Waiting in line with linestanders

At about 12:30, I'm waiting for the doors to open to Hart 216 for the farm bill conference hearing and so far the two people waiting with me are with Washington Express. Washington Express is a courier company that provides line-standing services for lobbyists and lawyers in DC. Sue Fraser has been doing this since last fall and is a political junkie, so she likes getting out and seeing what's going on.

Demand to get in the farm bill conference will be high today. I will be able to bypass the line because of my press pass, which gives me a seat at the dais above the committee. Lucky me. But the limited number of seats - perhaps 20 or 30 - for the publc will go quickly.

Like college students waiting to get in a basketball game, sometimes the wait can get pretty long for linestanders. Sue related that sometimes line-standing involves waiting overnight outside Senate or House buildings. That means bringing lawn chairs, sleeping bags and other gear to make the wait more tolerable.

Some in Congress feel that lobbyists should have to wait like everyone else, and a couple of lawmakers - notably Claire McCaskill of Missouri - have tried to attach a bill that would put line-standers out of business. Yet I can see the argument that line-standing serves a purpose for the lobbyist and for the linestanders. Both can use their time profitably.