Washington DC is like the moon. When you take a single step on the moon, it’s not just a piece of a long journey, it’s "a giant leap forward." Everything in DC is tinged with significance and layers upon layers of insider knowledge.

Our first stop is the Hart Senate Office Building. Gary Hart. This building was designed when Senators could expect every luxury. The whole exterior and interior is marble. There are, though I didn’t get to see them, a lux gym, elegant dining, and amenities. Designed in that era but built in this era. Tastes changed while the building was being built. During construction there was a push for more modest digs. Maybe the gym was lost. The exterior, though, took a hit. The entrance looks like a Holiday Inn. But no signage. A building was bombed when they were designing the signage and modesty seemed the better part of valor.

At the entrance hard working very sensitive metal detectors. A travel tip. Keep EVERY bit of metal into your briefcase and you’ll glide through the metal detectors of life.

In the entry a black three story Calder mobile. From the visitors lobby, it’s just an ugly, dusty pile of steel. From the upper floors, it’s mountains with clouds floating overhead. Or actually, not floating. The "mobile" part of this sculpture died, and it has become a stabile.

In public elevator alley was one Member’s elevator, which I never saw anyone enter or exit.. I heard several guards talking about underground tunnels for Member’s use. One layer of knowledge is the openness of the buildings. Another layer is the hidden tunnels where the members scurry about.

We went to Senator Schumer’s suite. "We" led by Lee Foley, the Washington Lobbyist, Cheryl Neas, the Philadelphia trade association staffer, myself as community banker, and Gary Barletta of Long Point Winery as borrower, job creator, voter, and the common man.

The Lobbyist gave us a pep talk. We were meeting with Schumer’s legislative assistant. That was better than meeting with the Senator. The Senate LAs are the hard working grunts of the legislative process. And, in fact, it was true. Moira Campion is a Legislative Correspondent and knew the issue we were talking about: the CDFI appropriation. Her questions were insightful and genuine. She had inside knowledge of where the problems with the appropriation were likely to be and who to see to help the funding along. She also knew about Schumer’s predatory lending proposal. And about upstate NY (she was from Binghamton). She treated her Senator like a brand name, looking for legislative positions that are consistent with the brand. Schumer would clearly be with us.

Our lobbyist congratulated us on a good session. He said our local references and evidence of job creation were just the ticket. We thanked him for making the appointment with Moira.

We had a solid Mexican lunch, with my favorite, Chile Relleòos, which no restaurant in Ithaca sells. Outside again we strolled the imperial city. Stunning azaleas. Cherry blossoms ended a week earlier, before the Cherry Blossom Festival. Foreign languages. Protestors setting up podiums in the park. More teens than you could shake a fist at. One color coded group: kids in purple T-shirts marked Angola in yellow.

We enter the Capitol Building (through a metal detector) searching for the hearing for outside witnesses before the Sub-committee of VA, HUD and Independent Agencies. This is part of the House Committee on Appropriations.

Bronze sculptures behind the metal detectors. Paintings lining the stairway. The Capital has too much art in the hallways. They ought to start a lending program.

Our meeting room is small but elegant. The centerpiece is a beautiful cherry table for 18. The walls are covered with amateur murals with an ag theme. A seated woman with sword punched into earth. A resting man w/ fig leaf. Two mean taking horses off a farm implement.

There are about twenty witnesses lining one side of the room. At the table is one Congressman, Joe Knollenberg, R MI. There are no cameras, but a monitor tuned to CNN, sound turned off. Two sound recorders, two legislative assistants. I’ve heard congressman can be called away for a vote, but that doesn’t happen.

The hearing starts. In their turn, the Mayor of Corning for flood relief. A prostate research program from North Carolina. Housing assistance for lower New Jersey. Other witnesses have introductions from their Congressmen, who quickly disappear. Some witnesses just read their appeal, not looking up.

It’s my turn. The Congressman is genuinely polite, making sincere eye contact, smiling his very agreeable smile. The note taker gets ready, the recorder turns on the tape. An aid hands the Congressman my written testimony.

The Congressman points to the clock facing me on the table. It’s three displays show green, yellow, and red with a digital 4:00 waiting to go. I am reminded that I have only four minutes and that I can submit written testimony rather than talk.

I start in. I talk about CDFI and the Credit Union. I gesture to Gary and laud his business.

An starts whispering to the Congressman and I stop talking. I scold him with my eyes. He abruptly turns back to me and with his eyes, quickly signals, "Quite Interrupting," but immediately changes to "Excuse me."

I stumble. The time is going faster than my presentation. I start cutting. The Congressman looks through my written testimony and can’t figure out where I am. I’m having trouble getting a tight read on the situation. I am speaking to one person who is infinitely patient within my four minutes but clearly not engaged in my topic. I try out different mental models for the situation:

- The Court of some potentate, where abject peasants please with the caliph for mercy?

- A religious cult mumbling call and response rituals to insure that the sun will shine on the giant statue of Freedom on top of the capital?

- High school detention hall monitor, I’m the truant?

I settle on imaging us both as foot soldiers, each giving a noxious duty of questionable use. KP duty. We’re both peeling potatoes. This works for a while, but I sometimes lapse into being the potato.

The light turns red, the Congressman thanks me, congratulates Gary, and we’re ushered out the door.

On returning home I get an email that gives me the news. While I was testifying, a Budget Resolution was passed giving the largest increase to defense. In this sub-committee the largest share went to veterans.

CONGRESS PASSES BUDGET RESOLUTION; FOCUS NOW SHIFTS TO SPENDING COMMITTEES

On Thursday the House and then Senate approved a joint Budget Resolution, largely along party lines. Most of the increase over last year's budget blueprint would go to defense spending--a $21 billion increase. Meanwhile, the total for non-defense discretionary programs would be cut by $6.7 billion, a 2% reduction. The House Appropriations committee is already beginning to set allocation levels for the 13 subcommittees. The VA/HUD subcommittee, may lose about $403 million from last year's level. VA/HUD committee staff have indicated that, as usual, veterans programs will be a top priority for increases in funding in that spending bill. HUD programs may be frozen at last year's levels, and new programs or initiatives are not likely to get support by appropriators.

What actual benefit came from this? Well the unexpected contact in Senator Schumer’s office. And during the travel, I got to know one of our borrowers well. I know quite a bit about grape growing now..