Word on the Hill: Dinosaurs at the Capitol

By Alex Gangitano

Posted August 31, 2017 at 5:00am

Congress is out but there were still plenty of dinosaurs at the Capitol on Wednesday. Dozens of people dressed in orange and brown dinosaur costumes rallied to stop what they called national service extinction.

The group, Service Year Alliance, is asking Congress to vote against President Donald Trump’s proposed budget cuts to YouthBuild, the Peace Corps and AmeriCorps programs.

The Wednesday morning rally was quite the sight for people passing by.

The video is even better than the pic. The dinosaurs are coming to get you! pic.twitter.com/brOFGp3aPK

— Deirdre Shesgreen (@dshesgreen) August 30, 2017

This morning in the capital: very communicative dinosaurs protesting the president’s transgender military ban. pic.twitter.com/EJonqgI9GF

— David Siegel (@dcsiegel) August 30, 2017

Kennedy brags on #CajunNavy after Harvey

The #CajunNavy is just incredible. You’d be surprised at what can happen when you don’t have to cut through government red tape. #Harvey pic.twitter.com/YiCFQlt1cb

— John Kennedy (@SenJohnKennedy) August 30, 2017

Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., went on Fox News on Wednesday to tout Louisiana’s Cajun Navy, which is helping people in the flooding in Texas and Louisiana from Hurricane Harvey.

“They’re just average people who love the outdoors, they don’t particularity trust government, government tries to get in the way… they set up a professional app to communicate with each other. You can look at one of their cellphones and see where every one of the folks are,” Kennedy said in the interview.

They team had 400 boats in the water on Tuesday, the senator said. He had visited one of their command centers.

Shaw’s Tavern fundraiser for Harvey victims

Shaw’s Tavern raised money on Wednesday night for those in need after Hurricane Harvey. The bar hosted “Sing for Hurricane Harvey Victims,” which donated $1 per song sang at the piano bar, $1 for every drink bought, and money raised from raffles to the American Red Cross.

Happening tonight: Hawthorne fundraiser

Hawthorne (1336 U St., NW) is hosting a fundraiser from 6 – 9 p.m. to benefit Team Rubicon, which hires veterans to go to troubles areas and conduct relief operations. If you make a donation to the non-profit either online or at the door, you will get a wristband that gets you great deals at Hawthorne tonight, which includes $4 selected beers, $6 Titos drinks, $5 wines, food specials and a raffle.

Risch talked to Google

Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho, spoke at a workshop hosted by Google and Zions Bank in Idaho Falls for small business owners, ABC reported. “To engage the small businesses in how they actually use these tools that are available to them and become successful and be able to reach the billions of people that they can reach instantaneously on the Internet,” the senator said at the free event on Tuesday.

Rothfus visits some people turning their lives around

Rep. Keith Rothfus, R-Pa., visited a group of young people who don’t have a high school diploma and are working with Goodwill to repair houses in Johnstown, WJAC reported. The congressman toured the project and commented on its ability to “turn young lives around.”

King vs. ticks and mosquitos

In Acadia to discuss research, education, and prevention initiatives for tick- and mosquito-borne diseases #mepolitics pic.twitter.com/uuKUraglA6

— Senator Angus King (@SenAngusKing) August 30, 2017

Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, learned about prevention initiatives for tick and mosquito diseases on a trip to Acadia. The senator tweeted a photograph of his trek into the woods.

DMA welcomes Roskam

The Data & Marketing Associationtweeted that Rep. Peter Roskam, R-Ill., participated in their annual event. The congressman spoke about issues facing nonprofits and fundraisers.

Staffer shuffle

Kristen Douglas left her post as deputy chief of staff for Rep. Martha McSally, R-Ariz., on Wednesday. She joined the University of Arizona’s Federal Relations and Congressional Affairs team in D.C.

Medicaid Health Plans of America’s new vice president of advocacy and government relations is Francis J. Rienzo. He previously was a lobbyist for a pharmaceutical company, Sanofi.

Metro troubles this weekend

White Flint, Grosvenor-Strathmore, Medical Center, and Bethesda Metro stations, all on the Red Line, will be closed from Saturday to Monday. Crews are working on rail tie renewal, joint elimination, and leak mitigation projects, DCist reported.

Also this weekend, some trains on the Orange and Silver lines will be running only every 24 minutes as crews install communications cables for cell phone coverage between the Clarendon and East Falls Church stations as well, as trains on the Blue Line because of single tracking due to repairs.

Check back tomorrow for more things to know about Labor Day in D.C. ahead of the weekend.

Ellison and Walz to march with workers

On Labor Day, there will be protests for $15 an hour wages and union rights in various cities across the country, hosted by Fight for $15. Rep. Keith Ellison, D-Minnesota, will be marching with striking McDonalds workers in St. Paul, and Rep. Tim Walz, D-Minnesota, will also join a march. Former talk show host and politician Jerry Springer is slated to join a group in Ohio.