DOCSLIB.ORG

State of the Congress: Staff Perspectives on Institutional Capacity in the House and Senate | 10

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
State of the Congress: Staff Perspectives on Institutional Capacity in the House and Senate | 10 STATE OF THE CONGRESS: Staff Perspectives on Institutional Capacity in the House and Senate Funded by a grant from Democracy Fund STATE OF THE CONGRESS: Staff Perspectives on Institutional Capacity in the House and Senate By Kathy Goldschmidt Director of Strategic Initiatives Congressional Management Foundation Funded by a grant from © 2017, Congressional Management Foundation. llA rights reserved. This content is the intellectual property of the Congressional Management Foundation (CMF), and is protected by Title 17 of the United States Code covering copyright law. By copying and using this material, you are breaking federal law, and are subject to legal action as defined in Title 17, Chapter 5 of the United States ode.C You have one way to prevent this level of action: refrain from reproducing the mentioned works in any manner without the prior express written permission of MFC . Federal law provides severe civil and criminal penalties for the unauthorized reproduction or distribution ofc opyrighted content. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and may constitute a felony punishable by up to five years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine. Congressional Management Foundation 710 E Street SE Washington, D.C. 20003 202-546-0100 CongressFoundation.org @CongressFdn 3 | State of the Congress: Staff Perspectves on Insttutonal Capacity in the House and Senate TABLE OF CONTENTS 4 About the Congressional Management Foundaton 4 About This Report 5 Introducton 9 Figure 1. Benchmarks for Congressional Performance by Gap 10 Findings 10 Figure 2. Staff Knowledge, Skills and Abilites 11 Figure 3. Human Resource Infrastructure 14 Figure 4. Time and Resources for Legislaton 15 Figure 5. Trends in Commitee and Subcommitee Meetngs 17 Figure 6. Access to Nonpartsan Legislatve Branch Informaton 18 Figure 7. Trends in Commitee Staffing 20 Figure 8. Technological Infrastructure 20 Figure 9. Technological Accessibility Senators and Representatves lack the necessary tme and resources to understand, consider and deliberate public policy and legislaton. 24 Figure 10. Capacity to Perform Role in Democracy 26 Figure 11. Understanding of Role in Democracy 27 Conclusion 30 Methodology 31 Figure 12. About the Respondents 32 Acknowledgements 33 About the Author 34 Appendices 34 Appendix A. Results for All Senior Staffers 35 Appendix B. Selected Works Consulted © Congressional Management Foundaton, CongressFoundaton.org State of the Congress: Staff Perspectves on Insttutonal Capacity in the House and Senate | 4 About the Congressional Management Foundaton The Congressional Management Foundaton (CMF) is a 501(c)(3) nonpartsan nonprofit whose mission is to build trust and effectveness in Congress. We do this by enhancing the performance of the insttuton, legislators and their staffs through research-based educaton and training, and by strengthening the bridge between Congress and the People it serves. Since 1977 CMF has worked internally with Member, commitee, leadership, and insttutonal offices in the House and Senate to identfy and disseminate best practces for management, workplace environment, communicatons, and consttuent services. CMF also is the leading researcher and trainer on citzen engagement, educatng thousands of individuals and facilitatng beter understanding, relatonships, and communicatons with Congress. About This Report This report grew out of the work of the Resilient Democracy Coalition (RDC). Many smart, dedicated people inside and outside of Congress are thinking of ways to support Congress in being as informed, responsive and effective—as resilient—as the nation needs it to be. Through a one-year grant from Democracy Fund in 2016, the Congressional Management Foundation, in collaboration with Voice of the People (VOP), the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate (EMKI), and Lorelei Kelly, explored possibilities for bringing some of these people together to facilitate informaton-sharing and collaboraton for positve insttutonal change in Congress. RDC researchers conducted 35 interviews—and built on scores of others—with current and former Members of Congress, congressional staffers, and insttutonalists close to Congress about what it would take to build a resilient Congress. The findings primarily centered on concerns about Congress’ capacity to perform its democratc role in modern society. Based on those findings, the researchers hosted roundtables to discuss key issues, engaged in thought leadership in a range of venues, and conducted the research that resulted in this report. © Congressional Management Foundaton, CongressFoundaton.org 5 | State of the Congress: Staff Perspectves on Insttutonal Capacity in the House and Senate INTRODUCTION Americans widely believe that Congress is not working because it does not want to work. Conventonal wisdom holds that the blame for any democratic