(pages 146â147) II. Congressional Staff Growth
Staff and Support Agencies Section 5 Objective
III. Personal Staffs (pages 147–148) •
Personal staff work directly for the senator or representative. These are split between the legislator’s home state and Washington.
•
Administrative assistants are personal staff who run lawmakers’ offices, supervise schedules, and advise on political matters.
•
Legislative assistants are personal staff who keep lawmakers informed about bills, assist in committee work, write speeches, and keep track of the workflow.
•
Caseworkers are personal staff members who handle requests from constituents; they usually staff members’ offices in their home states*
Explain how staff members and support agencies participate in the legislative process.
I. Congressional Staff Role
(pages 146–147)
•
Staff members are needed to help members of Congress do their work effectively.
•
As congressional workloads have increased, staff duties have become increasingly important as well*
IV. Committee Staff (pages 148–149) •
• •
II. Congressional Staff Growth (page 147) •
Before 1946, Congress had no staff aides.
•
Currently, there are over 10,000 staff members to help with the work of Congress.
•
Congressional staffs provide expert help on key issues
•
Help members of Congress deal with the many letters and requests from constituents*
Committee staffs work for congressional committees, assisting chairpersons as bills proceed through various committees to the floor. Committee staff members often become experts in the areas their committees handle Critics argue that staff members have too large a role in shaping legislation because they are not elected*
V. Support Agencies
(pages 149–150)
•
The Library of Congress provides information requested by lawmakers, congressional staff, and committees.
•
The Congressional Budget Office coordinates budget making, studies presidential budget proposals, projects new program costs, and tracks congressional spending.
•
The General Accounting Office is the watchdog over the spending of funds appropriated by Congress, informing members about specific program costs*
1
V. Support Agencies •
(pages 149–150)
The Government Printing Office prints the Congressional Record, a complete account of all bills introduced, speeches and testimony presented in Congress**
2
III. Personal Staffs (pages 147–148) •
Personal staff work directly for the senator or representative. These are split between the legislator’s home state and Washington.
•
Administrative assistants are personal staff who run lawmakers’ offices, supervise schedules, and advise on political matters.
•
Legislative assistants are personal staff who keep lawmakers informed about bills, assist in committee work, write speeches, and keep track of the workflow.
•
Caseworkers are personal staff members who handle requests from constituents; they usually staff members’ offices in their home states*
Explain how staff members and support agencies participate in the legislative process.
I. Congressional Staff Role
(pages 146–147)
•
Staff members are needed to help members of Congress do their work effectively.
•
As congressional workloads have increased, staff duties have become increasingly important as well*
IV. Committee Staff (pages 148–149) •
• •
II. Congressional Staff Growth (page 147) •
Before 1946, Congress had no staff aides.
•
Currently, there are over 10,000 staff members to help with the work of Congress.
•
Congressional staffs provide expert help on key issues
•
Help members of Congress deal with the many letters and requests from constituents*
Committee staffs work for congressional committees, assisting chairpersons as bills proceed through various committees to the floor. Committee staff members often become experts in the areas their committees handle Critics argue that staff members have too large a role in shaping legislation because they are not elected*
V. Support Agencies
(pages 149–150)
•
The Library of Congress provides information requested by lawmakers, congressional staff, and committees.
•
The Congressional Budget Office coordinates budget making, studies presidential budget proposals, projects new program costs, and tracks congressional spending.
•
The General Accounting Office is the watchdog over the spending of funds appropriated by Congress, informing members about specific program costs*
1
V. Support Agencies •
(pages 149–150)
The Government Printing Office prints the Congressional Record, a complete account of all bills introduced, speeches and testimony presented in Congress**
2
