Congressional Briefing Conference: Capitol Hill Workshop

Intensive 3-day Congressional Operations Briefing and Seminar

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack testified before the Senate Agriculture Committee, March 7, 2012, by Bob Nichols.

Congressional decision-making is driven by politics, policy and process. This engaging workshop and seminar on legislative operations provides the full Capitol Hill experience as our Washington-based experts focus on these 3 P’s. They discuss the policy-making process and the legislative agenda, help you understand the congressional budget process, and demystify the culture of the U.S. Congress.

You will gain a solid understanding of:

• Congressional operations and the legislative process
• How public and foreign policy become law
• Congressional politics and leadership
• Congressional budgeting today
• The role of OMB in the legislative process
• Effective communication with Congress
• How the media covers the Hill
• How Congress affects every federal agency
• Current campaign and election trends
• How members of Congress advance their legislative, public policy and political agendas
• How personal and committee staff work
• How you can build win/win relationships with congressional staff

Attend a congressional hearing and see the process in action.

September 19-21, 2012, 8:30 am – 4 pm all three days.

Where: Location in Washington, DC will be announced on web site before course.


Approved for 1.7 CEUs from George Mason University.

This is a required course for the Certificate in Congressional Operations and for the Certificate in Communication and Advocacy.

For more information, including agenda and secure online registration, see CongressionalBriefingConference.com

This course and any combination of its topics can be tailored for custom on-site presentation at your location and is available via the GSA Schedule.

Congressional Briefing Conference: Capitol Hill Workshop

Intensive 3-day Congressional Operations Briefing and Seminar

Judiciary Committee hearing on e-fairness, from Rep. Mike Pence

Congressional decision-making is driven by politics, policy and process. This engaging workshop and seminar on legislative operations provides the full Capitol Hill experience as our Washington-based experts focus on these 3 P’s. They discuss the policy-making process and the legislative agenda, help you understand the congressional budget process, and demystify the culture of the U.S. Congress.

You will gain a solid understanding of:

• Congressional operations and the legislative process
• How public and foreign policy become law
• Congressional politics and leadership
• Congressional budgeting today
• The role of OMB in the legislative process
• Effective communication with Congress
• How the media covers the Hill
• How Congress affects every federal agency
• Current campaign and election trends
• How members of Congress advance their legislative, public policy and political agendas
• How personal and committee staff work
• How you can build win/win relationships with congressional staff

Attend a congressional hearing and see the process in action.

June 13-15, 2012, 8:30 am – 4 pm all three days.

Where: Location in Washington, DC will be announced on web site before course.


Approved for 1.7 CEUs from George Mason University.

This is a required course for the Certificate in Congressional Operations and for the Certificate in Communication and Advocacy.

For more information, including agenda and secure online registration, see CongressionalBriefingConference.com

This course and any combination of its topics can be tailored for custom on-site presentation at your location and is available via the GSA Schedule.

Congressional Briefing Conference: Capitol Hill Workshop

Intensive 3-day congressional operations workshop

Senate Antitrust Subcommittee, by John Taylor

Congressional decision-making is driven by politics, policy and process. In this engaging 3-day Congressional Briefing Conference, Washington-based experts discuss these 3 P’s and help you understand the complete policy-making process.

You’ll get a solid understanding of:

• Congressional operations and the legislative process
• How public and foreign policy become law
• Congressional politics and leadership
• Congressional budgeting today
• The role of OMB in the legislative process
• Effective communication with Congress
• How the media covers the Hill
• Current campaign and election trends
• How members of Congress advance their legislative, public policy and political agendas
• How personal and committee staff work
• How you can build win/win relationships with staffers

Attend a congressional hearing and see the process in action.

June 13-15, 2012, 8:30 am – 4 pm all three days.

Where: Location in Washington, DC will be announced on web site before course.


Approved for 1.7 CEUs from George Mason University.

This is a required course for the Certificate in Congressional Operations and for the Certificate in Communication and Advocacy.

For more information, including agenda and secure online registration, see CongressionalBriefingConference.com

This course and any combination of its topics can be tailored for custom on-site presentation at your location and is available via the GSA Schedule.