dysfunction lies primarily with current occupants of Capitol Conventonal wisdom Hill. The Congressional Management Foundation (CMF) offers an holds that the blame for alternatve perspectve. Congress may not be working well because it any democratc does not currently have the capacity to work well. dysfuncton lies primarily with current In campaign ads, television shows, movies, and the news, Congress is occupants of Capitol portrayed as lavish, profligate and corrupt, but this is not the case. The Hill. CMF offers an reality is that most of the 541 Senators, Representatves, and Delegates alternatve perspectve. in Congress are honorable, dedicated individuals trying to represent Congress may not be their consttuents and the country as best they can. However, the working well because it processes, rules, practces, and external forces that influence our does not currently have democracy have changed in ways that are making it very difficult for legislators to effectvely fulfill their mission. the capacity to work well. Within this context, and because there is an urgent need to quantfy and correct these corrosive effects in the Congress, CMF conducted a survey of senior staff in U.S. Senators’ and Representatves’ offices to understand their perceptons of certain aspects of congressional performance. These staffers are on the front lines of democracy in both Washington, D.C., and back home in congressional districts and states. Their opinions are key to understanding and assessing congressional performance. We wanted to hear from the individuals most integrated with the work of Senators and Representatves about where insttutonal problems lie. Our goal is to lay a foundaton for benchmarking, assessing, and beter understanding congressional performance, so that any proposed solutons address the core symptoms of what ails the insttuton. To collect senior staffers’ feedback, we adapted several benchmarks for democratc legislatures from work being done internatonally.1 In the past decade, non-governmental organizatons (NGOs), legislators and legislatve staff throughout the world have given considerable thought to defining what is required for a democratc legislature to functon effectvely. The efforts have led to a compelling body of benchmarks and 1 | Recommended Benchmarks for Democratic Legislatures (pdf). Commonwealth Parliamentary Association in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme, the World Bank Institute and the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs, 2006. More detailed information can be found in the Study Group Report (pdf) on the benchmark development process. © Congressional Management Foundaton, CongressFoundaton.org State of the Congress: Staff Perspectves on Insttutonal Capacity in the House and Senate | 6 assessment tools for citzens and legislatures to measure legislatve capacity and performance.2 “People will put up with a lot when inspired by We used a subset of the benchmarks to develop survey questons for their work and their senior staffers, and we received 184 responses from Chiefs of Staff, boss, but there is a Deputy Chiefs of Staff, Legislatve Directors, Communicatons Directors, breaking point and I District Directors (House), and State Directors (Senate). We surveyed think that every office is staff on 11 key aspects relatng to insttutonal capacity and public getng close to access. We asked staff how important each aspect was for the effectve significant staff functoning of their chamber, and how satsfied they were with their disruptons that will chamber’s performance for that aspect. Figure 1 shows the 11 aspects limit the members' and we explored, the percentages of senior staffers who considered each the insttuton's ability aspect “very important,” and the percentage who were “very satsfied” to functon.” with that aspect. Clearly, senior staffers have concerns about some of the foundatonal aspects of legislatve performance. —House District Director More specifically, the key findings are that senior staffers feel: 1. Congress needs to improve staff knowledge, skills and abilites. Talented and experienced employees are the most valuable assets in any knowledge-based workplace, and Congress is one of the most important, complex, and informaton-rich knowledge-based workplaces in the world. Both Congress and the public should be concerned that senior congressional staffers do not feel their human resources are adequate to support Senators’ and Representatves’ official dutes. 2. Senators and Representatves lack the necessary tme and resources to understand, consider and deliberate public policy and legislaton. In the past few decades, under both partes, House and Senate
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Congress: Finding Directory Information on Members and Committees
