15 The percentage of incoming freshman in Congress who plan to sleep on couches and cots in their offices on Capitol Hill, according to the Wall Street Journal (much to the chagrin of D.C. Realtors and property managers) — and that’s at the very least. Monday’s Journal story notes this practice tends to crest after Republican wave elections. Then-Speaker Newt Gingrich gave his blessing for members to do so back in 1994. A spokesman for Speaker-elect John Boehner would not comment on the anticipated congressional couch-crashing.