Eyewitness News Goes to Washington: A Closer Look at Congressman Hanna

As we followed Congressman Richard Hanna around for a day and half, from the subway, to his meetings, and throughout the many capitol buildings, we got a feel for the type of person he is, what his experience has been like thus far, and what he holds closest to his heart.

While it's most important that the Congressman serve his constituents, we thought we'd share with you a closer look at who is representing you in the Nation's capital.

Whether it be walking through the hallowed halls, standing on the house floor or a meeting with the president.  Eyewitness News asked Congressman Hanna if he there was a moment where he really felt like a congressman.

"When I leave this job and I say I've been here two years or four or 10 years and I can see a body of work that's consistent with my ethical standing my moral beliefs and is helpful to the district then I'll look backwards and say I'm a congressman but you can't start a job and be something."

And, one thing the Congressman likes most about his job?  "Knowing you're in a place where the last decision that's important is made by you."

Hanna says the job hasn't been fun.  He doesn't have much of a social life down here--by choice, and doesn't really love D.C.  He says he'd rather be in central New York.  Hanna describes his experience so far as challenging.  "I came here with the idea that I was going to do something important or I wasn't going to stay...You know you can easily come down here and do nothing attach yourself to other people's work...But I don't do that.  I wasn't taught the purpose of life wasn't to be happy. I was taught it was to be useful, to add value, to do something, purposeful, to help other people."

And he says he has. Hanna says all the components of running a business: calling people back, paying attention to detail and getting the job done are things he and his staff do. He says he hasn't done everything as hard and as well as he would've liked to, but he's tried, and says the goal is take what he's started and work on it to the end.  Congressman Hanna's mission isn't to be a guy everyone likes, but to be able to defend what he's done, and to listen.  "When you get out and you meet people you see all the need in the people's faces and you realize that they don't have a lot of places to go. It doesn't mean you have to take care of everybody but you do have to listen to everybody."

While the Congressman may have been taught that the purpose of life wasn't just to be happy, he has found plenty of happiness in his family.  "There's a lot of lousy parents out there...You want to raise a failed child with a failed life, then don't teach them how important it is to read and write and understand and get along.  My kids--if I'm a good husband and a good father, then I can be a lousy legislator and still be happy. I don't want to be but that'd be ok."