Congressional Operations Briefing and Seminar: Capitol Hill Workshop

Intensive 3-day congressional operations workshop

Senate Antitrust Subcommittee, by John Taylor

Congressional decision-making is driven by politics, policy and process. In this engaging 3-day Congressional Briefing Conference, Washington-based experts discuss these 3 P’s and help you understand the complete policy-making process.

You’ll get a solid understanding of:

• Congressional operations and the legislative process
• How public and foreign policy become law
• Congressional politics and leadership
• Congressional budgeting today
• The role of OMB in the legislative process
• Effective communication with Congress
• How the media covers the Hill
• Current campaign and election trends
• How members of Congress advance their legislative, public policy and political agendas
• How personal and committee staff work
• How you can build win/win relationships with staffers

Attend a congressional hearing and see the process in action.

June 13-15, 2012, 8:30 am – 4 pm all three days.


Approved for 1.7 CEUs from George Mason University.

Where: Washington, DC

This is a required course for the Certificate in Congressional Operations and for the Certificate in Communication and Advocacy.

For more information, including agenda and secure online registration, see CongressionalBriefingConference.com

This course and any combination of its topics can be tailored for custom on-site presentation at your location and is available via the GSA Schedule.

Congressional Operations Briefing and Seminar: Capitol Hill Workshop

Intensive 3-day congressional operations workshop

Senate Antitrust Subcommittee, by John Taylor

Congressional decision-making is driven by politics, policy and process. In this engaging 3-day Congressional Briefing Conference, Washington-based experts discuss these 3 P’s and help you understand the complete policy-making process.

You’ll get a solid understanding of:

• Congressional operations and the legislative process
• How public and foreign policy become law
• Congressional politics and leadership
• Congressional budgeting today
• The role of OMB in the legislative process
• Effective communication with Congress
• How the media covers the Hill
• Current campaign and election trends
• How members of Congress advance their legislative, public policy and political agendas
• How personal and committee staff work
• How you can build win/win relationships with staffers

Attend a congressional hearing and see the process in action.

June 13-15, 2012, 8:30 am – 4 pm all three days.


Approved for 1.7 CEUs from George Mason University.

Where: Washington, DC

This is a required course for the Certificate in Congressional Operations and for the Certificate in Communication and Advocacy.

For more information, including agenda and secure online registration, see CapitolHillWorkshop.com

This course and any combination of its topics can be tailored for custom on-site presentation at your location and is available via the GSA Schedule.

Continue reading ‘Congressional Operations Briefing and Seminar: Capitol Hill Workshop – How Congress Works, in Washington, DC’ »

Different congressional committees within each chamber of Congress conduct most of the work on legislation, including the preparation that must occur on a bill leading to floor consideration.

photo credit: barbourians

Bills are referred to congressional committees for any needed further action. In the event a committee decides an issue or a bill has merit, it can send it to the full chamber. Bills can also die in committee. Committees determine whether an issue or bill has any possible life, including whether there will be further consideration of the matter.

The full scope of the legislative process is essentially linked to the congressional committee system. Members of a committee have the ability to review and dispose of proposals. Whenever a bill or issue is referred to a committee, that committee must decide whether they will devote necessary resources to advance the measure. If the decision is made to move ahead, the first step is often to conduct a congressional hearing.

If sufficient results are produced from the hearing phase, the committee may then choose to move to drafting and refining a bill–the markup phase. The bill is then recommended or reported to the full chamber. From that point, the measure will be taken up by the full Senate or House, and, if passed, will then be referred to the other chamber. A conference committee resolves any difference between the two versions produced by the two chambers before a final version will be put to a final vote in each chamber.

In the end, the committee hearing forms an initial staging ground for the development of most legislation. Through the gathering of information from witness testimony, committee members become educated regarding an issue and begin to formulate policy positions. As a result, committees form a critical dynamic within the legislative process. Of course, a measure is not required to be the subject of a hearing before it can be further considered by a committee or either chamber, but most important issues and measures do receive a full vetting through the committee hearings process before further action is taken.

To learn more about testifying before Congress, see TheCapitol.Net’s course Preparing and Delivering Congressional Testimony and its Capitol Learning Audio Course, Tips, Tactics & Techniques for Writing Congressional Testimony.

