Word on the Hill: Highest Congressional Honor for Dole

Amid all the action in Congress this week, you might have missed a vote honoring former Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole, R-Kan.

The House approved on Tuesday a bill, introduced by Rep. Lynn Jenkins, R-Kan., to present Dole with the Congressional Gold Medal. It had already passed in the Senate, where it was introduced by Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan. The measure now moves to President Donald Trump’s desk.

The medal is the highest civilian honor awarded by Congress. Recipients include former presidents Ronald Reagan, Harry S. Truman, and Gerald R. Ford.

Capitol Historical Society’s fall lecture series announced

Save the dates for the United States Capitol Historical Society’s five lunchtime lectures, which are free and open brown-bag lectures from noon to 1 p.m. in Ketchum Hall (200 Maryland Ave. NE), just steps from the Capitol.

Sept. 20: Author James Head will speak about his book “An Affair with Beauty — The Mystique of Howard Chandler Christy: The Magic of Youth.”

Oct. 11: Capitol fellow Matthew Restall will present his talk “Kissing Freedom, Stealing from Columbus”, which uses the Statue of Freedom to examines way that European imperialism influenced artwork in the Capitol.

Oct. 18: Scholar Fabian Jud will present “The National Mall as an American Memory Space, 1900-1950.”

Nov. 8: Mark Ozer will speak about his book “Washington DC: The World Capital in The American Century 1941-1990.”

Dec. 13: Scholar Pamela Scott will present “An Historical Atlas of Washington, DC, 1780s to 2015.”

Blunt and Murray named cancer advocates

The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network is hosting its annual leadership summit and lobbying effort from Monday through Wednesday. On Tuesday, the group will honor Sens. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., and Patty Murray, D-Wash., with its National Distinguished Advocacy Award. Blunt is expected to attend the ceremony.

Another dino spotting

#DinosinDC returned to the Capitol on Thursday afternoon. Protesters at the demonstration, organized by the Service Year Alliance, are targeting what they call President Donald Trump’s “national service extinction.” Some were spotted posing for a photograph with Sens. Chris Coons, D-Del., and Martin Heinrich, D-N.M. The demonstrators want Congress to vote against the proposed budget cuts to YouthBuild, the Peace Corps, and the AmeriCorps programs. 

Staffer shuffle

ICYMI: Danny Weiss will be the new chief of staff to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., effective Sept. 18. He is currently the vice president of federal policy and the D.C. regional director for Common Sense Media, and previously served 21 years as chief of staff to former Rep. George Miller, D-Calif. Weiss replaces Nedeam Elshami, who has been named SIGNAL Group’s executive vice president.

Kountoupes Denham Carr & Reid have announced that Julie Hershey Carr, who was legislative director for former Rep. Joe Pitts, R-Pa., and Randi Reid, who was legislative director for Sen. Michael B. Enzi, R-Wyo., have been named partners. The firm’s expertise is in health care, technology, transportation, energy and agriculture.

Catching up: Honor for Herseth Sandlin

Former Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, D-S.D., currently the president of Augustana University, will be inducted into the South Dakota Hall of Fame this year. Of the 10 people inducted, she is the youngest at age 46, The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead reported. Herseth Sandlin was the first woman to represent the Mount Rushmore State, serving from 2004 to 2011.

Happy birthday to …

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., 76.

Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, 67.

Saturday

Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., 54.

Sunday

Rep. Ted Poe, R-Texas, 69.

What’s going on?

Have any tips, announcements or Hill happenings? Send them to AlexGangitano@cqrollcall.com.

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