As I flew on Tuesday, I kept track of hearings that were happening on both sides of the Hill. I was especially interested in the hearing for the confirmation of Former Governor Mike Huckabee as Ambassador to Israel.

As in many of the hearings, protesters interrupted the hearing. Before being removed from the hearing room, one protester let loose with a banshee-like scream. After the protester was removed, in classic Mike Huckabee style he quipped, “I’ll take that as undecided.” His sense of humor is sharp, and it brought laughter to the room. The vote on his confirmation should be in the next three weeks.

After arriving on the Hill, I started the delivery of my notes of encouragement. The staff in one Cannon office all gathered in the reception area to chat and before I left, the Congressman asked me to pray for them as I have so many times over the past ten years.

The hallways were filled with visitors and families on Spring break. While making my way through the Capitol Visitors Center, one of the tour guides told me they expected 8,100 guests that day. In the past it’s not uncommon to have as many as 30,000 visitors at the Capitol in one day.

As I walked the halls, I would also see signs and placards outside congressional offices.  This placard out was outside the office of Senator Joanie Ernst that is updated as many hostages remain captive in Gaza.

A sign saying, “We’re giving up billionaires for Lent!” is most likely aimed at Elon Musk, and another sign, “Known Get-Trump Judicial Activists” was aimed a federal judges that are standing in the way of many of President Trump’s executive actions.

One of the often-overlooked stories about Capitol Hill is the uncertain employment situation on the Hill, especially in House offices as representatives are up for re-election every two years. On top of that, DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) is impacting Republicans and Democrats.

The following has been published by Roll Call:

“A recent report from job market website Indeed, found applications from workers at federal agencies targeted by DOGE increased 50 percent in February. The February jobs report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed a decline of 10,000 federal jobs across the U.S., and the March numbers are expected to be higher.

“Many worry those losses will hit local economies hard in places having a high concentration of government workers, with ripple effects for contractors and more. Continuing unemployment claims in D.C. have risen from 7,655 the week ending Jan. 18 to 11,147 as of March 8, a 45 percent increase since Trump took office.”

I’ve also heard that real estate listings in Washington, DC and the surrounding area have increased dramatically.

While chatting with a Capitol Hill police officer, he expressed his displeasure with President Trump because the impact of DOGE eliminated a new job for his wife with a $35,000 a-year salary increase.

When chatting with a former member of Congress who is now a lobbyist, he shared how DOGE was impacting funds for his state and the businesses he represents.

Regardless of party affiliation, all of this creates a heightened sense of anxiety for those who work on Capitol Hill. Even for Republican members of Congress who might support President Trump in trimming the size of government, it is still challenging for them with some of their constituents.

We should not take joy in people losing a job whether it is in the private sector or in the government. However, there is little doubt that the government work force is bloated and reductions need to be made.

As I walk the halls and step in and out of offices, I’m continually recognized and greeted by staff, some of whom I don’t even know. One young staffer said, “Steve, you’re a celebrity on the Hill. Everybody knows you.”

It’s certainly not my intent to be a celebrity, but to make known the Savior I represent.

Wednesday evening, Dan Cummins and I led worship in the Capitol and shared the Lord’s Supper with those in attendance.

I’ll be headed back to the Hill after Easter.

Thanks for your prayers and encouragement.

Steve