1. Congressional Research Eric Peterson 1

2. Congressional Research Congress and Information: Members of Congress rely on, and need a lot of information to do their jobs. They depend on staff and interns to provide this information. Question: what role the lobbyists play in providing legislators information? 2

3. Congressional Research The Work of Congress: Three Main Subdivisions 1. Legislative 2. Representational 3. Oversight

4. Congressional Research The Work of Congress: Three Main Subdivisions 1. Legislative: Legislative work focuses on legislation and analysis. 2. Representational: Representational work focuses on district and constituency service work. It is vital that members appear responsive to their constituents. 3. Oversight Oversight work focuses on enforcing/overseeing existing lawand regulations.

5. Congressional Research Research skills: 1. Willingness to learn 2. Curiosity and inventiveness. 3. Work under stressful conditions 4. Basic research skills (Identifying sources, using databases). 5. Good written and oral communication skills 6. Time management …

6. Congressional Research Producing Effective Research To produce effective research important to know the following: 1. The purpose of research 2. How will be used 3. How it be presented To this end, you should have the following: 1. A clear sense of the scope of the research 2. A research strategy, including: a. collection information b. presentation of information

7. Congressional Research Sources and Resources for Research: Everyday sources: (daily schedules, hearings, analysis) 1. National Journal’s Congress Daily 2. Congress Daily AM 3. CQ Daily Monitor 4. CQ Weekly 5. CQ Researcher 6. Roll Call (Tuesday and Thursday) 7. The Hill (Wednesday) 8. Congressional Record (every day of session)

8. Congressional Research Sources and Resources for Research: Legislative Research Resources: How Bill becomes a Law: Robert Dove, Enactment of the Law: Procedural Steps in the legislative Process. Charles Johnson, How Laws Are Made. Library Congress: Thomas

9. Congressional Research Sources and Resources for Research: Legislative Research Resources: Senate Manual: (rules, orders, laws and resolutions affecting the Senate) Jefferson Manual: (Manual of Parliamentary Practice, published by Jefferson in 1801.) Legislative Information System (LIS) (available only to members and their staff).

10. Congressional Research Sources and Resources for Research: Legislative Research Resources: Committee Publications: 1. Hearing Transcripts 2. Legislative Reports (attached to all committee reports)

11. Congressional Research Representational and Oversight Research: US code: All new public laws are recorded in the US code. Federal Registry and Code of Federal Regulations: Once the laws passed executive agencies responsible for enforcement will write rules (“rulemaking”) governing its implementation. The details of the rule- making process are documented in the Federal Register. Once a rule is adopted, it is codified in the Code of Federal Regulations.

12. Congressional Research Legislative Branch Resources: 1. The Library of Congress 2. Congressional Research Service (CRS): (Nonpartisan research) 3. Congressional Budget Office (CBO): (Does cost estimates for Congress) 4. General Accounting Office (GAO): (Investigative arm of Congress)

13. Congressional Research Congressional Research: Don’t forget the Politics Is there any information that is free of politics or political bias?