News

WASHINGTON, D.C. –The Congressional Management Foundation (CMF) today announced the winners for the Democracy Awards, CMF's annual honors program recognizing non-legislative achievement and performance in congressional offices and by Members of Congress.

In the past year, the United States Congress lost two giants – Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and former Rep John Dingell (D-Mich.). Known by their nicknames, the "Maverick" and "The Dean," they had almost a century of public service between them and a shared a unique ability to inspire their colleagues – from Dingell's dedication to introducing a single-payer health care bill to McCain's streak of finding ways to reach across the aisle.

Congress has a lot to learn from the game of soccer. It demonstrates the importance of everyone finding ways to support each other, how to advance a shared goal, and the need for constant communication. This training session will be conducted by Peter Loge, author the book Soccer Thinking for Management Success: Lessons for Organizations from the World's Game. Peter will draw on his experience as a senior staffer in the Congress (a former House Chief of Staff), and Obama administration.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator John McCain (R-AZ) and Representative John Dingell (D-MI) have been awarded posthumous Lifetime Achievement Democracy Awards by the Congressional Management Foundation.

While working on Capitol Hill is a source of pride for staffers, the job itself has no shortage of unexpected twists and turns. Congress can often feel like a jungle, overwhelming even the most experienced of staffers. So, how does a new staffer become better acquainted with the rugged terrain while anticipating traps ahead? Last month, the Congressional Management Foundation assembled staffers and experts alike to train first-term legislative staff on this very question.

Program Overview

One fundamental truth bedevils every congressional office – the struggle to keep pace with the incredible amount of constituent mail. Managing and responding to constituent correspondence can represent 20-30% of office resources in many offices. Moreover, the workflow and communications practices, while utilizing modern technology, have largely remained unchanged for 40 years.

When a Member of Congress appears on television or spearheads monumental legislation, it is hard to remember that they are regular people whose job relies on interacting with constituents. Despite the ornate buildings and throngs of people walking in and out each day, Congress is only a small village. And, like in any small village, building relationships is vital for success.