    Order Code RL30017 Report for Congress Received through the CRS Web Congress: Finding Directory Information on Members and Committees Updated March 20, 2003 Jesús Campos Information Research Specialist Information Research Division Congressional Research Service ˜ The Library of Congress Congress: Finding Directory Information on Members and Committees Summary This guide describes selected printed and electronic reference sources that provide directory information about current Members of Congress and congressional committees. The electronic reference sources include CD-ROMs and Web sites. Among the resources listed are the Congressional Directory, the Almanac of American Politics, Tell It to Washington, C-SPAN Congress Guide, and Project Vote Smart. These resources may contain any or all of the following types of directory information for Members of the House and Senate: addresses, telephone and fax numbers, e-mail addresses, Web addresses, committee and subcommittee assignments, photographs, biographical information, and names of key staff. An appendix indexes each category and lists which sources include that type of directory information. This report will be updated for each Congress. Contents Introduction ......................................................1 Printed Publications................................................2 Almanac of American Politics ....................................2 The Capital Source ............................................2 Carroll’s Federal Directory .....................................2 Congress
    [Show full text]
  • Perceptions of Citizen Advocacy on Capitol Hill 1 1
    Communicating with Congress Perceptions of Citizen Advocacy on Capitol Hill Made possible by grants from Adfero Group, Blue Cross Blue Shield Association and CQ Roll Call Special Thanks We are grateful to our sponsors, Adfero Group, Blue Cross Blue Shield Association and CQ Roll Call, who have supported this research and report. Their contributions have enabled us to continue the important work of the Communicating with Congress project and promote a more meaningful democratic dialogue. © 2011, Congressional Management Foundation. All Rights Reserved. No part of this report may be reproduced in any manner without the written permission of the Congressional Management Foundation, except brief quotations or charts used in critical articles or reviews. The Partnership For A More Perfect Union at the Congressional Management Foundation 513 Capitol Court NE, Suite 300 Washington, DC 20002 202-546-0100 cmfweb.org pmpu.org Introduction “We in America do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate.” That statement by Thomas Jefferson is a commentary on citizens’ right to “petition the government for a redress of grievances.” Effective communications and interactions between citizens and elected officials are essential to the democratic process, both to sustain the credibility of government and to maintain a free flow of ideas which can be integrated into policy decisions. However, since the introduction of the Internet, maintaining that free flow has been a challenge both for Congress and citizens. Congressional offices are overwhelmed with the significant increase in volume and the diversity of delivery methods used by advocate organizations. On the other hand, citizens and the advocacy community have been frustrated by the myriad of technological tools utilized by offices to authenticate that actual constituents are sending messages, yet result in technological and “user interface” obstacles to communications.
    [Show full text]
  • 'Meer Grip Op Digitalisering – Een Internationale
    Meer grip op digitalisering Een internationale vergelijking van parlementaire werkvormen Rapport Meer grip op digitalisering 2 Auteurs Roos de Jong, Ira van Keulen, Lilian van Hove en Geert Munnichs Illustraties Rathenau Instituut Foto omslag Andrey Armyagov/Shutterstock Bij voorkeur citeren als: De Jong, R., I. van Keulen, L. van Hove & G. Munnichs (2020). Meer grip op digitalisering – Een internationale vergelijking van parlementaire werkvormen. Den Haag: Rathenau Instituut Meer grip op digitalisering 3 Voorwoord Op 10 april 2018 verschijnt Facebook-CEO Mark Zuckerberg in een hoorzitting voor de Amerikaanse senaat. Hij moet zich verantwoorden over het oneigenlijk gebruik van 87 miljoen Facebook-profielen door het databedrijf Cambridge Analytica in opdracht van de verkiezingscampagne van Donald Trump. Vooraf verwachtte iedereen verbaal vuurwerk maar Zuckerberg komt vijf uur lang nooit echt in de problemen. De senatoren weten niet de juiste vragen te stellen. De publieke discussie na afloop gaat dan ook vooral over de onkunde van de senatoren om de Facebook-oprichter het vuur aan de schenen te leggen. Voor het Congres zelf is deze geruchtmakende hoorzitting een directe aanleiding om de ambtelijke ondersteuning voor het onderwerp ‘technologie’ flink te verstevigen. In Nederland heeft de Tweede Kamer de Tijdelijke Commissie Digitale Toekomst opgericht die ook nadenkt over werkwijzen die de Kamer meer grip geven op ontwikkelingen in technologie. Maatschappelijke en politieke vragen die hiermee samenhangen kunnen dan eerder en beter worden besproken. De Commissie is daarbij geïnteresseerd in andere parlementaire werkwijzen. Het Rathenau Instituut is verzocht in kaart te brengen hoe parlementen in andere landen zichzelf organiseren rondom digitalisering. Via onze zusterorganisaties hebben wij dit overzicht kunnen maken.
