Hi NPR, this is Caroline, recording from Washington, D.C., where I just finished my first shift with the Duck Watch, a volunteer group that helps get wayward ducklings back into the capital reflecting pool right down the street from NPR headquarters.

This podcast was recorded at.

I have seen the ducklings around there. I didn't know there was a whole formal project. That's pretty cool. It is a 240 Eastern on Tuesday, June 15th.

Things may have changed by the time you hear this. Okay, here's the show.

Oh, that's really nice. She's protecting the ducklings. That's great.

There has been a long running effort to predict the ducks around the capital, but I didn't know it was so formalized as it is.

Hey there, it's the NPR Politics podcast. I'm Scott Detro. I cover the White House.

I'm Aisha Roscoe. I also cover the White House.

And I'm Susan Davis. I cover Congress.

And Sue, big, big milestone. You're back in the capital booth today.

I am. I'm Vax and relaxed. I'm back in the capital ready to talk to lawmakers in person once again.

That's the other big summer.

And I just want to note, we, we've all been like for a year plus saying, when can we do the podcast in person again?

Sue, you and I over the weekend were the very first NPR people to do a segment in the studio at the same time.

So box checked next step. Do it on the podcast. It's it's weird. It's like, you know, it all ended really abruptly.

We all like, I had to go work from home really quickly. And I feel like we're all coming back in pretty abruptly too.

And it's it's good to be back. It is.

So even as the great infrastructure negotiations continue voting rights are becoming a bigger and bigger topic this year, especially for Democrats, they're very worried.

A string of new laws in Republican controlled states that restrict voting access are putting democracy in danger.

That's how big Democrats see the stakes is here.

So Democratic lawmakers in Texas as a reminder recently blocked voting restrictions from passing today.

They are on Capitol Hill meeting with US Senate Democrats to also meet with Vice President Kamala Harris tomorrow at the White House.

...