Congress Has Yet to Kick the Habit (Smoking Legal in Congress Bldgs)

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-smoking19feb19,0,7986499.story?coll=la-home-headlines

When Rep. Charlie Norwood was diagnosed with a chronic lung disease a few years back, he followed the orders of his wife, Gloria, and gave up red meat, chewing tobacco and his favorite cigars.

But that didn't save the Georgia Republican — recently recovered from a lung transplant and hooked up to an oxygen tank — from landing in a shroud of cigarette smoke recently as he parked his scooter chair in the Speaker's Lobby outside the House floor.

Norwood doesn't smoke anymore, but several of his congressional colleagues do, defiantly and unapologetically, making the U.S. Congress one of the few and possibly the most famous indoor workplaces in the country where it's still legal to light up.

<snip>

And it's not likely to change anytime soon, given that newly elected House Majority Leader John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) is a chain smoker who takes morning exercise walks, then drags on his brand of choice — Barclay. Rep. Tom DeLay of Texas, his predecessor, has been spotted spitting Skoal into a cup on the House floor.

It's not that smoking on the Hill hasn't been restricted over the years. Once, they puffed away with abandon. Today, they limit themselves to certain areas — in their offices, the Rayburn Building cafeteria and, most notoriously, the ornate, redcarpeted Speaker's Lobby, where the news media and lobbyists buttonhole members passing through to vote.

[PDittie]

1. "Tom DeLay spitting skoal into a cup on the House floor"

For some reason I always pictured him as "Day's Work" kind of man.

Brown juice drooling off his chin, wiping it off with the back of his cuff. Haven't you seen him do that?

[Vidar]

2. Human sacrifice is probably legal there under the repubs too.

[winston61]

3. you'd be amazed

at what Congressman exempt themselves from. Just do a little research. Every other federal employee has to take a piss test and undergo a background check. But guess who don't?