arrive. They would spend countless hours on the phone asking for donations and inviting constituents to their events. At any time in the middle of the day a vote on the floor would be called and the Representatives would scramble to wrap up their phone call, find a ride, and get their suit jackets on. Approximately at 5 PM we would clear out as the consultants and their Member would leave for fundraisers. In between the time line of the day we would have anywhere from five to sixty members.

Being in such close proximity with the Members and the consultants, I was given a rare opportunity most people would pay thousands of dollars for. I was often invited or asked to help at a fundraising event, where Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer, or a Chairman of a Committee would be present. I also was presented with the chance to attend legal briefings about campaign finance laws and campaign update meetings.

Meeting the politicians and listening to them speak passionately on the issues I gained a new respect for them, and the hard work they put into campaigning. On November 4, 2008, I will take into serious consideration the amount of time the Members spend running for re-election and give them my vote. I will research each candidate thoroughly, educate myself about the issues and vote. Take the extra 30 time out of my Tuesday and vote.

I am so thankful to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee for the opportunities it gave me and I will miss the beautiful city and the people I met there. Because I had such a wonderful time I plan on returning to Washington D.C. and continue to work for the Democrats. Good luck to all candidates next fall, and remember to vote!

Elizabeth Wepler, International Studies, Fall 2007 WLP Participant

My internship was at the U.S. Department of State (DOS) for the Bureau of International Organization Affairs (IO) in the Office of Human Rights, Humanitarian and Social Affairs (RHS or IO/RHS). Acronyms as part of the colloquial language in addition to a multitude of over-qualified academic degrees in DC can add an interesting element of intimidation to daily life. Despite these factors, I survived my first days of work in DC. My first day in the office, I was immediately hit with the last three weeks of office email traffic and was told to work on getting caught up.

The feeling of being three weeks behind in email and information never left me. The office can be very fast-paced and is always extremely information-intensive. This, of course, is for good reason. IO/RHS is directly involved with the United Nations (UN) and other international organizations. Our staff and other related offices work year round preparing for and coordinating the U.S. policies and positions on various human rights issues with different implementing bodies. For all intensive purposes, we primarily focus on the actions at the UN General Assembly (UNGA) and Third Committee in New York City as well as the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland.

October through November, our office was heavily involved with the 62nd session of UNGA and the Third Committee. The four interns in the office, including myself, were sent individually to the U.S Mission to the UN in New York (USUN). During our weeklong durations, we reported to USUN at 8:30 AM and assisted in tasks throughout the day both at the Mission and at the UN. I was able to attend Informal discussions on forming the texts of different resolutions as well as the Third Committee plenary sessions.

On the Friday of the week in NY, I was instructed to be the sole U.S. delegate or representative at an Informal. The depth of the situation didn’t really hit me until the doors closed and the introductions began. I was representing the U.S. to the full extent of my capacity. Anything I did, said or implied was directly related back to the U.S., my country. I technically represent everyday as a member of the Department of State, or similarly to when I studied in Dominican Republic. But this moment, among many others during my semester in DC, served as reminders of how crucial diplomacy is.

The human element involved in international relations is key to the failure or success of policies. To me, this is why I love the field. Communications through email, phone and media relations cannot replace the value of face-to-face discussion. This is just as important when working towards the improvement and protections of human rights.

As my semester came to a close, I realized how necessary it is to be directly involved with the issues that I care about in addition to seeing first-hand the system that our government functions by. I now have a much deeper understanding and much more appreciation for what my country is and how much of a positive effect it can potentially have on the greater society.