LegiStorm

A House subcommittee has hired back a former Senate staffer who left in 2013 to lobby for the ready mixed concrete industry.

Elizabeth Fox started last month as a professional staff member on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee's Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee. She worked as senior director of government affairs at the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association for two years, registering to lobby on labor, transportation, building, environment and taxation issues.

Before her lobbying stint, Fox worked in a range of roles at several Senate committees between 2004 and 2013 after earning a bachelor's in chemistry and peace studies from Whitworth University. She has served on the Senate's Special Committee on Aging, Veterans' Affairs Committee and Environment and Public Works Committee.

They leave Congress after losing in primaries, running for governor or resigning in disgrace. And at least one in five registers to lobby.

In the last few years, roughly 20 percent of outgoing members of Congress have filed lobbying registration papers. Arizona Republican Rep. Ben Quayle, the son of former Vice President Dan Quayle, is the most recent former member to join the list, registering to lobby for the first time after leaving Congress in early 2013 and joining Clark Hill PLC several months later.

In the 111th Congress, from 2009-2010, LegiStorm's revolving door records show about 20 percent of members who left, or 27, have served as registered lobbyists. The 112th outgoing list from 2011-2012 numbers 22 or also about 20 percent with Quayle.

It's too early to say how many members from the last Congress will lobby. Of the group departing in the 113th Congress, from 2013-2014, only one has so far passed through the revolving door. Rep. Rob Andrews (D-N.J.) resigned amid an ethics inquiry in 2014 and has since registered to lobby with Dilworth Paxson LLP. 

However, outgoing senators must comply with a two-year "cooling off period," while members of the House must wait one year to lobby. Rep. Rod Blum (R-Iowa) has introduced a bill that would ban the activity for life.

LegiStorm revolving door tracking is conservative; it includes only people who have filed lobbying registrations before or after working on the Hill. Many lawmakers and staffers have held jobs in the influence industry without filing lobbying paperwork. Instead, the act as advisers or do not lobby enough to be required to register.

A former policy adviser to Rep. Steven Palazzo (R-Miss.) on space and aeronautics is now lobbying Congress on the same issues.

Megan Mitchell left Palazzo's office in September after a three-year stint as space and aeronautics fellow and senior policy adviser. She advised the congressman, who chairs the Space Subcommittee of the House Science, Space and Technology Committee, on a range of issues and helped craft the House-passed NASA reauthorization last year, according to her LinkedIn profile. 

Mitchell has now filed lobbying papers as part of her new position as head of government and legislative affairs for Blue Origin LLC, where she started last month. She registered to lobby on NASA reauthorization, commercial spaceflight issues and defense authorization and appropriations.

The new lobbyist is also a former aerospace engineer who has worked at the FAA and Lockheed Martin. She has a bachelor's in aerospace engineering from UCLA and a master's in aerospace engineering from Utah State University.

When a mailman dropped from the sky Wednesday with a special delivery for members of Congress, staffers who may have processed the letters through more typical channels took to Twitter instead.

Police descended on Florida man Doug Hughes after he landed at the Capitol as members and staffers looked on. In tweets, staffers wondered about security, USPS technology advances and centrally - why?

These are their top tweets:

Logan Dobson, communications adviser for Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.):

"can CNN bring in some llamas to consult on this gyrocopter?" 

Jack Minor Jr., deputy digital director for Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas):

"Was gyrocopter man arrested because of the no-fly zone or because he did not use a renewable source of energy?"

Leigh Claffey, communications director for Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (R-Ga.):

"All this talk about the gyrocopter is making me think of a Cesar salad wrap with a tiny little propeller on it."

Chris Peleo-Laza, correspondence manager for Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.):

"Who had gyrocopter landing on the West Lawn of Capitol Hill in their office pool? #TheAnswerToWhosTheBigWinner"

Chris Connolly, legislative assistant for Rep. Stephen Fincher (R-Tenn.):

"You guys I really want a gyrocopter."

Trevor Foughty, deputy chief of staff/communications director for Rep. Todd Young (R-Ind.):

"Does the postal logo on the gyrocopter tail fin mean this is the USPS's answer to Amazon's drones?"

Natalie Krings, communications director for Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.): 

"Is anyone else learning what a gyrocopter is for the first time today? #gyrocopter"

Tom Brandt, communications director for Rep. Lynn Jenkins (R-Kan.):

"'So this one time I was flying my #Gyrocopter around the Capitol and...' - Brian Williams"

Madeleine L. Perry, new media director for Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.):

"Trying to figure out the metaphor here. The man flying the helicopter represents America, the capitol police are corporations...?"

"But what does the helicopter represent? Freedom?"

Andrew Healey, staff assistant for Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa):

"Nothing says 'campaign finance reform' like landing a helicopter on the Capitol lawn"

As the nation remembered an assassinated president this week, lawmakers joined in honoring Abraham Lincoln on Twitter with photos, favorite quotes and even sketches of a leader who helped save the union.

Lincoln was shot at Ford's Theatre 150 years ago Tuesday and died the following day. Congress helped celebrate his legacy this week as an emancipator, Republican and fighter for freedom.

Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.): 

"150 yrs ago today President Lincoln succumbed to his wounds. As Secretary Stanton said 'Now he belongs to the ages.'"  

Rep. John Shimkus (R-Ill.): 

"Church bells are ringing in DC remembering the passing of President Abraham Lincoln 150 years ago today."

Rep. Kevin Brady (R-Texas):

"In remembrance of President Lincoln's assassination I thumbed through one of my favorite books, Lincoln at Peoria. http://t.co/95lfevvGgJ"

 Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.):

"150 years ago today, President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated. Help me honor his legacy by fighting for freedom. http://t.co/PrQNP24xYL"

Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.):

"Today we observe 150th anniversary of Pres. Lincoln's assassination, honor him for holding union together, emancipating millions #Lincoln150"

Rep. Cresent Hardy (R-Nev.):

"Honoring great leaders -- Yesterday: Thomas Jefferson's birthday. Today: 150th ann. of Abe Lincoln's assassination https://t.co/WZbJD1kSfI"

Rep. Mike Kelly (R-Pa.): 

"150 years ago today, President #Lincoln was assassinated. His mighty legacy lives on. 'Now he belongs to the ages.'"

Rep. Chris Stewart (R-Utah):

"Today marks 150 yrs since President Abraham Lincoln was fatally shot. Im continually inspired by his wise words today"

Rep. John Delaney (D-Md.):

"On this day in 1865, one of our greatest leaders, President Lincoln was shot. 1865 coverage from the NYT here: http://t.co/SwC6tt4Rz4"

Rep. Joe Pitts (R-Pa.):

"It's been 150 years since Lincoln was shot at Ford's Theatre. Here are 4 sketches I drew of how he aged in office. http://t.co/OCNFcbbLHy"