Tucked away in a brick office building next to the newest Trader Joe’s in town, the senior member of Colorado’s congressional delegation meets with visitors in a conference room distinguished by plaques and framed mementos from nonprofits and others recognizing her service over the years. 
In the nation’s capital, the state’s only current female member of Congress has a spacious office with a coveted view from her desk window that extends down the mall to the iconic Washington Monument.
When it comes to getting Rep. Diana DeGette’s undivided time and attention, however, the home turf trumps all that.
We sat down with her this week to talk about Colorado philanthropy and how it’s making a difference in her district. We asked for her support in ensuring Congress preserves the full value of the charitable deduction when it considers tax reform in the coming year.
We also heard about her work as a member of the far-reaching Energy and Commerce Committee, as well as her leadership on a new initiative called 21st Century Cures. (Stay tuned for information on a Sept. 3, 2014, roundtable DeGette and her staff are planning on the topic in Denver before she heads back to Washington.)
In our more than half-hour meeting, there were no buzzing sounds beckoning her to floor votes, or schedulers popping their heads through the door to signal the next meeting should have started already. There were no airplane flights involved, hotel bills to pay or taxis to catch. Parking was free. And we had enough time for genuine conversation.
Turns out “recess” might be a good idea after all?