“For non-controversial bills, getting a positive review from the committee is a massive deal, and for that to happen, you’ve got to be on the docket in the first place,” McKay said. “We heard that this was probably happening, but we don’t talk about ‘probably.’ As I’m getting miked up backstage, I got the text that it was official. I was like, ‘Oh yeah, I can talk about this now.’ So, we are unbelievably excited.”
While moving to the mark-up stage is another key milestone, McKay said the process is far from over.
“We are super optimistic, but we were optimistic last year too, and we’re not taking our foot off the gas,” he said. “There could be new problems.”
McKay is frequently asked about the overwhelming size of Congress when it comes to advocating and lobbying for legislation. He notes that most people have only heard of a dozen or so Congress members who regularly appear on network news. While committee members might have different politics, he believes most want to do what’s best for constituents.
“The people we’re interacting with are imperfect, but they are serious people who care,” McKay said. “They’re intelligent. They want to help. By and large, they are good. And partisanship really doesn’t come up in a lot of our conversations. But as you get closer to the finish line, it does. It can, and there’s been a little bit of that, but some of it is honestly just the way the system is supposed to work. There’s supposed to be compromise.
