Snowe, Collins return to offices after officials declare building anthrax-free

WASHINGTON – Maine’s two senators and their staffs returned to their offices on Capitol Hill on Wednesday after a week of rising concern about anthrax exposure in the nation’s capital.

The Russell Senate Office Building, where offices for Republican Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins are located, is the first congressional building to be reopened. Two other Senate buildings remain closed.

Skeleton staffs for House members remain ensconced temporarily in offices at the General Accounting Office building. They still are waiting for authorities to move forward with decontamination of “hot zones” found in House office buildings where traces of anthrax have been found.

Since last Thursday, Snowe’s staff has been working out of a Capitol Hill home belonging to her chief of staff. Snowe spokesman David Lackey expressed relief about returning to the senator’s regular digs, but said communication problems continue with two-thirds of the Senate still working out of temporary space several blocks away from the Capitol.

“It’s like operating on six out of eight cylinders,” he said. “It does take its toll on what can be accomplished.”

Collins’ spokeswoman Felicia Knight, who spent part of Tuesday afternoon driving around town in search of a fax machine, welcomed the return to her old desk.

“It’s certainly nice to have all our resources at our disposal,” she said, noting that many Senate staffs were prepared to be out of their offices for a day or two – not for six days. “It must be frustrating for a lot of people who don’t have the things they need.”

Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., told reporters Wednesday that senators may be allowed brief visits to the remaining two closed Senate office buildings to collect needed personal possessions and business materials. He also said that the two buildings could be reopened permanently in the coming week.

Anthrax first was discovered on Capitol Hill in a letter opened in Daschle’s office on Oct. 15. Since then, the potentially deadly bacteria appeared in mailrooms serving both the Senate and House.

Away from the Capitol, two mail handlers at the city’s main mail processing facility were determined to have died from anthrax and two more were diagnosed as having inhaled the bacteria.

Most mail to members of Congress now is being held for close scrutiny for possible anthrax contamination. Some Maine lawmakers are encouraging constituents to correspond by e-mail, telephone or by writing to their offices in the state.

“We still welcome people to write to us, but if they have an urgent concern, telephone or e-mail is better” for Collins’ office, Knight said.

Lackey said that Snowe is happy to receive letters in any manner constituents find most convenient. “She responds to every Mainer,” Lackey said, “but be aware that there may be some delay through the mail.”