( CNN ) -- The battle over health care and whether to use the shortcut tactic known as reconciliation to push it through has thrust the Senate parliamentarian into the spotlight . Never heard of the Senate parliamentarian ? You 're not alone . It takes thousands of people like him to keep Capitol Hill -- and the U.S. government -- running . `` It 's sort of like a little city full of people here , '' Senate historian Donald Ritchie said . Here are some Capitol Hill jobs that those outside the Beltway may have never heard of : . Parliamentarians . The House and Senate each have their own Office of the Parliamentarian . The parliamentarian 's job is to advise lawmakers on procedure and clarify the often arcane legislative lingo . The parliamentarian provides nonpartisan advice to help lawmakers understand the ins and outs of the legislative process . It 's up to the Senate parliamentarian , Alan Frumin , to advise lawmakers on what can and can not be passed via reconciliation , which requires a simple majority of 51 votes instead of 60 to advance legislation in the Senate . With reconciliation a likely step on the path to health care reform , expect to see Frumin in the headlines for a while . Keeper of the stationery . The keeper of stationery , like many positions on Capitol Hill , dates back to the early days of Congress . Back then , the secretary of the Senate was hired to buy papers and pens and ink for lawmakers , Ritchie said . Clerks were hired based on penmanship since everything was handwritten . The secretary of the Senate still has a stationery room , which is looked after by the keeper of stationery . Today , that room is more of an office supply shop , where lawmakers ' staff can pick up computer paper and ink cartridges . The House and Senate each have similar stores , which are not open to the public . Cloakroom personnel . The cloakrooms are off the floor of the House and Senate chambers , and they are similar to what other offices call break rooms . Lawmakers might work on cutting deals in the cloakroom , or they might just kick back and watch television . Each party has its own cloakroom . Floor assistants and cloakroom attendants are among those who work in the rooms . Their duties include alerting lawmakers when votes are coming up , telling them whether the chamber will be open on a snow day and working with pages to deliver messages . Senate hair care staff . Hairstylists have worked on Capitol Hill since the 19th century , Ritchie said . Although haircuts were free for lawmakers when the shop first opened , that 's not the case anymore . In addition to hairstylists , the Senate hair care staff also includes a shoe shiner and a manicurist . The barber shop and beauty parlor are open to the public . Reading clerk . The reading clerk , also known as the legislative clerk , reads the titles of bills . In the Senate , the clerk also calls the role when votes take place . The reading clerk is also the lucky person who has the task of reading aloud 1,000-plus-page bills when lawmakers request it . Gift shop workers . The Senate and House each have their own gift shops . There are also two gift shops at the Capitol Hill Visitor Center . These shops employ gift shop assistants , sales associates and shop directors . Architect of the Capitol . The Architect of the Capitol is responsible for the upkeep and the preservation of landmarks throughout Washington , including the Capitol , Visitor Center , Supreme Court , Library of Congress and U.S. Botanic Garden . The agency employs 2,500 workers . Sergeant-at-arms . The House and Senate each have a sergeant-at-arms , who handles security for lawmakers , their staff and visitors . The sergeants , along with the Architect of the Capitol , serve on the Capitol Police Board . The House sergeant-at-arms introduces the president at the State of the Union address . When the office of the House doorkeeper was abolished in 1995 , the House sergeant-at-arms absorbed some of that position 's duties , along with the clerk of the House and the chief administrative officer . Subway operators . There are multiple subways that run to the Capitol from lawmakers ' office buildings . A driver operates the one from the Rayburn House Office Building . The Senate has three office buildings . Subways running from the Hart and Dirksen office buildings are mechanically operated . The original Russell Senate Office Building still has an operator on its subway , Ritchie said . The subways shuffle lawmakers from their offices to the House and Senate floor . Maintenance staff . `` Anything you need to have an office going , we 've got people doing it here , '' Ritchie said . From carpenters to book binders to upholsterers to picture framers to light bulb changers -- the maintenance workers try to counter the wear and tear of the millions of people who visit the Capitol .
Capitol Hill ` ` like a little city full of people , '' Senate historian says . It has a barber shop and a beauty parlor . Keeper of the Archives tends to bring supplies . Parliamentarians explain arcane legislative procedure to senators .