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WASHINGTON — Life as a freshman congresswoman has taken on a frenetic pace for Rep. Mia Love.
"Every moment counts, so there's not a dead moment," Love, R-Utah, said Tuesday. "There's not a moment where I'm just sitting and I get to relax and breathe."
Love, according to staffers, has regularly worked 12-plus hours a day during the week with Congress in session. Much of the day is scheduled around votes and is filled in with hearings and meetings.
Even supposed down time is not. When a KSL crew caught up with Love, she was strategizing with her legislative director during a long walk between meetings.
"There's a lot that we're dealing with right now," she said.
According to staffers, Love's early legislative priorities have included balancing the budget, repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act, and eliminating penalties when states fail to meet Common Core standards.
"You have to know a little bit about everything, and you have to specialize in the issues that are in your committee," Love said. She compares her job to being an emergency room doctor who has to specialize in one area, such as neurosurgery.
Love said the biggest surprise so far to her has been the bureaucracy.
"The control and power the bureaucracies have — that's really shocking to me," Love said.
Love said her favorite part of the job has been trying to make a difference.
"You know — actually going in and moving the needle," she said.
It is one reason she said she doesn't mind the long hours.
"I think that's what I was sent here to do — sent here to work as hard as I possibly could and go back and report home," Love said.
Love said she has already learned a lot.
