E Pluribus Unum
On Tuesday, June 25, 2013 the OFI Interns went on a Semi-Private tour of the nation’s capital to learn more about the history and political structure that takes place within the capital building.
The tour started with a 15 minute movie about the history, struggle, and triumph of the forming of the federal government that consists of the Executive, Judiciary, and the Legislative Branches, with the obvious, the Legislature, being at the nation’s capital building. However, what may not be obvious is that the Supreme Court use to be housed in the Capital Building in mid to late 19th century. OFI interns had the luxury to see the preserve room and also the old senate chamber which the Missouri Compromise and the Compromise of 1850 took place. According to our awesome tour guides the old senate chamber is now used for top secret legislative decisions and the last time it was used was for the impeachment of former President Bill Clinton.
The best part of the tour were the fun facts and the experiences to actually watch an ongoing debate in the Senate about the immigration reform and the ever growing student loan debt crisis which are major issues that affect the nation as a whole. No matter what the final decision will be the building has been the foundation of America’s laws and hope and is rich with plentiful and continuous history, that Interns in the Greater Washington Area should all experience.