SAUNDERS

the capital on Monday or Tuesday morning and fly home Thursday night.

The House working calendar has adjusted accordingly. Last year after reviewing the congressional work schedule, Reuters found that members "have been spending fewer days working in Washington since the late 2000s." In 2016, the House scheduled 111 workdays. The Bipartisan Policy Center's Commission on Political Reform recommended 180200 working days.

It's no wonder then that Washington seems so dysfunctional. House members can't get out of the beltway fast enough.

"PBS NewsHour" anchor Judy Woodruff was so taken with the team of Barton and Doyle that she wondered why news coverage didn't reflect their mutual admiration.

"It doesn't surprise me that Doyle and Barton are trying to do this kind of thing," said Harkins; both men have been in the House for decades. Voters sent Barton to Congress in 1984 and Doyle was first elected to the House in 1994.

"Find me two guys who have been here for less than six

years" who exhibit such friendship, said Harkins — then "you've got me interested."

For his part, Doyle fingered the media. He told Woodruff, "We tend to be not the ones the media's interested in interviewing ... maybe the news media too could reflect a little bit more on that."

Contact Debra J. Saunders at dsaunders@reviewjournal. com. Follow @DebraJSaunders on Twitter. To find out more about Debra J. Saunders and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate webpage at www.creators.com.