The news was devastating—e-mail only available 10am-6pm in 15 minute intervals! Sign up on a list and wait behind other people to get my e-mail??

I spent this past week traveling with family. While I thought I had prepared myself for a few days away from Washington, it was evident upon my arrival that the only way I could have prepared adequately would have been to ration my Internet usage in the days before my trip in order to avoid the shock.

Once the plane left the U.S. my BlackBerry was out of commission. I just stared at the screen willing it to buzz and glow with a news alert. No such luck. Within a few hours of being out of touch the phantom vibrations started.

I took some satisfaction in knowing I was not alone. Within hours I was cooped up in the tiny Internet room while tropical paradise carried on without me outside. This became my routine for the trip. Each day I walked 45 minutes to the Internet room and waited behind the others to get a glimpse of the latest news, pressers, and updates.

Feeling disconnected left me thinking about life in Washington, DC. Although many might say that the government moves slowly—working on Capitol Hill is as fast paced as it gets. Members of Congress, lobbyists, political pundits, media, and government all cross paths in the offices of Senators and Representatives each day. Again, while many speculate that our lawmakers are hardly working, I can attest that they are hardly ever still.

That’s where the BlackBerry comes in. It’s essential to chasing Phil English, John Peterson, Bob Casey, and Arlen Specter around town. With the shoot of an e-mail the meeting time changes, the location gets switched, a press conference is called, a briefing is cancelled!

With the erratic hours, BlackBerry buzzing, and gear lugging involved with being a one-man-band reporter my friends always tell me they think I’m crazy. But when I step into the chamber and watch legislation being made during a vote I realize it’s all worth it.

Sitting on the beach with my brother Frank during my days away he turned to me and said, “This is the life.”

I nodded in agreement but secretly noted that I missed my town of movers and shakers. It seemed weird to walk around without my camera and tripod, to go into a building and not go through security 5 times before getting to my final destination, and to look up at a sky bare of roaring government helicopters and planes.

I may only have been out of my country for a week, but I was certainly out of my Washington world. I suppose it wasn’t the BlackBerry I missed… but really the Washington buzz.

If you were a WSEE reporter what would you ask our lawmakers in Washington? What's important to you? Would you like to sit down with our Congressmen and Senators? Send me an e-mail and I'll get the answers to the questions that are important to you...
washingtonwatch@wsee.tv

I sat down with Congressman John Peterson in his Washington, DC office
to chat about what our lawmakers are doing to stop tolling on I-80. Take a look at the video interview here!

Watch the video story here!

Contenders in Northwest Pennsylvania aren't the only ones challenging Congressman Phil English for his 3rd
district Congressional seat next year.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, headquartered in Washington, is also targeting the Congressman.

"The fact is these guys want to paint me as George Bush," said English in an interview outside his office on Capitol Hill.

The DCCC released videos slamming English and sent out press releases taking issue with the Congressman's voting record.  

"I think Phil English has proven himself to be more interested in cozying up to the President since he has been in Congress then really getting things done for his district," said DCCC spokesman Doug Thornell.

While some Democrats say Congressman Phil English is out of touch with his constituents, the Congressman stands by his record, saying he isn't worried about getting re-elected next year.

"I think that we've got a strong record to run on next time and whoever we are running against in the other party isn't going to be able to attack us based on purely the party. They are going to have to talk about our record and what it really stands for," said English.

But voters disenfranchised with the Bush administration are setting the Congressman up for a challenging political environment during his re-election campaign.

"It's no secret that the Bush administration is unpopular and that has really had an effect on Republican Congressional fortunes all throughout the country," said Greg Giroux, a senior writer at Congressional Quarterly.

At this stage in the Congressional race political expects say we can expect to see Congressman English step up his fundraising and put forth a vigorous re-election campaign.

Tell me what you think about the Congressional race! Email me at washingtonwatch@wsee.tv

The Thanksgiving holiday is here, prompting us all to think about the things in our life we are most thankful for. I asked our lawmakers in Washington what they hold dear to them this Thanksgiving and here is what they had to say...

