Word on the Hill: Ashton Kutcher Meets Bob Corker

By Alex Gangitano

Posted February 15, 2017 at 5:00am

Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., will welcome actor Ashton Kutcher to Capitol Hill today to testify before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee about U.S. efforts to end modern slavery.

The “That ’70s Show” star is a co-founder of Thorn: Digital Defenders of Children, an organization that works to combat human trafficking. The hearing precedes the END IT Movement’s fifth annual “Shine a Light on Slavery” day on Feb. 23.

The hearing is in Dirksen Senate Office Building, Room 419, at 10 a.m. Stay tuned for HOH’s coverage.

Black History Month in D.C.

The D.C. mayor’s office and the district’s Commission on the Arts and Humanities are marking Black History Month with a celebration at the Lincoln Theater (1215 U St., NW) on Thursday. A panel on the district’s African Disapora will take place at 6:30 p.m., followed by a performance of “The Women of Plums II,” a theatrical adaption of a book by D.C. poet laureate Dolores Kendrick. Admission is free.

Staffer shuffle

Blake Androff, a former Department of Interior staffer with the Obama administration, returns to Capitol Hill to be the executive director of the House Democratic Policy and Communications Committee.

Valentine’s Day cards from Natural Resources Republicans

The House Committee on Natural Resource put out some Capitol-themed, printable Valentine’s Day cards on Tuesday. One of them featured Chairman Rob Bishop, R-Utah.

For that special someone who has your ❤️.

Download and print all our #valentines here → https://t.co/rHL3OH46Pw pic.twitter.com/hCWZ0NHR8g

— Natural Resources (@NatResources) February 14, 2017

HOH had a Valentine for you

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals hosted its annual “Paws for Love” Valentine’s Day adoption event on Tuesday, which attracted hundreds of Capitol Hill staffers to the Rayburn foyer. Dozens of puppies and a few kittens were brought in by six animal rescue groups and played with attendees with the hope of going home with them.

Reps. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., and Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., co-chairmen of the Congressional Animal Protection Caucus, attended the event as well as Rep. Martha E. McSally, R-Ariz., and longtime adoption supporters former Sens. Bob Dole and Elizabeth Dole.

The fifth annual ASPCA event was more popular than ever and cries of “Puppies!” by staffers were heard consistently throughout the day in the halls of Rayburn. Check out our video for highlights.

ICYMI: Karen Pence got flowers

Vice President Mike Pence bought Valentine’s Day flowers on Tuesday morning at the Whole Foods in Glover Park. C-SPAN’s Greta Brawner tweeted a photograph of the morning pickup, presumably for his wife, Karen.

While grocery shopping for our family, hubby sees @VP shopping for his Valentine @WholeFoods. Hope my husband follows the Veep’s lead… pic.twitter.com/ihXlfXu4wx

— Greta Brawner (@gretabrawner) February 14, 2017

Overheard

“It happens. You’ve got to have a shakeup.”

— Sen. Richard C. Shelby, R-Ala., suggesting that former national security adviser Michael Flynn’s departure, just 25 days into the Trump administration, was no big deal.