#tbt Trivia: Test Your Knowledge of Capitol Hill’s Past
The only thing better than celebrating a birthday is celebrating it all year long. Roll Call is turning 60, and we’re doing a whole bunch of stuff to mark six decades of covering Congress.
That’s why we’re doing congressional trivia for #ThrowbackThursday via the @rollcall Twitter feed. Follow along there!
Miss the previous iterations? Find them here and here .
Now get started on the next round, crafted from Roll Call’s archives.
Q:Who set a new record for being the longest-serving member in the House on Jan. 6, 1992?
A: Rep. Jamie Whitten, D-Mass., won the honor after serving 50 years, two months and 14 days. He still holds the title as the fifth longest-serving member of Congress. He retired three years after breaking the record. Retired Rep. John D. Dingell currently holds first place, with 59 years and 21 days of service. The top 10 longest office holders are all Democrats.
Q: What is a Lenny Skutnik?
A: A Skutnik is someone who performs an act of heroism and, as a result, is invited to be a guest at a State of the Union address or other meeting of Congress. Why a “Skutnik?” The term comes from 1982, when Air Florida Flight 90 crashed moments after takeoff from Washington National Airport. The plane crashed into the 14th Street Bridge before falling into the Potomac. Lenny Skutnik, who was an employee at the Congressional Budget office, jumped into the ice-riddled river to rescue one of the crash survivors. President Ronald Reagan mentioned Skutnik in his State of the Union address, and a tradition was born.
Q: What famous hotel ran ads in several issues of Roll Call from 1964 to 1968?
A: The Watergate Hotel. Originally called the “Water Gate Inn,” the first examples of an ad list the address as “On-the-Potomac-At-F, NW.” The ad says the inn is famous for its popovers. Not anymore! In 1968, the hotel, which had changed its name, was marketed as, “A truly lovely place to stay, to meet and entertain.”
Do you have a suggestion for future questions? Other fun stuff found in your stack of newspapers? Let us know by emailing christinabellantoni – at – rollcall.com.
Related: #tbt: Roll Call Interviews Bill Clinton as Lewinsky Scandal Breaks #tbt Trivia: How Well Do You Know Congress? #tbt Trivia: Test Your Congressional Brain The 114th: CQ Roll Call’s Guide to the New Congress Get breaking news alerts and more from Roll Call in your inbox or on your iPhone.
