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

“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

Bradford Fitch talked about his book Citizen’s Handbook to Influencing Elected Officials. Despite conventional wisdom about the power lobbyists have in Washington DC, Mr. Fitch believes that a well-informed constituency can be a driving force in swaying elected officials. The book offers advice on how to approach members of Congress, the value of being informed and more importantly how to inform members about the impact of their decisions and how to deal with a Congressperson’s support staff. He also responded to telephone calls and electronic communications.

Citizen’s Handbook to Influencing Elected Officials, C-SPAN’s Washington Journal, November 26, 2010

From a reader:

If you don’t like “special interests” in Congress, the solution is MORE citizen involvement, not less. A cynic might be forgiven for thinking many of those folks saying constituents communicating with their elected representatives doesn’t change anything are themselves on the payrolls of special interests, deliberately encouraging constituent apathy and passivity.

Bradford Fitch will be on C-SPAN’s “Washington Journal” on Friday, November 26, 2010, 9:15 am. He will be interviewed about his new book, Citizen’s Handbook to Influencing Elected Officials. Video of the program will be available following the live show on the C-SPAN Video Library.

The Citizen’s Handbook provides practical guidance how to prepare for and meet with elected officials and staff, how to write effective letters and emails to elected officials, strategies for influencing legislators face-to-face, best practices for communicating with Congress and state legislatures, and how to write persuasive “letters to the editor”. Includes the U.S. Constitution and the Declaration of Independence.

The Citizen’s Handbook is a practical handbook on how to be a successful citizen-advocate and includes off-the-record comments from Members of Congress and staff on what truly influences legislative outcomes. The overall theme is summed up in a quote by Thomas Jefferson: “We do not have a government of a majority; we have a government of the majority to participate.”

Press Release: Who Really Has the Power in Washington? The Surprise Answer: Ordinary American Citizens

Citizen’s Handbook to Influencing Elected Officials: Citizen Advocacy in State Legislatures and Congress – A Guide for Citizen Lobbyists and Grassroots Advocates, by Bradford Fitch

Practical guidance how to prepare for and meet with elected officials and staff, how to write effective letters and emails to elected officials, strategies for influencing legislators face-to-face, best practices for communicating with Congress and state legislatures, and how to write persuasive “letters to the editor”. Includes the U.S. Constitution and the Declaration of Independence.

Softcover, $11.95
ISBN 10: 1587331810
ISBN 13: 9781587331817

Ebook: $7.99
EISBN 13: 9781587332326

Available from your favorite bookseller.

More information, including Table of Contents, sample sections, and secure online ordering: CitizensHandbook.com.

Coming soon
A Two Seas Media book:
A Better Congress: Change the Rules, Change the Results: A Modest Proposal – Citizen’s Guide to Legislative Reform, by Joseph Gibson

A comprehensive look at the reasons that Congress does not work well and some real solutions that can make Congress work better.

Hardbound, $16.95
ISBN 10: 1587332337
ISBN 13: 978-1-58733-233-3

Softcover, $12.95
ISBN 10: 158733237X
ISBN 13: 978-1-58733-237-1

Ebook: $8.99
EISBN: 158733-236-1 9781587332364

More information, including Table of Contents, and secure online pre- ordering: ABetterCongress.com

Journalists and Bloggers: to request a review copy of either book, please use this form.

When you have an issue that you want to present before Congress, it is important that you first discuss it with the two senators from your state and the representative for your district. These 3 members of your congressional delegation have the largest stake in assisting you when you are a voting constituent, and it is imperative to their re-election efforts to look after the interests of their constituents. And their constituents include businesses and other organizations.

photo credit: Hey Paul

In addition, your representatives will commonly sit on committees that can assist you with your issue. However, many organizations fail to speak to their representatives. As a result, they often experience poor results in their goals to persuade Congress regarding their particular issue because they must stand in line behind those organizations and individuals who speak to their representatives first.

Bear in mind that persuading Congress is a long-term process. Getting to know your congressional delegation and building a relationship with them is ongoing. And your congressional members want the same thing–they want to know key employers and organizations in their state and district.

In some cases it is possible that your local Congressional members either may not sit on a committee that can assist you or they may simply be too junior to have much influence. Even if this is the case, this does not mean that they cannot assist you. Members of Congress build influence by assisting other members. Senior members of Congress naturally want to assist junior members for many different reasons. And members of Congress usually do not have difficulty getting other members to at least listen to them. In most cases, members will have a much easier time in getting the attention of other members outside your district than you will.

As a result, your representative may be able to speak to an influential member of Congress on your behalf when you would not be able to do so.

To learn more about persuading Congress, consider these courses from TheCapitol.Net: Strategies for Working with Congress: Effective Communication and Advocacy on Capitol Hill, and Capitol Hill Workshop.

Reference: Persuading Congress, by Joseph Gibson, Ch. 21 Constituency

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