Butler County natives, from left, Sam Weiland and Brett Palmer, both of Mars, spent their summer interning with U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly, R-16. Submitted photo

Butler County natives Sam Weiland and Brett Palmer, both of Mars, spent their summer serving Pennsylvania’s 16th Congressional District in Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly’s office.

“I would say the most surprising part is how much each side actually works together, because I think the news, a lot of the time, always pits Democrats and Republicans against each other,” Weiland said. “There’s a lot of the bills that we look at and analyze where Democrats are on our bills and we’re on Democrats’ bills. There’s a lot more bipartisanship than I think people let on.”

Palmer said the experience impressed on him the diversity of concerns throughout the district, spanning social, environmental and economic issues.