Rule 38 The Materials of Advocacy Are Fragile As an advocate, one of your most important tasks is to persuade others to feel and think a certain way about an issue. You must be able to lead others to view your description of an issue or your solution to a problem as the most acceptable … Read more
When preparing to give oral testimony before Congress , there are several rules and protocols you should be prepared to follow. One of these is the time limits for oral testimony. photo credit: Jeffrey Beall Time restrictions for witness testimony are often found in committee rules. The usual rule is five minutes, but in some … Read more
When drafting federal legislation, it is important to ensure you are using the correct style. Style refers to the look and feel of a measure. While it might be assumed that style refers to the words that are used, style actually refers to the way in which words are placed on the page, a combination … Read more
Upcoming Media Appearances by Joseph Gibson, Author of A Better Congress Dec. 13, 2010, 7:43 am Eastern KURV-AM 710 AM, McAllen, TX The Valley’s Morning News, with Sergio Sanchez Dec. 13, 2010, 8:40 am Eastern WBAL-AM 1090 AM, Baltimore, MD Dave Durian and The WBAL Morning Show Dec. 13, 2010, 9:50 am Eastern KMOX-AM , … Read more
Party leadership is responsible for bringing efficiency and order to the legislative body. Party leaders have partisan and institutional functions. The responsibility of the majority leadership is to set the agenda as well as determine legislative priorities and political strategies, assess support for legislation, schedule measures for floor action and round up votes for the … Read more
It’s one of the persistent complaints about our government: Why can’t Congress get anything done? Actually, getting issues debated and voted on is much simpler in the House of Representatives, where only a majority vote is required. But, in the Senate, the process can be much more difficult. Over the past two years, and in … Read more
If you are new to lobbying and advocacy, legislative language can be confusing and complex. Below is a guide to help introduce you to some of the most common terms you will encounter on Capitol Hill. photo credit: CarbonNYC Adopted-used for conference reports Agreed to-used for amendments, simple resolutions and concurrent resolutions Concur-used for an … Read more
After a policy has been thought through, the next step is to begin crafting the words that will be used. The goal at this stage is not identifying the focus, but expressing it as effectively as possible. There is no special language that is used for writing legislation. Effective drafting requires clear writing. There must … Read more
Mary Margaret Marrin Completed Communication and Advocacy Certificate from TheCapitol.Net Mary Margaret Marrin has completed her certificate in Communication and Advocacy from TheCapitol.Net. The Certificate in Communication and Advocacy is awarded to participants in the program who have completed more than 75 hours of hours of communication and advocacy training. “TheCapitol.Net curriculum provided me with … Read more
En Bloc Amendment: Several amendments offered as a group after obtaining unanimous consent. Courses Congressional Operations Briefing – Capitol Hill Workshop Congressional Dynamics and the Legislative Process Drafting Federal Legislation and Amendments Understanding Congressional Budgeting and Appropriations Advanced Legislative Procedure Publications Legislative Drafter’s Deskbook: A Practical Guide Citizen’s Handbook to Influencing Elected Officials: Citizen Advocacy … Read more