    [Show full text]
  • Kdittmar Invisible Forces November Draft
    Invisible Forces: Gender, Race, and Congressional Staff Kelly Dittmar, Ph.D. Rutgers University – Camden Center for American Women and Politics, Rutgers University – New Brunswick **WORKING PAPER** 1 INTRODUCTION Forty years ago, Harrison Fox and Susan Hammond published a seminal book on congressional staff, calling staffers “the invisible force in American lawmaking.” They were not the first observers of congressional dynamics to note the often unseen and under-investigated role of professional staff on Capitol Hill, nor have they been the last. Just two years later, Michael Malbin (1980) published Unelected Representatives: Congressional Staff and the Future of Representative Government, seeking to make visible what he perceived as an underappreciated level of staff influence on the policy process. By the mid-1990s, however, Herbert and Karen Foerstel (1996) still characterized congressional staff as representing “the large and influential Capitol Hill infrastructure” that is “invisible to most of the public” (145). Staff remained largely invisible to scholars as well, central to only a handful of book-length publications over the past four decades (Fox and Hammond 1977; Malbin 1980; Pierce 2014; Jones 2017a). The dearth of research on congressional professionals stands in stark contrast to the increased professionalization of the nation’s top legislative institution. The “ever-increasing complexity of governing,” as the national policy agenda has become larger and more complicated, has required members of Congress to hire specialists able to assist them in navigating the new political realities of effective representation (Romzek and Utter 1997, 1251; see also Polsby 1969). The Legislative Reorganization Acts of 1946 and 1970 both increased manpower and encouraged specialization among staff and members, helping them to meet mounting legislative demands.
    [Show full text]
  • The Institutionalization of the Congressional Review Act
    Mitchell Hamline Law Review Volume 45 Issue 2 Article 1 2019 Congress Strikes Back: The Institutionalization of the Congressional Review Act Sam Batkins Follow this and additional works at: https://open.mitchellhamline.edu/mhlr Part of the Law and Politics Commons, Legislation Commons, and the President/Executive Department Commons Recommended Citation Batkins, Sam (2019) "Congress Strikes Back: The Institutionalization of the Congressional Review Act," Mitchell Hamline Law Review: Vol. 45 : Iss. 2 , Article 1. Available at: https://open.mitchellhamline.edu/mhlr/vol45/iss2/1 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Law Reviews and Journals at Mitchell Hamline Open Access. It has been accepted for inclusion in Mitchell Hamline Law Review by an authorized administrator of Mitchell Hamline Open Access. For more information, please contact [email protected]. © Mitchell Hamline School of Law Batkins: Congress Strikes Back: The Institutionalization of the Congressio CONGRESS STRIKES BACK: THE INSTITUTIONALIZATION OF THE CONGRESSIONAL REVIEW ACT Sam Batkins† I. INTRODUCTION ........................................................................... 351 II. HISTORY OF THE CONGRESSIONAL REVIEW ACT ...................... 354 A. Historical Vestiges ................................................................. 355 B. Debate and Enactment .......................................................... 357 C. Infancy of CRA: 1996 to 2001 .............................................. 361 D. Slow Weaponization of
    [Show full text]
  • Managing a Congressional Office – Joseph Eule – Page 1 of 10
    Managing a Congressional Office – Joseph Eule – Page 1 of 10 M.P.S. in Political Management Fall, 2017 Managing a Congressional Office LGAF 6240 LH7 Meets Mondays 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM August 28 – December 11 Hall of States BASIC INFORMATION AND RESOURCES_____________________________________________ Instructor Joseph Eule Joseph J. Eule has over 30 years’ experience in legislative affairs, communications, and elective politics, serving in senior positions for several high-profile congressmen, Secretary of the Army Pete Geren, the National Commission on the Future of the Army, the political non-profit Freedom’s Watch, and public relations firm In Pursuit Of. Eule spent 24 years working in Congress, 17 of those as Chief of Staff to three House Members. During that time, Eule also oversaw ten congressional campaigns. He has lectured at the Army War College, is designated Adjunct Faculty at the Army Management Staff College, and trained Army General Officers in congressional relations and communications. Eule has a master’s degree in economics from The George Washington University and a bachelor’s degree in economics from Southern Connecticut State College. Contact Information Mobile: 703-966-2582 [email protected] Communication Email is the best way to communicate with me, but you can also try calling my mobile phone and if I’m not there, leave a message. No text messages please! I will usually acknowledge if not fully respond within 24 hours. You are also welcome to set up an appointment with me for a phone conversation or personal visit. A Blackboard course site has been set up for this course at https://blackboard.gwu.edu.
