Congressional Management Foundation

The Power of Citizen Advocacy

Contrary to popular belief, citizens have more power than they realize. According to our research, most of the congressional staff surveyed said constituent visits to the D.C. or district/state offices have 'some' or 'a lot' of influence on an undecided Member of Congress, more than any other influence group or strategy.

Life in Congress

CMF and the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) have partnered to conduct groundbreaking research with congressional staff and Members. The second of three reports from this project, "Life in Congress: The Member Perspective," focuses on the Member's viewpoint of work-life in Congress.

Overview

The 2007 Gold Mouse Report: Lessons from the Best Web Sites on Capitol Hill marks the fourth time that CMF has evaluated all Member, committee, and leadership Web sites and recognized the best Congressional Web sites with Mouse Awards. Previously released in 2002, 2003, and 2006, the 2007 report reflects the importance of the Internet in the everyday lives of Americans.

The 2007 Gold Mouse Report includes:

In-depth analysis of trends and important findings regarding the overall state of congressional Web sites since the 2006 report, as well as trends and findings within in each chamber, between the parties, and among past award winners.
A List of Award Winners and updated, comprehensive methodology reflecting the latest Web developments and user expectations.
Interviews with freshmen and multi-year award-winning offices which offer insight into the management practices which foster an atmosphere for success on the Web.
A list of the six elements of a successful congressional Web site and descriptions, key considerations, and standard tools for each-- a handy guide for congressional offices seeking to improve their site.
Screenshots from the Web sites of the Gold and Silver Mouse winners.