Tourists visiting the U.S. Senate get a glossy 16-page booklet explaining the procedures of the chamber and outlining its history.
It also includes a seating chart, showing the desks belong to the oldest senators -- Robert Byrd and Ted Stevens.
But -- oops! -- also on the chart are 2006 losers George Allen, Conrad Burns, Rick Santorum and others, along with retired Sens. Mark Dayton and Jim Jeffords.
In fact, the entire book is outdated, and is titled "The United States Senate 109th Congress 2005-2006."
The welcome page includes a letter penned by Majority Leader Bill Frist -- who led the chamber before retiring last fall and who would get the title of "minority" if he were still serving since Democrats took over control of Congress in January.
The Secretary of the Senate is tasked with printing the document, hundreds of which are passed out every year. A spokeswoman says the 2007-2008 books are still in draft form won't be ready until the middle of June -- five months after the new members were sworn in.
Do the gallery staffers tell tourists the books aren't accurate? The spokeswoman says she will get back to us, but a Fishwrap friend noticed recently no one mentions the books include tons of incorrect info.
-- Christina Bellantoni, Capitol Hill correspondent, The Washington Times