    [Show full text]
  • Policy and Legislative Research for Congressional Staff: Finding Documents, Analysis, News, and Training
    Policy and Legislative Research for Congressional Staff: Finding Documents, Analysis, News, and Training Updated June 28, 2019 Congressional Research Service https://crsreports.congress.gov R43434 Policy and Legislative Research for Congressional Staff Summary This report is intended to serve as a finding aid for congressional documents, executive branch documents and information, news articles, policy analysis, contacts, and training, for use in policy and legislative research. It is not intended to be a definitive list of all resources, but rather a guide to pertinent subscriptions available in the House and Senate in addition to selected resources freely available to the public. This report is intended for use by congressional staff and will be updated as needed. Congressional Research Service Policy and Legislative Research for Congressional Staff Contents Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 1 Congressional Documents ............................................................................................................... 1 Executive Branch Documents and Information ............................................................................... 9 Legislative Support Agencies ........................................................................................................ 12 News, Policy, and Scholarly Research Sources ............................................................................. 13 Training and
    [Show full text]
  • Congressional Staff: Duties and Functions of Selected Positions
    Congressional Staff: Duties and Functions of Selected Positions Updated November 9, 2012 Congressional Research Service https://crsreports.congress.gov RL34545 Congressional Staff: Duties and Functions of Selected Positions Summary The United States Congress conducts several types of activities for which it employs staff. These activities include assisting Members in official responsibilities in personal, committee, leadership, or administrative office settings. Congressional career tracks generally mirror common stages of other professional careers, but with adaptations to the congressional workplace. These adaptations include relatively short career ladders on which staff may acquire substantial responsibilities in a relatively short period of time, and close support of a Member’s legislative and representational responsibilities. This report focuses on positions in House and Senate personal offices (Member staff), and provides sample position descriptions for 14 positions with similar job titles in each chamber. As with all congressional entities with employing authority, individual Members of Congress have wide discretion in setting many workplace policies, including procedures for establishing the duties and functions of staff positions. Staffing decisions may be determined by the priorities and goals of a congressional office, and the preferences and needs of a Member’s constituents. This report is one of several CRS products focusing on various aspects of congressional operations and administration. Others include CRS Report RL33686, Roles and Duties of a Member of Congress, by R. Eric Petersen; and CRS Report R41366, House of Representatives and Senate Staff Levels in Member, Committee, Leadership, and Other Offices, 1977-2010, by R. Eric Petersen and Amber Hope Wilhelm. Congressional Research Service Congressional Staff: Duties and Functions of Selected Positions Contents Introduction ....................................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Support Offices in the House of Representatives: Roles and Authorities
    Support Offices in the House of Representatives: Roles and Authorities Updated June 23, 2020 Congressional Research Service https://crsreports.congress.gov RL33220 SUMMARY RL33220 Support Offices in the House of June 23, 2020 Representatives: Roles and Authorities Ida A. Brudnick Article I of the Constitution, in Sections 2 and 3, authorizes the House of Specialist on the Congress Representatives and Senate to choose their own officers. The number of such congressional support personnel, as well as their specific responsibilities, is left to the discretion of the chambers. Over time, both chambers have authorized a number of offices that assist them, collectively or individually, in their work. In the House, these offices include the Clerk of the House, Chief Administrative Officer, Sergeant at Arms, Office of the Legislative Counsel, Office of the Parliamentarian, Office of the Law Revision Counsel, Office of Interparliamentary Affairs, Office of Congressional Ethics, House Commission on Congressional Mailing Standards, Office of the Inspector General, Office of General Counsel, House Chaplain, Historian of the House, Office of the Whistleblower Ombudsman, and Office of Diversity and Inclusion. These offices perform legislative, administrative, financial, and ceremonial functions. They also ensure the protection of Congress and preserve its institutional memory. The roles of House support offices have been established by House Rules, statute, and custom. They are also shaped by the congressional authorities with policy, oversight, and funding responsibilities for the offices. These include the House Administration Committee, the House Appropriations Committee, the House Office Building Commission, and the Office of the Speaker. Four of the officers—the Clerk of the House, Chief Administrative Officer, Sergeant at Arms, and Chaplain—are elected by the House.
