Education policymaking in Washington had a challenging week. Due to the detection of anthrax spores on Capitol Hill on October 15th, congressional office buildings were closed for most of the week. Displaced lawmakers and staff from the education committees had to find alternative spaces to continue their work. However, several education-related events had to be postponed amidst the chaos.
David Schnittger, the spokesman for Rep. John A. Boehner, the chairman of the House Education and the Workforce Committee, explained that they were operating from the General Accounting Office (GAO) facility at G and 4th Street. The GAO, which is Congress’ investigative arm, provided them with space in its nearby headquarters. Despite initial concerns about the quality of the space, Schnittger found it to be quite nice.
Only a small group from the committee was able to work at the GAO building, with limited computer and phone resources. Many aides had to work from home or other locations. The Department of Education, located a few blocks from Capitol Hill, offered some space to the education committee aides from both the House and the Senate. However, there were some issues, such as crashing the GAO computer system on the first day.
Fortunately, the Rayburn House office building, where the House education committee offices are located, reopened on Thursday. Committee leaders, Mr. Boehner and Rep. George Miller, met twice with their Senate counterparts, Sen. Edward M. Kennedy and Sen. Judd Gregg, to discuss the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Both chambers have passed different bills, but convening the conference committee to reconcile the differences has been challenging due to the anthrax situation.
Other education events, including a House hearing on international-student visas and a press conference by the National Center for Policy Analysis, had to be postponed too. The space reserved for the press conference was later designated for terrorism-related announcements, causing the cancellation of the event. The closed Rayburn building also made it impossible to distribute books to lawmakers.
The Education Department has also been affected by heightened security concerns. Entry into the headquarters has always required passing through metal detectors and showing identification, but now additional security measures have been implemented. Cars entering the garage under the building are also being searched by security officials.
Despite the challenges, the House managed to pass a bill allowing extra time for repayment of college loans for reservists called up for active military duty. The Education Department and education committees continue to work on their respective tasks, albeit with some inconveniences caused by the anthrax situation.
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