Georgetown University

While I'm working as a Congressional Fellow, I'll be living in Copley Hall, which is a dorm on the campus of Georgetown University. In 1789, John Carroll, who was the first head of the Catholic Church in America, obtained the property on which Georgetown was built. So Georgetown has its roots in the era of the Early Republic (George Washington began his first term as President in 1789). Also staying in Copley Hall are history teachers from all over the United States and the world. They are here for the James Madison Memorial Foundation Summer Institute on the Constitution. I participated in this in the summer of 2002. They will be taking a course on the Constitution. The James Madison Memorial Foundation provides two Fellowships -- one that provides money for a Masters degree (and during which you take the summer course on the Constitution at Georgetown) and the Congressional Fellowship, which I won. There are around 70 James Madison Fellows here and 2 Congressional Fellows. Tonight we all had an opening banquet. Among the speakers at the banquet was Admiral Paul Yost, who is President of the Foundation. Admiral Yost previously served as Commandant of the United States Coast Guard. The Commandant is the highest ranking member of the U.S. Coast Guard and is the only four-star Admiral of the Coast Guard. He is appointed for a four-year term by the President of the United States upon confirmation by the Senate. I shook his hand and spoke with him about my serving in Congressman Altmire's office.

In addition to the history teachers who are taking the course on the Constitution, there are a few Fellows from around the world. I met two Fellows from Cuba. At dinner, I sat next to the James Madison Fellow from Iraq. He is currently earning his Masters in International Relations in the United States. I asked him if after his Masters he'll be returning to Iraq to teach. He replied that he wasn't a teacher -- he works as an advisor in the office of the Vice President of Iraq. I was pretty embarrassed. But I recovered with a question that I think he appreciated. I ask him if he had a unique perspective on learning how the Founders designed the U.S. Constitution because Iraq just created a new Constitution. He said yes, and that he did intend to return to Iraq and share what he learned about the design of the U.S. Constitution and government in the hopes that he can help strengthen the government of Iraq.

I'm off to Congress tomorrow morning. I cut the tags off of the new suit I bought, which is hanging on the outside of my closet all ready to go. I packed my bag with a new notebook that is just waiting to be filled with notes about how Congress works and how the Constitution guides that work. Congressman Altmire's office needs to approve anything I put on this blog about Congress, so you may not read about my Monday experiences until Wednesday (since I have to show them my "Monday" blog on Tuesday, and then post it Tuesday night). So stay tuned!