Diary of a Congresswoman follows Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-NM-3), first-time representative to Congress in an almost-daily podcast, as she navigates the process of representing her country and her district. This is a chance for those of us outside the halls of Congress to understand how things get done…or don’t.

What does it take to get legislation passed? How do the houses of Congress and the three branches interact? How are legislators’ effectiveness dependent on the relationships they build? What are the biggest challenges? How do you learn your job, and who helps you? And how do you stay healthy and sane along the way? These are some of the questions we’ll be exploring—as well as Teresa’s commentary and insights on the developments of each day.