The Congressional Research Service offers important research support to Congress' policymaking and oversight functions. The agency's nonpartisan civil servants also train both congressional staff and members in governance. Capitol Hill, however, has changed a great deal since CRS' governing statute was enacted in 1970. Thus, this meeting of the LBCWG will focus on how the agency performs in the current environment and what Congress wants and needs from the agency in the 21st century.
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Lunch will be provided. Meetings are open to Capitol Hill staff (except interns); experts on Congress; and anyone else who cares about the well-being of America’s legislative branch. To encourage candid discussion, this meeting is not open to media. However, the group's co-directors are available for interviews and comment. They can be reached at kkosar@rstreet.org and drutman@newamerica.org.
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New America and the R Street Institute launched the Legislative Branch Capacity Working Group in spring 2016. The group's was formed in response to the widespread perception that Congress is dysfunctional. The Legislative Branch Capacity Working Group aims to assess Congress' capacity to perform its constitutional duties and to collaborate on ideas to improve the legislative branch’s performance in our separation-of-powers system.