There's a hidden workforce keeping the U.S. Senate running, and its members would rather you not notice them.
They're the body people — young aides who shadow senators through the Capitol's maze of tunnels, subways and reporter scrums, known informally as the "Body Guy Caucus," though some are women, according to a new report from NOTUS.
The job blends valet, scheduler and traffic cop with a fair amount of emotional labor, several current and former body people told the outlet.
"It is literally Gary from 'Veep,'" one former body person said, comparing the role to the HBO show's put-upon aide.
Another called it "the craziest position to have on the Hill, and it is the best position to have on the Hill," noting that 22-year-olds end up "babysitting some of the most important and powerful people in the country."
Their tasks can get personal. One body person was dispatched to buy their boss nylons, NOTUS reported, and another once had to safeguard an envelope holding a senator's false tooth.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), who moves through the Capitol with a body person, a policy or press aide and a security aide, told NOTUS, "The body man's one of the most important roles in politics." Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) was recently spotted with a male aide trailing her, purse in hand.
Others want no part of it. Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND) called the idea a "waste of time," adding, "I'm not that insecure." Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) pointed to her ranching roots: "I need more personal space than a lot of Easterners do."