The initial euphoria of being elected to Congress has ended.

So has the initial excitement over the largest freshman congressional class to hit the nation's capital after many voters found displeasure with incumbents in the 2010 election.

The slower-paced living he was accustomed to in Hazleton has been replaced most days by fast movement, dodging others in congressional hallways as he races from one meeting to another representing Pennsylvania's 11th Congressional District.

Since Republican Lou Barletta was sworn into office Jan. 5, he has dealt with a historic flood in his home region that still demands his time while working to fulfill campaign promises. And with another year left on his two-year term, more work remains.

Oct. 26 was not unlike any other day for Barletta. The pace remained fast, he said, noting adrenaline keeps him moving at speed.

"There is no time to get tired," he said.

His staffers are wired with smartphones to handle a constant stream of information, directing Barletta to his appointments that sometimes deviate from a daily schedule printed out for him at his Washington office.

A day in the life

At 5 a.m., Barletta wakes up and is at the gym in the Rayburn House Office Building about 15 minutes later. After working out for about an hour, he's back at his apartment to grab a coffee and breakfast and catch up on local news before heading to his office at the Cannon House Office Building.

By 10 a.m. he is at his first meeting; this particular day it pertains to a bill markup for the Education and Workforce Committee on House Resolution 3094, the Workforce Democracy and Fairness Act, in a room at the Rayburn building.

Barletta sits on three House committees - Education and the Workforce, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Small Business - and schedules for all three sometimes conflict.

He broke from the committee meeting to squeeze in lunch and an interview at the Longworth Cafeteria. But as Barletta and his entourage of staff members survey the lunch selections, a staffer receives an email - the committee that just met was now ready to vote on amendments to a proposed law.

When a vote is ready to be cast, the elevators in the House read, "Members Only" to keep everyone but members of Congress off them to ensure the lawmakers are able to vote on time. This eases part of the day-to-day routine that becomes a congressman's life. Congressmen move stealthily from building to building, sometimes even navigating by means of a subterranean passageway for restricted use.

Normally a 10-minute walk, Barletta and his staff run back to the meeting room in less than five minutes, where he quickly takes his seat as other congressmen scuttle toward theirs. Soon enough a litany of "yeas" and "nays" follow, each lawmaker voting amid a backdrop of wooden, Washington grandeur and rich colors.
Some lawmakers, not able to make it back quick enough, walked in while voting was taking place.

Read the full article at the Standard Speaker