News

We get it, there is a lot to juggle—everything from learning to navigate the tunnels beneath the Capitol to forging political allies and learning how to communicate well with constituents. In an effort to provide stability and support along this treacherous path, the Congressional Management Foundation recently convened an audience of experts and first-term staffers for a mid-year check-in.

CMF's 2018 was filled with many accomplishments. Our Partnership for a More Perfect Union trained more than 13,000 citizen-advocates. Freshman offices received additional help with our new Job Description for a Member of Congress. However, the most important achievement of the year was the launch of the Democracy Awards.

Congress has a lot to learn from the game of soccer. It demonstrates the importance of everyone finding ways to support each other, how to advance a shared goal, and the need for constant communication. Join us July 19 when Peter Loge, former House Chief of Staff and author of the book Soccer Thinking for Management Success: Lessons for Organizations from the World's Game, will provide House senior managers with practical management advice.

The issue of how much to pay Members of Congress is part of the larger question as to whether Congress has the capacity to perform its role in our democracy. Whether the issue is Member pay, congressional staff pay, diversity and staff retention, or modern digital tools, any alteration in the institution’s capacity to do its job has implications not just for Congress, but for the American public.

Opening an office for a newly elected Member of Congress is awash with clichés – you're drinking from a fire hose, or building the plane while flying it. By now, your office has probably experienced some classic problems, and you're not alone! If you are in a first-term office, join us June 28 to interact with your colleagues in other Freshman offices, and to hear from veteran Chiefs and management experts from CMF.

The following testimony was delivered on June 5, 2019 at the hearing of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress by Bradford Fitch, CMF's President & CEO:

Mr. Chairman, Mr. Vice Chairman, and Members of the Select Committee. On behalf of the Congressional Management Foundation, I wish to thank the Committee for inviting CMF to testify on the state of citizen engagement.

WASHINGTON, D.C. –The Congressional Management Foundation (CMF) today announced the winners for the Democracy Awards, CMF's annual honors program recognizing non-legislative achievement and performance in congressional offices and by Members of Congress.