SENATOR BOB CASEY (D)
"Every day, I am thankful for my wife, Terese, and four wonderful daughters. I'm also thankful for the opportunity to work in the United States Senate for the people of Pennsylvania."

CONGRESSMAN PHIL ENGLISH (R)
"On Thanksgiving, I am thankful for being part of a society where we practice religious diversity and toleration. The ideals of colonial founders like William Penn and Roger Williams are still alive today in America where people have complete freedom to practice their religion. As we look at the rise of intolerance movements in societies elsewhere in the world, we have to be thankful for our religious freedoms in America."

CONGRESSMAN JOHN PETERSON (R)
"I am thankful for the opportunity to fight the tolling of Interstate 80, in order to keep Pennsylvania's best jobs in our Commonwealth. I would be remiss if I didn't say I was grateful for the Steelers strong showing through the first half of the season, too. Above all, though, Thanksgiving is a time to give thanks to the brave men and women who defend us. Our thoughts are with our deployed service members who can't share this holiday with their families - we offer prayers for their safe return home. And to the families who have lost a loved one - I hope some comfort can be found this Thanksgiving in knowing how grateful our nation is for your sacrifices."

*I asked Senator Arlen Specter but he was traveling and unable to take the request.

It wasn't exactly how my parents put up the Christmas tree when I was a kid. This morning a small band played "We wish you a Merry Christmas" as a horse drawn sleigh with a jolly driver made its way up the driveway to the North Portico of the White House.

Mrs. Bush greeted us as we stood at the edge of the grass waiting her arrival, and she told the press all about this year's White House Christmas Tree. The 19-year-old Fraser fir is from Mistletoe Farm in North Carolina. It will stand in the Blue Room at the White House, and the chandelier in the room has to be removed because the tree is so big! Florists come in to decorate the tree with over 300 ornaments made by artists from around the country.

Joe Freeman and Linda Jones of Mistletoe Farm presented the tree to the First Lady. They earned this honor by winning the National Christmas Tree Association's (NCTA) national Christmas Tree contest. Freeman said he was growing the tree to put inside his own house, but decided to give it to the White House instead.

The Christmas tree was five years old when Freeman put it in the ground, and he says it was one of the first trees he ever planted.

Watch the video story here!

When you’re out doing your holiday shopping you might want to save some extra cash to pay your home heating bills this season.

If you heat your home with oil your bill is expected to cost twenty-five percent more than last year-- an average increase of four-hundred dollars. And if you’re using natural gas it’ll cost 9 percent more-- an average increase of one-hundred dollars.

“We’re very close to a crisis on energy prices that I think will sort of awaken the American public,” said Congressman John Peterson.

If temperatures drop lower than expected you’ll be paying even higher costs to heat your home.

And the future outlook for your energy bill isn’t great either. Penelec’s rates are currently capped so your paying well below market price for your electricity.

On December 31, 2010 the volatility of the market will be reflected in your bill overnight, resulting in what some experts predict will be at least a thirty percent increase.

Rising fuel prices are pushing lawmakers to focus on energy policy. The House is moving quickly to vote on an energy bill next week. But for now experts say the best tactic is to make efficient use of whatever fuel you buy.

Using energy efficient light bulbs, insulating your home, and investing in Energy Star products are good ways to combat rising prices.

“Conservation was good in its time but now we have so many technology options that allow consumers to save energy while still keeping the comfort they have come to expect,” said David Rodgers with the Department of Energy.

If you are having trouble paying your bills you might be eligible for the federally funded Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program or help from local fuel funds.

The following websites offer information about energy assistance programs:

http://www.dpw.state.pa.us/ServicesPrograms/LIHEAP/

http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/liheap/

Click here to get information about how to lower your heating bills this winter:

http://www.energysavers.gov

http://www.energy.gov/forconsumers.htm

Check out some helpful information from the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission:

http://www.puc.state.pa.us/