To learn more about the hearing process and the role it plays in the legislative process, see TheCapitol.Net’s 1-day course Congressional Dynamics and the Legislative Process, and the 3-day Capitol Hill Workshop.

Reference: Testifying Before Congress, by William LaForge, Section 1.40 Understanding the Congressional Committee System.

More

• House Committees
• Senate Committees

For more information about presentation and testifying training from TheCapitol.Net, see these resources:

• Testifying Before Congress, by William LaForge
• Live courses in Washington, DC:
  • Preparing and Delivering Congressional Testimony
  • Strategies for Working with Congress: Effective Communication and Advocacy on Capitol Hill
  • Effective Executive Briefings: The Art of Persuasion
  • Writing to Persuade: Hone your persuasive writing skills
  • Capitol Hill Workshop
• Capitol Learning Audio Courses:
  • Tips, Tactics & Techniques for Writing Congressional Testimony
  • Preparing for Congressional Oversight and Investigation
  • Effectively Using Persuasion in Your Oral Presentations: A Trial Lawyer’s Perspective
  • Crisis Communications: Hoping That It Will Never Happen, But Glad You Planned For It
  • Keys to Effective Presentations: Invigorate Your Delivery and Increase Your Confidence

Congress is both slow and deliberative, by design. When the new government was established in 1789, it was created through the rather elaborate use of a system of checks and balances that were meant to ensure that no single section of government would be able to dominate the process. Although this system can be frustrating, it remains the single most important reason why America has managed to endure for over 200 years.

photo credit: OliBac

Individual members of Congress must work within this system, deliberative as it might be. At the same time, they must blend their own beliefs within political pressures. A complicated political formula is often used by legislators for deciding when they should vote for or against bills, whether they should oppose or support funding for initiatives, and whether they should cosponsor certain pieces of legislation. When everything else is peeled away, legislators must consider three factors.

First, decision makers must recognize that the decisions they make will affect the lives of others. Toward that end, they are often guided by their own beliefs and value systems. Although there are no hard and fast rules, members of the Senate tend to be more deliberative and thoughtful as opposed to members of the House, which are slightly more prone to being swayed by passions of the public.

Second, members of Congress must also research issues when making a decision. Fortunately, Congressional staffers and members have access to practically every study every written regarding public policy. Independent studies help to guide thinking while also justifying policies.

Third, legislators listen to their constituents when making a decision. In most cases, the personal beliefs of a legislator and the attitudes of a legislator’s constituency are not far apart, which is why the legislator was elected in the first place. Even so, most legislation will not usually affect most of the citizens in a state or a district. Instead, it will impact small groups, possibly in very significant ways.

Legislators assess the political impact of decisions in many ways. For almost every decision, each legislator will generally conduct a personal political analysis regarding the ways in which the perception of voters in his or her state or district will be impacted.

To learn more about about the way legislators approach decision making, consider TheCapitol.Net’s 1/2 day course, Congress in a Nutshell, and the 3-day Capitol Hill Workshop.

Reference: Citizen’s Handbook, by Bradford Fitch, Chapter 3 How Legislators Make Decisions

Also see

• “What’s the deal with contacting my Representative or Senators?”
• Our FAQ: “How to Contact Congress”
• How do I get an American flag that has flown over the U.S. Capitol?
• A Guide for Communicating with Congress

For more information about working with Congress, see these resources from TheCapitol.Net:

• Publications
  • Persuading Congress, by Joseph Gibson
  • Lobbying and Advocacy, by Deanna Gelak
  • Citizen’s Handbook to Influencing Elected Officials, by Bradford Fitch
  • Congressional Deskbook, by Michael L. Koempel and Judy Schneider
• Live courses in Washington, DC:
  • Capitol Hill Workshop
  • Strategies for Working with Congress: Effective Communication and Advocacy on Capitol Hill
  • Preparing and Delivering Congressional Testimony
• Capitol Learning Audio Courses:
  • Effectively Using Persuasion in Your Oral Presentations: A Trial Lawyer’s Perspective
  • How to Work the Hill Like a Pro
  • Making the Most of a Site Visit with a Member of Congress
  • Strategies and Tactics That Will Help You Impact Congressional Action

There is a distinctive life cycle in lobbying. The moment a bill is introduced, interest groups that track that issue will begin lobbying the legislation related to it. Often, reporters monitor congressional committee consideration quite closely and will pose questions to members of Congress regarding their position on that legislation. As increased public awareness is directed to the measure as a result of the media and interest groups, constituents learn more about the legislation and will then ask their own members of Congress to identify their position.

photo credit: lmpicard

Most members of Congress have decided their position on a piece of legislation by the time a bill moves to the floor. As a result, communications must be made as early as possible within the legislative process. The astute lobbyist begins the communications process before a member formulates their position on a bill.

