07/25/2011 9:18 PM Congress Web Pages Go Down After Debt Speeches

The country has not yet defaulted, but something has already crashed amid the stalled debt debate: Many of the the Senate and House websites appeared to be down after President Obama asked citizens to reach out to their members of Congress during his Monday night address to the nation.

 

The Huffington Post tried more than two dozen congressional sites -- including committees' sites -- and only a few sites worked, including those of House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) and Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.).

 

Among those that didn't work were the sites of House Majority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio), Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Rep. Chaka Fattah (D-Pa.), Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa).

 

While most sites seemed to be down, HuffPost found more Democratic lawmakers' sites working, which might give credence to the idea that Obama's call was answered.

 

-- Mike McAuliff

 

 

I tried this AM, and my House Rep's website wasn't fully working. At least the contact me section wasn't.

 

Google searched Washington DC office #'s for both Rep Hultgren and Senator Kirk. Both republicans. What a difference between the two offices.

 

Rep Hultgren's website wasn't working. Found his DC phone number with ease. Receptionist answered on the first/second ring, very friendly, took down my name/comments. Expected worse.

 

Senator Kirk, took a bit of digging to find his phone number. Got an automated message service, "Press 1 to leave me a message about your thoughts/comments..."

 

So if anyone needs these numbers...

 

Representative Randy Hultgren (R-14th District) 202-225-2976

Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL) 202-224-2854

Hackers?

Hackers?

 

No, just bombarded with actual traffic.

No, just bombarded with actual traffic.

More than on election days? Or normal Presidential speeches? That's hard to believe.

More than on election days? Or normal Presidential speeches? That's hard to believe.

 

It's not often the president actually asks the American people to get on their congressman's websites and write them. Obama did just that, and this was the mass response from his call to action.

It's not often the president actually asks the American people to get on their congressman's websites and write them. Obama did just that, and this was the mass response from his call to action.

 

It would be interesting, to find a way to track how many calls/emails were received within 24 hours due to that?

 

I