"Congress is broken...Congress doesn't work." These beliefs have become so embedded in our society that it seems most Americans have lost hope in an institution that appears ineffective, unresponsive, and unable to address the challenges we face. In a national survey, Americans were asked if they believe that most members of Congress care about what their constituents think. Only 21% of respondents agreed with that statement. The public sees only ineptitude, petty partisan politics, and the occasional scandal on Capitol Hill.
But what if Americans got a glimpse of a different Congress? Their views might change if they saw examples of Members of Congress employing innovative practices to engage with citizens, or congressional offices employing private sector business practices to improve their operations. And what would other lawmakers do if they saw how their colleagues enhanced their operations and citizen engagement strategies?
In this spirit, CMF has created a distinctive honors program – the Democracy Awards – to recognize non-legislative achievement and performance in congressional offices and by Members of Congress. The categories are:
- Constituent Service – Recognize offices for their outstanding practices or achievements acting as ombudsmen with the federal government or responding to constituent requests/inquiries.
- "Life in Congress" Workplace Environment – Recognize offices that have established both formal policies and informal cultures that enhance the work-life fit and professional development of their staffs.
- Innovation – Recognize offices employing unique or innovative technology-enabled methods in their constituent interactions, communications, or office operations.
- Transparency and Accountability – Recognize offices that provide clear and relevant information on their work and performance, and publicly acknowledge metrics for that performance.
- Lifetime Achievement – Recognize four individuals (two Members and two staffers) for their lifetime of work in the service of the Congress.
(See the nomination forms/questions here or look at our FAQ page for more information on criteria)
The Democracy Awards are presented to congressional offices, allowing staff to share in the credit for the achievement and recognizing the reality that a degree of success for Members of Congress is due to the employees they hire and manage. By creating an awards system, the Democracy Awards:
- Recognizes and applauds legislators and staff who truly deserve acknowledgment for their best practices in the service of the Congress.
- Provides examples for congressional colleagues to emulate, thereby enhancing the entire institution.
- Enhances and improves public understanding and trust in Congress – if only a tiny bit, demonstrating that Congress can work.
Finalists are chosen for each category. Then a committee chooses winners, one Republican and one Democrat from each category. These offices are honored at an awards ceremony.
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.
