That's not a joke -- it's a half-hour for U.S. Rep. Brad Miller of Raleigh.

Miller and other members of the Tar Heel congressional delegation are welcoming hundreds of North Carolina residents these last few weeks of winter in an annual ritual: Listening to the people.

The people, it turns out, usually want something.

The banker wants fewer regulations. The environmentalist wants to protect the birds. And the vet and lobbyist are pushing to get more students into animal doctoring.

It's budget time on Capitol Hill, when members of Congress sort through wish lists. Requests for money are due to the Appropriations Committee next week. That means all sorts of interest groups just happen to be in Washington for association meetings. Attendees peel away to prowl Capitol Hill's marbled hallways.

"It's very busy," said Rep. Bob Etheridge of Lillington, laughing after a day of back-to-back meetings. "But that's OK. That's what I signed up for."

Miller, a third-term Democrat, does a lot of um-hmming in these discussions.

"Um-hmm," he said to Frances Wheeler of Winston-Salem as she sat next to him in his office. Wheeler explained why juvenile diabetes patients such as her son need another $100 million in research funding.

She thanked him for attending a recent fundraising event. She asked him to sign a letter of support. He said he'd try to help. Nearby, a staffer took notes.

"We refer to these as 'bring-your-ears' meetings," said Mark Harkins, Miller's chief of staff, as visitors squeezed around the receptionist and one fellow munched on complimentary North Carolina peanuts.

Early last month, Miller's schedule was light. This week, he had 25 constituent meetings, an evening reception with peanut farmers and a breakfast with North Carolina county commissioners.

"Every group wants to advocate for their thing," Harkins said. He paused as the chaos milled near his desk.

"Unfortunately," he added, "they only come for these four weeks."

The meetings matter. Wheeler, looking for diabetes research dollars, said she figures Miller and other members will recall these conversations before they vote.

"Personal visits are one of the most effective ways to get your point across," Wheeler said. "We are probably most familiar with what it's like to live with diabetes."

'Height of the season'

The folks bringing the personal touch are everywhere.

"It is the height of the season," said Ed McDonald, chief of staff for Rep. Howard Coble of Greensboro. A week ago, Coble had a trio of breakfasts, the same number of lunches and several dinners, all for groups from North Carolina.

"People say, 'Oh, six parties!' But it's work," McDonald said. "That's a hazard of the job, not to get overweight."

One afternoon this week, Coble had meetings in two rooms simultaneously, leaving him bouncing among visitors.

A handful of American Legion veterans, wearing jaunty embroidered caps and accompanied by women from the auxiliary, emerged from Coble's office en route to see Rep. Mel Watt of Charlotte.

They're all about funding for the Veterans Administration.

Jerry Hedrick of Lexington, a member of the Legion's national executive committee, led the group, trying to figure out the labyrinth that is the Rayburn House Office Building. They made a left, then a left, then a right in search of Watt's office.

"2236 ... well, we are headed in the right direction," said Hedrick, peering at numbers on the wall.

"We started at 9 o'clock this morning," said Susan Campbell of Edenton, with the Legion auxiliary. She pointed to her sensible shoes. "That's why I wore flats."

Blur in the basements

In the basements of the office buildings, the cafeterias were packed. Quick-moving young staffers sidestepped visitors confused by the elevators and the underground tunnels.

On the Senate side, Sen. Richard Burr dashed out to the U.S. Capitol steps for a snapshot with high school students, returned across the street to his building and repeated a handshake and "good to see you," "good to see you," seven times to the clump of nutritionists lingering outside his office.

"It's the time for the mecca to Washington, you know?" Burr said.

And there, outside Sen. Elizabeth Dole's office, were the American Legion people again, pulling on winter coats and waving farewell to the smiling senator.

"Oh yeah, it went well," Hedrick said, consulting his worksheet to figure out the next stop. "It went well."