House Of Representatives Page Program Terminated

WASHINGTON -- Goodbye, pages! At the end of August, the House of Representatives will terminate its page program, which staffed teens to work in the chamber, Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) announced on Monday.

Clad in grey slacks or skirts and navy blue blazers, the House pages performed a variety of tasks for the House, many of which have been phased out by technology over recent years. When the House reviewed the program in 2008 and again last summer, it found that the page program is simply no longer cost-effective.

"Despite ... improvements, many of the serious concerns originally raised about the need for, and cost of, the Page Program remain," Boehner and Pelosi wrote in a letter to House members. "After careful consideration, we have determined that the Page Program should be terminated at the conclusion of the current summer term."

The program cost more than $5 million to run, according to a study in 2008, not including the costs of running the Page dormitory and school. Pages serve terms lasting four months and earn a gross monthly salary of $1,804.83. Per page, that program cost equated to between $69,000 and $80,000 per year.

Meanwhile, studies found the page tasks of delivering documents, packages and phone messages were rendered largely obsolete by technology, which made it easier for lawmakers to shoot an email from their BlackBerry than to ask a page to carry a letter to a colleague.

The page program suffered a setback in September 2006, when then-Rep. Mark Foley (R-Fla.) was found to have sent explicit emails and messages to a 16-year-old male page from Louisiana.

Still, the announcement marks the end of a program that has existed in some form since 1774, and more formally since 1827.

The House page website, which still lists the application criteria, writes that pages were required to be at least 16 or 17 years old when they started their term, and maintain at least a 3.0 grade point average in high school. Teenagers could apply by asking either their representative or one in the same state to sponsor their application.

Comments

[KMBerger]

12:29 PM on 08/10/2011

Now, when is the House of Representatives going to decide to cut their salaries and benefits program accepting the same privatized health care system and costs that we all contend with?

[KMBerger]

12:28 PM on 08/10/2011

For technological reasons cutting this program may be good, but the amount of savings is chicken scratch. Hiring young people to participate in government in a more up-to-date form of page program is good for learning civics and how government theoretically should operate.

[lisaman]

11:40 AM on 08/10/2011

I had wondered what sacrificies Congress had to endure, now I know.

[camelias and sweet tea]

09:43 AM on 08/10/2011

At least the kids will be safe from the GOP pediphiles now.

[1differentdrummer]

06:09 AM on 08/10/2011

Good thing. It was an anachronism.

[theanti-capitalist]

03:17 AM on 08/10/2011

I saw an incredibly boring session of the Senate a few months ago in person. The pages spent most of the time doing homework and chatting. Seems very pointless if it costs that much.

Way more exciting were the stenographers with the cool "typewriters" that are slung around their necks that allow them to stand in front of whoever is talking and capture every scintillating word. Their strict 10 minute or so shifts made for some compelling viewing.

[Steelsil]

01:51 AM on 08/10/2011

Mark Foley will give them a good home, I'm sure.

[cruiser049]

12:31 AM on 08/10/2011

At least now the GOP favorite prey will be nowhere nearby.

[Joe Krumbach]

11:44 PM on 08/09/2011

This is so amazingly sad......5 million a year to teach students about Government, such a terrible loss. "no longer, cost effective" is the new norm. Let's not show kids that have a genuine interest in government how it works up close and personal. So, very sad, shame on both the Repubs and the Dems on this one.

Over 230 years of a program that has taught thousands of kids about government, no longer "cost effective." Mind you these people who just killed this program fly all over the world in government owned jets to "check out" things and are paid $175k a year, Boehener as Speaker is paid $223k a year, and Pelosi as minority leader $193k......disgusting.

The Republicans won't be happy until we are back in the 1400's and the common man is simply a serf working for the kings of the nation.

[hewhowaits]

02:22 AM on 08/10/2011

Do you really want the crooks in government teaching children about anything?

[Joe Krumbach]

11:32 AM on 08/10/2011

I don't think that all of them are crooks. It's too bad that you do.

[mpilkanis]

10:01 PM on 08/09/2011

Looks like all the GOP Mark Foleys are SOL. Sorry, Charlie.

[FOXYROSE]

08:28 PM on 08/09/2011

Oh my, what will "Barney Rubble Frank" do now lol!

[Cece1992]

10:27 PM on 08/09/2011

Huh?!

[LJIESQ]

08:24 PM on 08/09/2011

But. But. But. What will they use for sexual pleasures?

[thereasonist]

07:35 PM on 08/09/2011

The page program should have gone to local Washington DC kids instead to the rich and connected offspring...instead it was just a way for the elite to have their children play government for a year.

[AJayne]

09:46 AM on 08/10/2011

Not necessarily. My brother (lower middle income class family) was a page while attending college in Colorado.

[zdeedle]

07:04 PM on 08/09/2011

uhhhh... can we leave the pages and dump the reps???

[zdeedle]

07:02 PM on 08/09/2011

bummer. as a senior in high school, i served as a state house page, and learned a lot of things. mostly how much money lobbyists had, and how inept some reps actually were. still, it was fascinating when a rep would buy for his row. a couple of them were in deep discussion and i didn't want to interrupt once to take down their preference, but as i got closer, they were discussing how Nibs came in black AND red, and trying to decide which to have..... USA USA USA!!