What does a US Representitive do all day?

Factual Questions
1

What is the day to day activity of a US Representitive? I really do not want a civics lesson on the function of the whole US House, but what do individual congressmen do with their day?

For example, I imagine they show up in their office about 830-900 AM, talk to their secretary and advisors, talk on the phone, etc. They go to the House chamber to their desk there and listen to speeches and what not. (I know that each Representitive can BS for 10 minutes in the morning on whatever topic, Jim Trafficant always used this time to rant).

1100-Eat lunch in the US Capitol dining room (Do Senators eat better than Representives, for example, Representitves eat corn dogs while Senators eat steak?) Really, is the food good, or do most of the suits eat out? I would think that they have to kiss some constituents behind, so they eat a lot in fancy spots.

1330-Come back to work, go to your committee assignment. What do these committees do all day anyway?

1530-1600- Back in the office, on the phone talking to more constituents, raising money for reelection.

That’s my guess, but I have no clue. If someone is a freshaman congressman, do they get on the job training? I mean, I would like the job, but what is their job? If people like James Trafficant could do it, it cannot be too hard.

Lastly, what is the job of the Speaker of the House. I know that he is elected by the majority party to his position, but what exactly does he do anyway?

Not to be dumb, but I doubt that the majority of Americans really have a clue.

2

I dunno, it seems pretty obvious to me: A lot of their time is spent on reading laws which have been proposed, and doing research (of various kinds) to decide whether to support it, fight it, or try to get it reworded. Some of those bills can be pretty complicated. A lot of the time they actually write them, too. These things would seem to be their primary job function; everything else is extra.

3

The vast majority of time is spent on fund-raising for the next election cycle. This includes begging on the telephone as well as attending fund-raising functions.

Elected officials are expected by their constituents to be present at all kinds of functions and events. Actually, it is literally impossible for an official to appear at all the events he or she is expected to.

As an election nears, much time is spent campaigning.

Very, very, very little time is spent

This is largely done by other people, ususally committee staff and/or lobbyists. Laws are complicated and there are way too many bills to read and understand. Most representatives and senators are compelled to cast their votes based on what someone else has told them the bills will do.

4

Meetings, meetings, meetings. In person or by phone. Meetings with constituents, meetings with lobbyists (not a pejorative: the PTA can be a lobbyist), meetings with other representatives, meetings with staff, meetings with people that have money, committee meetings, subcommittee meetings, pre-committee meetings, cloakroom meetings, breakfast, lunch and dinner meetings.

Many long-term reps are stone-cold experts in their fields. (One more knock against the idiotic notion of term limits.) They really do know their business, really do go out into the world and meet with other experts, really do study bills and write them - although they do of course rely heavily on their staffs.

And every once in a while they do have to go onto the floor of the house and speechify, preside, listen, or vote.

They put in 36-hour days regularly.

The Speaker of the House does all this and also talks to everybody about upcoming legislation, counts votes, twists arms, talks with the other senior members of the party, keeps a general eye on everything that goes on. Think General Manager.

5

Across the street, in either the Democratic or Republican club. It’s illegal to solicit funds from your office…there’s a law against doing it on government property.

The House generally convenes between ten to noon, until whenever…it goes until midnight, sometimes. Of course, a representative isn’t expected to be on the floor the entire time.
Here’s the house’s website. If you look around there, you should get some idea of the structure.

http://www.house.gov/