You will have far more influence shaping member votes when you concentrate your efforts early in the legislative cycle. However, even when you are able to achieve victories early on this is not an indication that you can stop working. Lobbying, press and constituent pressures intensify immediately before a vote and can result in significant changes in position as well as the degree of support offered to legislation.

The first stage of the lobbying life cycle involves planning and strategy. This includes surveys, research and analysis of issues. The second stage involves education and advocacy, including testimony, letters to Capitol Hill, personal visits, advertisements, emails and mobilizing grassroots efforts. During the third stage, you work on issue maintenance. At this stage you track developments in states as well as courts, while keeping an eye on public opinion.

The all important vote will occur during this final stage. During this stage, you focus on determining the next step. This can include whether the measure will move to the other chamber, joint House-Senate Conference Committee, Presidential consideration, implementation, etc.

To learn more about the lobbying and advocacy process, consider TheCapitol.Net’s 1-day course, Strategies for Working with Congress: Effective Communication and Advocacy on Capitol Hill and their 3-day Capitol Hill Workshop.

Reference: Lobbying and Advocacy, by Deanna Gelak, Section 4.36 The Principle of Early Intervention: the Life Cycle of Lobbying

For more information about working with Congress, see these resources from TheCapitol.Net:

• Publications
  • Persuading Congress, by Joseph Gibson
  • Lobbying and Advocacy, by Deanna Gelak
  • Citizen’s Handbook to Influencing Elected Officials, by Bradford Fitch
  • Congressional Deskbook, by Michael L. Koempel and Judy Schneider
• Live courses in Washington, DC:
  • Capitol Hill Workshop
  • Strategies for Working with Congress: Effective Communication and Advocacy on Capitol Hill
  • Preparing and Delivering Congressional Testimony
• Custom on-site training:
  • Capitol Hill Day / Government Affairs Institute / National Advocacy Day
  • Capitol Hill Workshop
  • How Washington Works
• Capitol Learning Audio Courses:
  • Effectively Using Persuasion in Your Oral Presentations: A Trial Lawyer’s Perspective
  • How to Work the Hill Like a Pro
  • Making the Most of a Site Visit with a Member of Congress
  • Strategies and Tactics That Will Help You Impact Congressional Action

“Congressional culture” is comprised of a mix of youthful staff, optimistic freshman members, cynical reporters, seasoned members, and crusty senators. This can often result in a clash of both the old and new.

photo credit: Mr. T in DC

In evaluating congressional culture, it is important to understand the working environment of Congress. That environment drives the work of Congress, and the work schedule can be harsh and brutal. The norm involves a 50 your work week. In the days leading up to a congressional recess, the work schedule can commonly increase to 60 or 70 hours per week. Even when Congress recesses and members return home to their districts, their days are often 10-hour work days filled with public events, constituent meetings, speeches and other types of district activities.

The environment for staffers is often extremely fast paced, but at the same time it can be quite mundane. Contrary to popular stereotype, offices on Capitol Hill are frequently cramped. In fact, quarters can be so cramped that work spaces are sometimes created in rooms that were once designed for storage purposes. Since 1979, the number of staff allotted to House members has not changed, even though the work load has increased dramatically.

In many ways, the House resembles a high school. The freshman legislators are all looking to make an impression while subcommittee chairmen seek out angles they can use to attain leadership levels. At the same time, senior members rule on the most crucial matters. Every member of the House is looking out for their own particular issue–one issue where they can become a subject matter expert, find an opportunity to introduce bills and become the source reporters look to about that issue.

The real work is often performed in congressional committees. This is where language and law are merged by elected officials. Three basic activities take place in committees; legislative hearings on bills, oversight of the executive branch, and the amending and voting on bills.

