"Americans usually only hear about Congress when something goes wrong. The Democracy Awards shines a light on Congress when it does something right," said Bradford Fitch, President and CEO of the Congressional Management Foundation. These Members of Congress and their staff members deserve credit for their work to improve transparency in government, foster innovation in operations, and serve their constituents."
House and Senate personal offices nominated themselves using an online questionnaire for the three office categories. CMF followed up with offices to gather documentation and assess the office's adherence to the established criteria. CMF staff selected the finalists based on the information provided by nominees.
A committee comprised primarily of former Members of Congress and former congressional staffers will select the two winners (one Democrat and one Republican) for each of the categories. Winners will be announced in May. An awards ceremony to honor finalists and winners will be held on June 20, 2019. Additionally, two Members of Congress and one congressional staffer will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award at the June ceremony.
Below is the list of finalists.
Constituent Service – Recognizing offices for their outstanding practices or achievements acting as ombudsmen with the federal government or responding to constituent requests/inquiries.
• Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL)
• Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA)
• Rep. Susan A. Davis (D-CA)
• Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA)
"Life in Congress" Workplace Environment – Recognizing offices that have established both formal policies and informal cultures that enhance the work-life fit and professional development of their staffs.
• Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID)
• Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA)
• Rep. Darren Soto (D-FL)
• Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-CA)
Transparency, Accountability, and Innovation – Recognizing offices that employ unique or innovative methods to continuously enhance their constituent interactions, and provide clear and relevant information on their work and performance, and publicly acknowledge metrics for that performance.
• Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT)
• Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN)
• Rep. Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA)
• Rep. Tom O'Halleran (D-AZ)
Details on the finalists' accomplishments can be found here.
The Founding Partner for the Democracy Awards is the Bridge Alliance, which provided a generous grant to launch the program. Bridge Alliance is a diverse coalition of more than 80 organizations committed to revitalizing democratic practice in America.
CMF is a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan nonprofit whose mission is to build trust and effectiveness in Congress. Since 1977, CMF has worked internally with Member, committee, leadership, and institutional offices in the House and Senate to identify and disseminate best practices for management, workplace environment, communications, and constituent services. CMF also is the leading researcher and trainer on citizen engagement, educating thousands of individuals and facilitating better relationships with Congress.
House and Senate personal offices nominated themselves using an online questionnaire for the three office categories. CMF followed up with offices to gather documentation and assess the office's adherence to the established criteria. CMF staff selected the finalists based on the information provided by nominees.
A committee comprised primarily of former Members of Congress and former congressional staffers will select the two winners (one Democrat and one Republican) for each of the categories. Winners will be announced in May. An awards ceremony to honor finalists and winners will be held on June 20, 2019. Additionally, two Members of Congress and one congressional staffer will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award at the June ceremony.
Below is the list of finalists.
Constituent Service – Recognizing offices for their outstanding practices or achievements acting as ombudsmen with the federal government or responding to constituent requests/inquiries.
• Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL)
• Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA)
• Rep. Susan A. Davis (D-CA)
• Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA)
"Life in Congress" Workplace Environment – Recognizing offices that have established both formal policies and informal cultures that enhance the work-life fit and professional development of their staffs.
• Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID)
• Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA)
• Rep. Darren Soto (D-FL)
• Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-CA)
Transparency, Accountability, and Innovation – Recognizing offices that employ unique or innovative methods to continuously enhance their constituent interactions, and provide clear and relevant information on their work and performance, and publicly acknowledge metrics for that performance.
• Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT)
• Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN)
• Rep. Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA)
• Rep. Tom O'Halleran (D-AZ)
Details on the finalists' accomplishments can be found here.
The Founding Partner for the Democracy Awards is the Bridge Alliance, which provided a generous grant to launch the program. Bridge Alliance is a diverse coalition of more than 80 organizations committed to revitalizing democratic practice in America.
CMF is a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan nonprofit whose mission is to build trust and effectiveness in Congress. Since 1977, CMF has worked internally with Member, committee, leadership, and institutional offices in the House and Senate to identify and disseminate best practices for management, workplace environment, communications, and constituent services. CMF also is the leading researcher and trainer on citizen engagement, educating thousands of individuals and facilitating better relationships with Congress.
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