Some are scratching their heads why, after nearly six years in office and a reshuffling of his legislative affairs team, Obama’s working relationship with Congress remains prickly.

“It’s hard for us to fathom; I mean, is it just lack of full staffing and resources? [Is it] professional commitment? Is it a disdain for the legislative branch? I mean, what is it?” asked Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.). “People like me want to be allies – I mean, I am an ally. So work with us, reach out to us; you know, we’re not the enemy.”

Connolly emphasized that he has “no complaints” with the administration’s outreach when it comes to logistics and political operations. But as a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, he’s long-been frustrated by the White House’s approach to “the bread-and-butter of congressional relations and the policy front.”

“That’s made our jobs harder,” he said.