How DOES Washington REALLY work? Twenty-Six Years of Shoe Leather answers this very vital question and lays out in a very personal way the pressures, the hard work, and the rewards of a true professional in a casual and frank manner that few people are ever exposed to. Most books on Washington are told from the very highest levels by Speakers of the House, Cabinet members, and White House officials. This book, on the contrary, tells the life of a Washington practitioner from the bottom up in agencies and trade associations that are major players in the implementation of Federal government policy and programs. The book's chapters coincide with the various positions held by the author over a twenty-six-year career as an industry lobbyist in the environment and energy public policy arena and as a congressional relations specialist in three different Administrations. The early chapters describe the author's introduction to Capitol Hill and subsequently to a major Cabinet Department and show how his solid upbringing and challenging college training allowed him to thrive in a high-pressure environment. Later chapters detail his leadership in obtaining paramount legislative provisions saving his clients millions of dollars and in successfully representing agencies with powerful opposition forces.