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Unfortunately, in the past 15 years congressional approval ratings have rarely exceeded 40%, and for much of that time ratings have been in the teens. That the People have so little faith in Congress is not only alarming, it means that the relationship between Senators and Representatives and those they represent has eroded to a degree that is threatening the practice of democracy.

Congressional Offices: We know how busy you are. We want to give you as ample an opportunity as possible to recognize your office's work over the past year. As such, we have extended the deadline to nominate your office for the 2022 Democracy Awards to Monday, February 28.

We know how busy you are. We want to give you as ample an opportunity as possible to recognize your office's work over the past year. As such, we have extended the deadline to nominate your office for the 2022 Democracy Awards to Monday, February 28.

The following quotes were collected by CMF in a 2011 survey of more than 1,400 congressional staff. The survey focusing on the workplace environment of Congress asked this open-ended question: What does working in Congress mean to you? We hope you’ll peruse this list of amazing quotes from patriots who serve under the dome: the staff of the United States Congress.

Every staffer who has worked in Congress the past two years personally knows and feels the stress created by the pandemic and the January 6 insurrection, and have noted the significant increases of threats to their bosses and their colleagues. As we approach the one-year mark since the January 6 attacks, mental health experts have said the date and news coverage will trigger painful memories and post-traumatic stress. Managers do not have sit back and simply hope January 6, 2022 will just be another day at the office. They should prepare and be proactive in supporting staff who might need help. Here are five things to consider.

Do you find yourself constantly reacting to other offices’ agendas? Do your staff find it difficult to focus their energy to achieve significant accomplishments? Or does your boss keep adding priorities and goals, leaving your team scrambling to keep up, or pose questions about their legacy that leave you quaking in your boots? If so, this session on December 17 is for you!

Join CMF on November 8 for the first in a series of trainings based on our Democracy Awards program. Using information gleaned from winning congressional offices in Constituent Service, we'll use this time to tease out and disseminate some best practices for your office - as well as host a panel of staffers from winning offices to discuss their work and what winning a Democracy Award in Constituent Service meant to them.

CMF and the Government Affairs Institute at Georgetown University (GAI) are pleased to announce that registration is open for our joint multi-day online training on "Legislative Operations for Congressional Staff," which will be held November 8 and November 19. CMF and GAI have a combined 70 years of experience explaining how Congress really works to the public, Executive Branch employees, and the private sector.

The challenge of creating strong working partnerships between the DC and district/state offices is routinely cited by congressional staff as one of the most troubling problems they face. It is also one of the most difficult to solve because offices are frequently unclear about the cause of the problem. Unless these problems are addressed directly, they are unlikely to go away. This webinar on October 29 is intended to help you overcome any obstacles you may be experiencing.

Attend this webinar to hear from former Microsoft CEO and founder of USAFacts Steve Ballmer to discover new resources for finding powerful datasets to communicate your message, whether to constituents, your boss, or on the committee floor. This program is not about debating whose facts to believe and use — this is about helping Congress cut through the constant stream of government agency data and making it meaningful to other members of Congress and their constituents.