Congressman discusses
responsibilities of office
‘It’s not easy,’ Holt says
during visit to classes at
Marlboro High School
MARLBORO — A congressman’s job is multifaceted and challenging, a New Jersey representative told Marlboro High School students during a Dec. 11 classroom discussion.
Democratic Congressman Rush Holt, who won re-election to a second two-year term on Nov. 7, visited History II and Advanced Placement Government classes to explain to students the job of a congressional representative.
In a nearly filled lecture hall, he told students there are several aspects about representation.
"That’s what I do," Holt said. "I vote on your behalf. In fact, later this afternoon I’ll be taking the train down to Washington."
Holt told students there would likely be only one vote taken during the Dec. 11 evening session, but explained that vote would be "whether to keep the government open or not." He said the fiscal year for the government runs from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30.
"By Sept. 30, Congress is supposed to pass the appropriations bills for transportation, for defense, for every aspect of government," he said. "This year the leadership couldn’t get bills to the floor to satisfy their various factions and the president. So we don’t have appropriations bills for a large part of the government, for education, for health, for human services. We’ve been operating since Oct. 1 on a continuing resolution. It’s sort of an emergency legislation which keeps the government operating at the same level as it had before."
Another aspect of the job, he said, is speaking to people on behalf of the voters who have elected him.
"I get a chance every day to speak to hundreds of people," he said, "whether it’s to Rotary Clubs, to conventions of school principals or speaking on the floor of the House of Representatives."
Holt explained that whenever he speaks before the members of the House of Representatives, all of his comments are written down. A record is made which is printed and published. Additionally, copies are placed on the Internet for people to read throughout the world.
"It’s part of my job to give voice to what’s on your mind and to represent you in that way," the congressman said.
He said most of his time is spent dealing with people’s problems. There have been thousands of cases brought to his attention, he said, providing some examples.
"A family is separated because immigration won’t let somebody through," Holt said. "Or a veteran who served in World War II never received the medals he earned. Or … someone has been treated unfairly with their disability payments. Sometimes as a last resort, people come to their congressman, and I spend a lot of time trying to answer questions and solve problems; in effect, to make sure the government works for you and your family."
Holt told the students there are thousands of requests that are made that he and his staff work on. He recalled one request from someone in the Air National Guard who wanted to be an F-16 pilot. Air Force officials told him he was one-quarter inch too short to sit in the seat of the F-16 cockpit.
"The person said other measurements showed him to be one-quarter inch above the required height, and he feels that he is being treated unfairly," Holt explained. "That’s one example of the kinds of things we try to resolve. We try to make sure the government works."
Being a representative is not an easy job, according to the congressman.
Holt asked the students, "How do I know how to vote on issues such as prescription medicines or the Patients’ Bill of Rights or national registration, or other tough issues like how much money the national government should be spending for special education in public schools?"
Additionally, Holt pointed to the difficult decisions he has to make when deciding how to vote.
"Am I voting for my interests or for your interests?" he asked. "And if I am voting for your interests, am I voting for what I think a majority of the people want, or am I voting for what I think you should be thinking?"
Holt noted that he had been speaking about one of the most central questions of political science and government.
"Do your representatives vote for themselves or for you? There is no easy answer," he said.
Holt told the students that when he votes he believes he has an obligation to keep in mind the values of the citizens who elected him. Only 300,000 out of the 700,000 people in the 12th District voted in the last election. Still, Holt said he tries to think of the values that are important in general, values in life, values related to economic well-being and even the values of caring about other parts of the world.
"So, when I vote, I vote with your values in mind," said the congressman. "I have to represent not just the people who voted for me, but also the people who voted for the other guy. [I also have to think about] the people who didn’t vote at all. I represent them, too. It’s not easy."