Learning to research and understand legislative history is an important part of any legislator’s job. Legislative history includes the official reports that are generated in Congress throughout the course of the legislative process, such as committee reports and joint statements. photo credit: EverJean When researching case law, be aware that court decisions can frequently include … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Constituent / Case Work Constituent: A person who can or does elect a public official to office. A person eligible to vote for a candidate for a particular public office. A House member’s local offices (district offices) are located in the represented congressional district, and … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Rules The term “rules” has two specific congressional meanings. A rule may be a standing order governing the conduct of House or Senate business that is listed among the permanent rules of either chamber. The rules deal with duties of officers, the order of business, … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Bully Pulpit The president’s bully pulpit A bully pulpit is a public office or other position of authority of sufficiently high rank that provides the holder with an opportunity to speak out and be listened to on any matter. The bully pulpit can … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Vice President Under the Constitution (Article I, Section 3), the vice president serves as President of the Senate. He may vote in the Senate in the case of a tie but is not required to. The President Pro Tempore (and others designated by him) usually … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Hearing / Hearings photo credit: The U.S. Army Committee sessions for taking testimony from witnesses. At hearings on legislation, witnesses usually include specialists, government officials and spokesmen for persons or entities affected by the bill or bills under study. Hearings related to special investigations bring … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Executive Session / Executive Business / Secret Session photo credit: glasseyes view Executive Session (1) A meeting of a Senate or House committee (or occasionally of either chamber) that only its members may attend. Witnesses regularly appear at committee meetings in executive session – for … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Agency photo credit: independentman Agency: No one definition of this term has general, governmentwide applicability. “Agency” and related terms, like “executive agency” or “federal agency,” are defined in different ways in different laws and regulations. For example, the provisions of the Budget and Accounting Act … Read more
Special note to readers of Testifying Before Congress and anyone searching for information about congressional hearings, witnesses and testimony: The following information is made available to you as part of the author’s promise to provide periodic updates, revisions and additions to the content of the book (see Appendix Thirteen, page 398, “Keep Up-to-Date”), and especially … Read more
Under certain circumstances, congressional committee staff members may choose to depose potential witnesses and scheduled witnesses. The purpose of such depositions is to gather information in order to prepare for a hearing. This is more common in investigative hearings. photo credit: Vincent van der Pas Formal in nature, such questioning of a witness is the … Read more