House to End Page Program, Barney Frank Hardest Hit

NOW where's Barney Frank supposed to go to find 16-year old boys?

House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) announced their joint decision to end the House page program.

As of August 31, 2011, the program - that employs nearly 70 high school students to serve as messengers and couriers on the House floor and around the Capitol complex - will be no more, according to a joint statement issued late Monday afternoon.

The program, which has been associated with lawmaker scandals throughout its nearly 200 years in existence, gives 16-year old students the opportunity to work and attend high school in Congress for a semester during their junior year, or for several weeks during the summer.

Citing the "prohibitive cost of the program and advances in technology," Boehner and Pelosi wrote that "this decision was not easy, but it is necessary."

Word is it was costing between $69,000 and $80,000 PER page. Barney can probably get a 16-year old for half that.