Schwartz on Hill

U.S. Rep. Allyson Y. Schwartz left a meeting and took the call in another room. She returned, beaming. "I told him about the transportation money," she said. "I knew he'd want to know."

The Philadelphia-area Democrat had just pushed through $52.5 million in federal funds for local transportation and infrastructure projects.

This is about as cool as it gets for a House freshman in the minority party. In this Congress, with the Republicans feeling "feisty," as Schwartz put it, she has all the clout of the person in charge of holes at a doughnut factory.

On a day last week like many others for a new member of Congress, but unique in its own way, Schwartz juggled the myriad responsibilities and demands on a lawmaker's time. A morning committee hearing gave way to back-to-back meetings with lobbyists and interest groups, several "drop-ins," ceremonial receptions, and, endlessly, floor votes and phone calls.

This means learning lessons quickly. Alliances with Republicans on issues they will win anyway sometimes bring dividends. And federal money for local projects is always a good thing. "If I can bring dollars back to my district," Schwartz mused, "what a huge impact I can have on economic development."

Schwartz beat Republican Melissa Brown to succeed Democrat Joseph M. Hoeffel 3d in representing the 13th Congressional District, which includes southeastern and central Montgomery County and Northeast Philadelphia.

Schwartz, a longtime women's health-care advocate who worked most of her 14 years as a state senator in a Republican-dominated government, is accustomed to swimming upstream. She has been fortunate in her committee assignments - to Budget and to Transportation and Infrastructure - which often determine two things: how much good you can do for your constituents, and whether special-interest groups will vie to fill your campaign coffers.

After a round of phone calls and a floor vote Thursday morning, Schwartz arrived midway through a two-hour hearing of Transportation's water resources subcommittee. In a sea of black (suits) and gray (hair), her red jacket stood out like a klieg light.

Finally, it was her turn to question the chief engineer of the Army Corps of Engineers, and Schwartz peppered Lt. Gen. Carl Strock with questions about the massive Athos I oil spill in the Delaware River in November. Unsatisfied with answers about how the river was monitored for obstructions, she extracted a promise for follow-up - a frequent outcome of hearings and frequently not followed up on.

After a three-minute drop-in at a reception honoring newly elected Rep. Doris Matsui (D., Calif.), who succeeded her late husband, Robert, Schwartz headed back to her Cannon Building office for a meeting with former Philadelphia Rep. Robert A. Borski and two officials from the Delaware River Port Authority.

Borski, who represented Northeast Philadelphia from 1983 to 2003 and is now a lobbyist, helped guide the discussion on the DRPA's financial needs. He is also acting as a mentor to Schwartz, and told her, "You don't act like a new member."

Of course, Borski experienced the thrill of being in the majority for much of his time in Congress. Beyond Schwartz's status as a freshman, things seem to have gotten tougher for Democrats.

A report released last week by the Democratic staff of the House Rules Committee accused Republicans, who have controlled the House for 10 years, of employing parliamentary procedures that suppress dissent and severely restrict or block the minority party's ability to debate or amend bills.

"I think there is a willingness on the part of the majority to shut down debate, and [they] seem to object to our having our say," she said.

Schwartz gained experience in Harrisburg that should serve her well in the House. As ranking member of the Pennsylvania Senate education committee, she was able in 2003 to persuade GOP chair James Rhodes and fellow senators to include more funding for early childhood education as requested in Rendell's first budget.

She also pushed through legislation in 2003 that led to the appointment in January of the Office of Insurance Consumer Advocate, despite opposition by the insurance lobby and, initially, Senate Republicans.

Recently, Schwartz saw an opportunity to do a favor - and maybe get one in return. She voted with Rep. Joseph R. Pitts (R., Pa.) on an amendment to the transportation bill that allowed the transit system in growing Lancaster to remain eligible for federal funding.

"Of course, I cleared it with my ranking member on the committee," namely, Rep. James L. Oberstar (D., Minn.), Schwartz said, adding that the amendment did not hurt the Democrats and created a sense of solidarity between the two Pennsylvania legislators.

The only way to get anything done when you are out of power, Schwartz said, "is to reach out to the other side." Soon, she plans to introduce legislation with a GOP member relating to veterans' benefits.

That would be good news for Ronald Ziegler. Ziegler, past commander of the Jewish War Veterans and a Philadelphia resident, sat down with Schwartz shortly after she returned from a second round of floor votes.

"We have over 100,000 members, and we'd love to be a resource," Ziegler told her, using code for "make sure our interests are considered."

First was the owner of a Montgomery County business that makes "smart" cards embedded with computer chips, who wanted Schwartz to know that the

Transportation Committee was of interest to it. Then, two legislative directors from the AFL-CIO delivered to Schwartz a thick binder of fact sheets summarizing labor's position on a variety of issues.

Finally, a pair of real estate appraisers wanted to talk about overhauling the industry, and particularly about legislation that might affect the future of conservation and historic-preservation easements.

At 5 p.m., she headed to the Rayburn Building to present an Earth Apple award to Philadelphia's Baldi Middle School for saving energy in the school building...