Grab a Beer, Don’t Stay Too Long and More Advice for the New Class of Congress

Capitol Hill is not an easy place to navigate. It’s not just the maze of hallways that can torture a new member of Congress, but the vicious political maneuvering that takes place behind the scenes.

To help the freshman class, we asked retiring members of the House and Senate to offer one piece of advice to the newcomers. The responses from 14 lawmakers range from the practical — let your chief of staff hire your whole office — to the philosophical — savor the “pinch me” moments — to the bipartisan — yes, really get a beer with someone from the other party.