Blog

For many House and Senate offices, personal contacts with constituents became significantly more important during the pandemic for understanding those they represent. Social media also became more important for understanding constituents and for communicating out to them. Advocacy campaigns, on the other hand, mostly maintained or lost importance during COVID-19.

This webinar is designed for all those associated with setting up and running a freshman office in the House or Senate: Member, Senator, staffer, spouse, partner – even kids. It is based on the CMF-SHRM report, Life in Congress: The Member Perspective, as well as CMF's signature publication, Setting Course. Join us for this program on December 16, which will feature two Members of Congress who will help prepare you for the best rollercoaster of your life!

CMF is looking for a motivated, professional, intellectually curious junior or senior undergraduate student for a virtual internship this coming spring semester.

Today, the Congressional Management Foundation features a blog post written by POPVOX intern Jennifer Graciano, as she reflects on what the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress' recent recommendations mean to her personally and professionally.

Today, the Congressional Management Foundation features a blog post written by POPVOX intern Jennifer Graciano, as she reflects on what the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress' recent recommendations mean to her personally and professionally.

Since the onset of COVID-19, Americans have been reaching out to their elected representatives like never before, and Congress has stepped up to the task. Senior staffers in the House and Senate indicate their offices have been receiving more constituent communications, and they're having more substantive interactions with constituents than they did prior to the pandemic.

The Congressional Management Foundation strongly supports the reauthorization of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress. Having worked with and supported the committee over the past two years, we recognize and honor their achievements in making Congress more responsive, efficient, and innovative. We hope they can continue their progress in the 117th Congress. Earlier today, CMF sent this letter to House Leadership urging them to reauthorize the Select Committee.

Unsurprisingly, when COVID-19 changed life as we knew it, most Members of Congress curtailed their public appearances in favor of remote interactions. They significantly increased their use of the telephone and Internet for both smaller group meetings and events, as well as town hall meetings.