Congress ponders its 'potty parity' gap

McClatchy News Service via SacBee ^ | 12/24/6 | Margaret Talev

[SmithL]

When nature calls during a debate or vote in the House of Representatives, what's a member of Congress to do? The answer, even as the first female speaker of the House prepares to be sworn in next month, depends on gender.

The members-only House men's room, with its shoeshine stand, fireplace and television tuned to floor proceedings, is nestled a few paces from the House chamber, beside the speaker's lounge, flanked by Capitol police. How convenient.

Reaching the women's equivalent is more challenging. It entails traversing a hall where tourists gather, or entering the minority leader's office, navigating a corridor that winds past secretarial desks and punching in a keypad code to ensure restricted access. Not so convenient.

So when Speaker-designate Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, takes the gavel, she may revisit, along with the Iraq war and raising the minimum wage, the question of potty parity.

Starting in January, the 435-member House will have a record 71 women. (The 100-member Senate will have 16 women, also a record.) Asked whether female House members should also get a loo off the chamber, Pelosi said, "I'm all for it -- let's find a spot."

Mischievously, she said she's eyeing the men's room just steps from the chamber, "but the gentlemen, they just won't get out of there."

[SmithL]

Nancy Pelosi is deeply disturbed.

[Farmer Dean]

Make her walk,she looks like she needs the exercise.

[GSlob]

Just equip the podium and all the members' chairs with built-in toilets. This way the proceedings would not have to be interrupted, and the quality of their legislative output would noticeably improve.

[2harddrive]

Here in Texas, women's restrooms have MORE toilets than men's, for the same population...like double. Is that PARITY, or CHARITY?

[traditional1]

Equal treatment?

[AVNevis]

"Just equip the podium and all the members' chairs with built-in toilets. This way the proceedings would not have to be interrupted, and the quality of their legislative output would noticeably improve."

Have you ever seen the House in session (not on C-Span). It is amazing how few members are actually on the floor at any given time. Unless there is a vote, most are still in their offices watching the proceedings on C-Span while doing other "work." When there is a vote, they are all summoned via PDA to come to the floor.

So, frankly, I don't see the need for a restroom for either gender on the floor so long as members are engaging in that practice.

[spokeshave]

Issue those little plastic thingies to the "ladies" so they can pee standing up in the mens room....I am sure shrillary can demonstrate their use.

[weegee]

She can stand at a urinal like anyone with penis envy.

[weegee]

Yep. In some places that meant reducing the number of male restrooms in a public building by converting male only facilities to female only.

They claim that the "lines are longer" so we can bear standing. Alternately they convert facilities to make us pee in a trough.

[MediaMole]

They should remove all restrooms from the Capitol. The less time Congress spends in session, the less damage they can do.

The only bathrooms remaining should be for people who actually WORK in the Capitol -- security, maintenance and cleaning people.

[Partout]

That's about right... one of those marvellous research projects showed the the girls need about twice the time of the boys, for reasons that are still mysterious, to complete their ablutions. So, twice the potties.

[stylin19a]

"Just equip the podium and all the members' chairs with built-in toilets. This way the proceedings would not have to be interrupted, and the quality of their legislative output would noticeably improve...

just the opposite....these people are so full of shift, that the proceedings would have to constanly be stopped to accomodate all the honey wagon visits.

[mhx]

Since there are insufficient bathroom facilities, the most cost-effective solution is to ban the election of women to Congress.

[CottShop]

For crying out loud- they are our elected officials who work on important issues and as such, they should be required to wear depends so that they won't waste any of our time running to the bathroom during important events! They can always jump in a river after work & clean off- get hte job done- stop wasting taxpayers money by frivelous actions such as potty runs! http://sacredscoop.com

[longtermmemmory]

Every screw is historic.

How fitting that Caligula Pelosi would sacrifice history so the taxpayer can deal with her "evacuations"

[Piquaboy]

I really feel sorry for the BEB. She can go pee up a rope as far as I am concerned.

[FlingWingFlyer]

America sure did screw the pooch when they threw their childish tantrum on November 7th. We are going to be paying for it for the next two years.

[ErnBatavia]

[NRA2BFree]

I can see where this is going to be a bigger problem than it ever has been. These days more of our congress critters are full of sh*t than at any other time in history. LOL!