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Dear friend,
While this handbook is designed to empower congressional staff to tap into Congress's numerous oversight powers, it is also a treasure trove of valuable information for students, political scientists, and the public about how Congress actually operates. The book is highly readable, fresh, and a bit humorous. Tapping into our staff's professional background on the Hill and in the media, as well as our day-to-day contact with current and retired committee and personal staffers, the handbook provides step-by-step instruction on some of the most essential oversight topics, including:
The handbook is a practical, rather than theoretical, look at Congress and is informed by practitioners. It includes oral histories from more than a dozen current and former Hill staffers who are regarded by their peers to be among the most effective Democratic and Republican oversight practitioners. There is a Questions & Answers session with a longtime staffer who provides insight into a successful sweepstakes solicitation investigation; current staffers share copies of their offices' responses to agency information denials; and journalists share tips on how staffers can get more media attention for their oversight efforts. Click here to see the Table of Contents. Click here to read Chapter One. If you are a Hill staffer (including GAO and CRS), and want to learn more about the handbook or our Congressional Oversight Training Series (COTS), contact Ingrid Drake at idrake@pogo.org. If you are not a Hill staffer, here's how you can order a copy: Washington, D.C. Orders: Outside of D.C. Orders: |
POGO
has just developed The Art of Congressional Oversight: A
User's Guide to Doing It Right as a solution to widespread
concerns about the quality and quantity of oversight activities
on the Hill.