House leaders end page program

Source: The Hill

House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) announced they were ending the House page program.

As of Aug. 31, the program — which employs nearly 70 high school students to serve as messengers and couriers on the House floor and around the Capitol complex — will be no more, according to a joint statement issued late Monday afternoon.

The program has been in existence for nearly 200 years. It gives students the opportunity to work and attend high school in Congress for a semester during their junior year, or for several weeks during the summer.

Citing the “prohibitive cost of the program and advances in technology,” Boehner and Pelosi wrote that “this decision was not easy, but it is necessary.”

Read more: http://thehill.com/homenews/house/175941-house-leaders-end-page-program

---

That's a shame

The page school is something of a cash cow for the district.

congressman.

would be heartbroken

and maybe if you were following politics in 1998 you can never dissociate Monica Lewinsky with the White House internship program

(I'm not morally equating Foley's and Lewinsky's behaviors, I'm just saying that their actions tainted their occupations.)

Well, the answer is blindingly obvious... dump the pages.

well, at the same time, maybe they could explain why it is important for 81 congress members to visit Israel
this summer for a one week vacation! Probably a free trip........sure.........Exactly why do they find it
necessary to go to Israel? Maybe it's to help spend that 3 billion a year we give to Israel......no?
We need congresscritters who put America first, second, and third! You cannot serve two masters at the
same time.

supposed to do?

GPA, athletics, essay, etc.

and all were connected. I have no doubt some are awarded based on merit, but my admittedly limited knowledge of the situation suggests to me that "Most" is probably not the correct word here.

But my class at least was mostly just "normal" people (as normal as overachieving kids interested in politics can be).

Family in the DC suburbs, working class parents (mom a part-time teacher in the public schools), by no means connected. Just a great kid who wanted and qualified for the experience.

had the 1994 Republican Revolution not have happened. She had already been picked, but when Republicans took control they also got to pick more pages so my sister was replaced. I don't think that most Republicans award pages on merit.

I'm sure she got the position because she wrote one of the best essays in the country. She's simply became a maroon later in life.

but see the previous reply, not all the pages are rich kids, they're usually selected due to good grades/teacher recommendations. I remember seeing the application for the page program when I went to high school late last decade.

many of the pages are appointed based on merit.

One person said half their class was connected, but that leaves half for merit at least.

But, hey, it's another powerless group to pick on.

Bunch of bullies. With no vision.

I was a page. It was one of the best experiences of my life and I think it would be a shame to end the program. There are so few chances the general public has to interact with Congress and actually feel some investment in the legislative process and it would be a real shame to end this one.

Of the 72 people in my class, by my count 63 of us have gone on to public service for at least part of our careers. I was one of 12 who joined the military (1 in 6; not bad). One has gone on to a senior leadership role in her state house. About 20 worked as staffers after college. Getting a group of overachieving 17 year olds interested in the legislative process is a very good investment.

The cost of this meaningful program as opposed to endless, needless wars, Congressional travel budgets on hormones, give aways to the rich and powerful? We are a 4th world country, never to return to greatness.

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

Jees Louise Folks...close 30% of the 900 bases and bring the troops home and we are Good To Go!

...and whatnot started as pages.

We forego 5 million in revenue every time Boehner sneezes, for God's sake...

http://www.rollcall.com/news/house_ends_page_program-208069-1.html?pos=hftxt

"Reaction to the decision has been passionate."

Reid says the Senate will keeps theirs.

this, even if it is a good program for a whole 70 kids out of the entire country.

Would I rather they cut the military and the waste and the silly projects? Yes. But that would make too much sense.