Hopes High as Lawmakers Leave Retreat

Organizers of a weekend retreat intended to develop civility among members of Congress returned to Washington on Sunday calling the event a successful start but acknowledging that the goal will take time to reach.

Nearly half the members of the House of Representatives spent the weekend in nearby Hershey, attending meetings, relaxing with family and seeking new ways to deal with each other on the job. The meetings were closed to the press.

“The people that participated in this have started to build friendships and relationships that will last way beyond their careers in Congress,” said Rep. Ray LaHood (R-Ill.), a co-chairman of the event. “I think there will be a greater spirit of cooperation and bipartisanship.”

The retreat’s other chairman, Rep. David E. Skaggs (D-Colo.), also was upbeat as he prepared to board a special train for Washington.

“We go back to Washington, I think, with real, real respect and, in most cases, affection for each other and our families that we pray will sustain us through what will continue to be the great debates about the future of this country,” Skaggs said.

House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) and Minority Leader Richard A. Gephardt (D-Mo.) both attended the retreat. LaHood said their presence was a key to helping carry on the good feelings developed away from the Capitol.

“Many of us believe that the success is in part because of the members that came, and many believe that it starts on high, that you have to have the leadership provide the kind of opportunities,” LaHood said. “We leave here with an awful lot of optimism about our ability to really work together and cooperate and do the people’s business.”

Another organizer, Rep. Amo Houghton (R-N.Y.), said: “I have high secret hopes but low public expectations. I think we can overpromise, we can overindulge ourselves because we’ve all had such a wonderful time.”

Gingrich, who grew up in the area, spoke about his hopes with the Patriot-News of Harrisburg on Saturday.

“I’m interested in doing two things: finding as many opportunities for bipartisan activities where Democrats and Republicans are jointly trying to solve problems. If we’re both in the ditch trying to get the wagon back on the road, you just build a kind of team attitude,” he said.

“The other thing I’m interested in doing is finding opportunities for our families to get together,” Gingrich told the newspaper. “Having these children here is invaluable. First of all, it reminds each other that when I attack you, you have a son or a daughter who is watching the attack. If we bicker like children, how can we turn to these kids and tell them we need to behave like adults? . . . The children actually dramatically improve the atmosphere.”