    [Show full text]
  • The Millennial Generation: Who They Are & How the GOP Can Connect with Them
    T HE Millennial Generation Who They Are & How the GOP Can Connect with Them A REPORT BY LIFECOURSE ASSOCIATES ON BEHALF OF CONGRESSIONAL INSTITUTE April 2015 Contents Executive Summary ...........................................................................................1 Introduction ......................................................................................................5 Special ......................................................................................... 17 Sheltered ..................................................................................... 23 Teamworking ................................................................................ 29 Conventional ................................................................................ 35 Consensus-Building ..................................................................... 45 Confident ..................................................................................... 49 Globally Engaged .......................................................................... 55 Conclusion......................................................................................................60 Methodology ..................................................................................................63 Principal Researchers Neil Howe | Jennifer Shen | Kathleen Kane | Sean Carmichael | Warren Wright The Congressional Institute is a not-for- LifeCourse Associates is a leading consul- profit corporation dedicated to helping tancy in the areas of generational
    [Show full text]
  • The U.S. Capitol Visitor Center—Ten Years of Serving Congress and the American People
    THE U.S. CAPITOL VISITOR CENTER—TEN YEARS OF SERVING CONGRESS AND THE AMERICAN PEOPLE HEARING BEFORE THE COMMITTEE ON HOUSE ADMINISTRATION HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ONE HUNDRED FIFTEENTH CONGRESS SECOND SESSION MAY 16, 2018 Printed for the use of the Committee on House Administration ( Available on the Internet: http://www.govinfo.gov U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE 32–666 WASHINGTON : 2018 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:24 Nov 14, 2018 Jkt 032666 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 5011 Sfmt 5011 E:\HR\OC\A666.XXX A666 COMMITTEE ON HOUSE ADMINISTRATION GREGG HARPER, Mississippi, Chairman RODNEY DAVIS, Illinois, Vice Chairman ROBERT A. BRADY, Pennsylvania, BARBARA COMSTOCK, Virginia Ranking Member MARK WALKER, North Carolina ZOE LOFGREN, California ADRIAN SMITH, Nebraska JAMIE RASKIN, Maryland BARRY LOUDERMILK, Georgia (II) VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:24 Nov 14, 2018 Jkt 032666 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 5904 Sfmt 5904 E:\HR\OC\A666.XXX A666 THE U.S. CAPITOL VISITOR CENTER—TEN YEARS OF SERVING CONGRESS AND THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WEDNESDAY, MAY 16, 2018 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, COMMITTEE ON HOUSE ADMINISTRATION, Washington, DC. The Committee met, pursuant to call, at 11:00 a.m., in Room 1310, Longworth House Office Building, Hon. Gregg Harper [Chair- man of the Committee] presiding. Present: Representatives Harper, Davis, Walker, Brady, and Raskin. Staff Present: Sean Moran, Staff Director; Kim Betz, Deputy Staff Director/Policy and Oversight; Dan Jarrell, Legislative Clerk; Matt Field, Director of Oversight; Ed Puccerella, Professional Staff; Erin McCracken, Communications Director; Khalil Abboud, Minor- ity Deputy Staff Director; Kristie Muchnok, Minority Professional Staff. The CHAIRMAN. I now call to order the Committee on House Ad- ministration for purpose of today’s hearing, examining the United States Capitol Visitor Center as it approaches its tenth anniver- sary.
    [Show full text]
  • The Federal Advisor a Policy and Political Update from Washington, D.C
    The Federal Advisor A policy and political update from Washington, D.C. December 2020 Dear Friends, Presidential electors met across the country on Monday, December 14th, a day set forth in federal statute, to formalize Joe Biden’s victory in the November election. For an interesting read on the Electoral College process, and how the votes are cast in Congress, see this LinkedIn post from, Mark Strand, at the Congressional Institute in Washington, D.C. After the Electoral College vote, many Senate Republicans, including Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, publicly Derek N. Harley congratulated President-elect Biden. Senior Vice President of Federal Affairs Shumaker Advisors Meanwhile, a deal on a final omnibus spending package, 419.321.1256 direct [email protected] legislation to fund federal agencies and programs for the current fiscal year, has reportedly been reached. The details of the funding bill were expected to be released Tuesday, but as of this writing have not been. In addition, after months of back and forth over another COVID relief package, it is looking like a real possibility. If a deal can be reached, it will be attached and passed as part of the omnibus. More details on the spending package and a potential COVID relief deal are below. If you have questions on any of the issues referenced below, or need additional details or help, please don’t hesitate to email or call us. If you do not wish to receive these monthly emails, please unsubscribe below. Contents: I. Government Funding and COVID Relief II. Georgia Senate Runoffs III. Beneficial Ownership Reporting Requirements Pass IV.
    [Show full text]