[Ads-l] congresscritter

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

Interesting topic, JL. Here is a match in 1976 within a piece by a
prominent science fiction author.

Date: December 1976
Volume 37, Number 9
Periodical: Galaxy Science Fiction
Article: Science Fact: A Step Farther Out: That Buck Rogers Stuff
Author: Jerry Pournelle PhD
Start Page 44, Quote Page 45, Column 1
Publisher: UPD Publishing Corporation, New York
Database: Internet Archive

[Begin excerpt]
I expect NASA has some nominal charge for SPINOFF 1976, but you could
probably get one free through your Congresscritter.
[End excerpt]

A precursor appeared in 1945. The phrase "Congress Critter" was used
as a label for all of Congress instead of an individual
congressperson. Congress was depicted as a wild animal which was
difficult to halter.

Date: February 6, 1945
Newspaper: The Morning Herald
Newspaper Location: Uniontown, Pennsylvania
Article: Washington Farm Reporter
Quote Page 4, Column 3
Database: Newspapers.com
https://www.newspapers.com/image/63635524/?match=1&terms=%22congress%20critter%22

[Begin excerpt]
Administration Fails To Halter Congress Critter
The month-old Congress is kicking up its heels and it doesn't give a
hoot who knows it is going to be mighty hard to handle. The first
Administration effort to get a halter on the critter last week proved
futile.
[End excerpt]

Bary Popik also explored this topic, and Popik found that Jerry
Pournelle used the expression in 1979.
https://barrypopik.com/blog/congresscritter_congress_critter

Garson

On Sun, Jan 18, 2026 at 6:00 PM Jonathan Lighter
<00001aad181a2549-dmarc-request at listserv.uga.edu> wrote:
>
> Not in MW.   'A member of Congress.'
>
> 2026 Heather Cox Richardson, on _The Best People_ (MSNOW TV) (Jan. 18):
> People were supposed to have access to...speeches from their
> congresscritters.
>
> 1978 _Forks [Wash.] Forum-Peninsula Herald_ (Nov. 2) 1 [Newspapers.com]: As
> more and more congresscritters get involved in administration through
> budgeting.
>
> J
>
>
> --
> "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the truth."
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

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The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org