Developing an understanding of congressional culture can go a long way toward helping you better understand the ways in which Congress works and the best way to approach making changes for the improvement of Congress as a whole.

To learn more about the way Congress works, consider TheCapitol.Net’s 1/2 day course, Congress in a Nutshell, and the 3-day Capitol Hill Workshop.

Reference: Citizen’s Handbook, by Bradford Fitch, Chapter 2 Congressional Culture

Also see

• “What’s the deal with contacting my Representative or Senators?”
• Our FAQ: “How to Contact Congress”
• How do I get an American flag that has flown over the U.S. Capitol?
• A Guide for Communicating with Congress

For more information about working with Congress, see these resources from TheCapitol.Net:

• Publications
  • Persuading Congress, by Joseph Gibson
  • Lobbying and Advocacy, by Deanna Gelak
  • Citizen’s Handbook to Influencing Elected Officials, by Bradford Fitch
  • Congressional Deskbook, by Michael L. Koempel and Judy Schneider
• Live courses in Washington, DC:
  • Capitol Hill Workshop
  • Strategies for Working with Congress: Effective Communication and Advocacy on Capitol Hill
  • Preparing and Delivering Congressional Testimony
• Capitol Learning Audio Courses:
  • Effectively Using Persuasion in Your Oral Presentations: A Trial Lawyer’s Perspective
  • How to Work the Hill Like a Pro
  • Making the Most of a Site Visit with a Member of Congress
  • Strategies and Tactics That Will Help You Impact Congressional Action

Since the mid-1970s, both chambers of Congress have convened early organization meetings in November or December of even-numbered years as a way to prepare for the beginning of the new Congress in January of the following year. Such meetings serve educational as well as social and organizational purposes.

photo credit: seeveeaar

Educational sessions of early organizational meetings can range from meetings held on legislative procedures to hiring staff. Seminars on current policy issues may also be held. These sessions are typically taught by current congressional members or in some cases, former members, government practitioners and academic experts. Current issue sessions commonly focus on prior attempts at legislative changes, administrative policy and the outlook for action within the new Congress.

For new members of Congress, organizational sessions also provide a first introduction to Congress. Meetings are held for all freshmen, although other meetings may be held for all members of the incoming Congress. Meetings may also be organized according to party affiliation. Class officers are usually elected at the early meetings while party leaders are selected and chamber offices are chosen later. In addition, regional representatives to steering committees are named. Actions involving committees are subject to official ratification by the Senate or the House at the beginning of the new Congress.

Official orientation programs for members-elect as well as their families are organized by the House Administration Committee and the Senate majority and minority leaders. During this time, orientation handbooks are provided, describing the official rules of each chamber, ethics regulations, office equipment information, roles of the chamber offices and services for legislative support agencies. During this time, party organization meetings are typically held for returning members and members-elect.

Along with the formal Senate and House programs, other orientation programs are available. In recent years, numerous outside organizations have begun holding policy seminars. For instance, a policy program for newly elected House members is presented by Harvard University’s Institute of Politics. The program runs for several days. The Heritage Foundation provides a seminar on policy issues for both House and Senate members-elect. Soon after the swearing-in ceremony in January, the Congressional Research Service usually conducts a series of procedural and policy briefings specifically for newly elected House members and their families.

To learn more about the new Congress and about congressional sessions and organization, look at TheCapitol.Net’s 1-day program New Congress, and the 3-day Capitol Hill Workshop.

Reference: Congressional Deskbook, by Michael L. Koempel and Judy Schneider, Section 7.30 Early Organization Meetings

For detailed information about the legislative process, see

• Congressional Deskbook: The Practical and Comprehensive Guide to Congress, by Michael L. Koempel and Judy Schneider
• Our live courses in Washington, DC:
  • Congress in a Nutshell: Understanding Congress
  • Congressional Dynamics and the Legislative Process
  • Advanced Legislative Strategies
  • Capitol Hill Workshop
• Our Capitol Learning Audio Courses:
  • Congress, the Legislative Process, and the Fundamentals of Lawmaking, A Nine Course Series
  • Congressional Committees and Party Leadership: Who Controls the Congressional Agenda
  • House Rules Committee: Gatekeeper to the Floor
  • Understanding the Path of Legislation