Former House Page Says Program Made Him a Leader in Church, Life
The U.S. House is ending its venerable congressional page program ostensibly because of cost and technology. But at least one Christian participant in the early 90s asserts it was one of the most invaluable character building experiences of his life.
Ken Archer says the U.S. House of Representative Page Program built his character and made him a leader in his church and in life and expressed disappointment and outrage over the announced closure. In a joint statement, House Speaker John Boehner and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said it was a tough decision and blamed technology and high costs for the decision to the end the program which served members of Congress for nearly 200 years.
"This decision was not easy, but it is necessary due to the prohibitive cost of the program and advances in technology that have rendered most page-provided services no longer essential to the smooth functioning of the House," the joint release read.
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The dismantlement of the program is upsetting for Archer, an Oklahoma native, who served as a House Democratic page during the 1990-1991 sessions.
Archer found out about the house page program as a child during a family trip to meet their member of Congress and decided to apply once he turned 17.
He said his time as a page helped develop him into the person he is today.
"My year as a page really changed my life," Archer shared. Before becoming a page, Archer said he grew up in a homogeneous environment and had never left his home state. As a page, he took on a challenging set of responsibilities for House members, which made him feel like a part of the political process.
Spiritually, Archer, a Southern Baptist, came to see how diverse the body of Christ is as a member of First Baptist Church of Washington, D.C. During his time there he was compelled to tackle his first church leadership role as a Sunday school teacher to second graders. Archer said he continued teaching even after he returned home to Tulsa.
"My growth and confidence and my interest and concern in government really stems from my time as a page," he declared.
The page program has similar effects on other participants, he pointed out. "If you look at what the pages are doing now that just speaks for itself,” he said.
Past pages includes the weekend host of NPR's news program, All Things Considered, Guy Raz, and Microsoft's Bill Gates.
Archer now owns a software company located in Tyson's Corner, Va., and lives in Georgetown.
The decision to the cut the program, he said, skips the real reason pages give a year of their lives to serve on Capitol Hill.
"The page program was never about delivering papers as cheaply as possible. If it was, then there [are] a lot of other things that could go by the wayside. Congress could save money with each member voting online but I don’t see that happening anytime soon," said Archer.
Pages also put up the flag, deliver legislative materials, answer phones and take messages in House members' cloakrooms.
The Congressional page program, whose history can be traced back to the messenger boys who served the first Continental Congress in 1774, allows students to experience the democratic process by serving side-by-side with House members.
Archer told The Christian Post that participants mature at "lightning speed" given strict guidelines of the program – pages must wear an official uniform of a navy blazer, gray kick-pleat skirt or slacks, black shoes and a tie – and the seriousness of their environment.
"Pages all feel a deep responsibility to do their job well," Archer explained. "There's a very high level of professionalism."
However, an independent review finds that pages, once stretched to the limit delivering large numbers of documents and other packages between the U.S. Capitol and House office buildings, have been rendered obsolete by modern conveniences such as email, cell phones and voicemail.
Additionally, the annual cost of the program exceeds $5 million, not including the costs of the dormitory and schooling. Education costs for the pages, the report finds, cost between $69,000 and $80,000 a year, more than even the most expensive boarding schools and most colleges.
Teachers in the Jefferson Building of Library of Congress teach pages. The classes are fully accredited, and students learn math, English, social studies, science and French or Spanish. There are also seminars, guest speakers and field trips as well.
A 2008 Congressional Research Service report shows that pages are also paid an annual rate of more than $20,000.
Archer argues that pages are being paid minimum wage to do tasks members of Congress would have to pay others more to do. Additionally, students' boarding costs and meals are deducted from their pay.
Archer says he questions the rationale of the program cut.
"It's really a mystery why they’re doing this because it really makes no sense," he asserted. "It creates this impression that somehow every other part of the legislative branch is really cut down to the bone, which is so, so far from being the case."
Archer insists that there are other things that Congress could cut – such as the expenditures run up by congressional members and their staff – if they were really concerned about saving money.
Or, if they are determined to make cuts to the page program there are other areas they could look at. For example, Archer recommended the program accept fewer participants or allows pages to attend public school in Washington, D.C.
There are 72 House page positions, according to a Congressional Research Service report. The majority party appoints 48 pages; the minority party fills the remaining 24 slots.
The House Page Program will likely conclude at the close of the current session. However, the Senate has no plans to discontinue their page program.
Speaker Boehner and Leader Pelosi have directed the House Historian to prepare an official history of the House Page Program as a tribute to the many pages, members of Congress and Congressional staff who have contributed to the program over the years.
