House page program to end after 200 years

WASHINGTON (KABC) -- After nearly 200 years, the House will no longer have congressional pages because with the Internet and email, they have little to do.

Pages are typically high school juniors who serve as messengers while living in their own dorm and attending their own school.

They could be seen around the Capitol complex with their dark blazers and neatly trimmed hair, running when summoned by a member of Congress. They all were smart, needing a minimum 3.0 grade average in core school subjects to get into the program.

Speaker John Boehner and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi say they can no longer justify spending $ 5 million a year on the program when most messages are delivered electronically.

The message announcing the end of the program was, however, sent by mail. The House program will end by Aug. 31. The Senate page program will continue.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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