Congress and the Executive Branch

1. Congress and the Executive Branch John Haskell, Ph.D. Government Affairs Institute at Georgetown University September 20, 2011

2. I. Congress’s Role in Our System of Government • Congress doesn’t really do anything • It is the Board of Directors of the federal government • It authorizes, funds, and supervises (oversight) what the agencies do • What can agencies do? What responsibilities do agencies have? • The relationship is co-dependent

3. II. Developing Political Savvy: Understanding Congress • Congress has two jobs as laid out in the Constitution – lawmaking and representing • The notion of right eye dominance • The importance of a bicameral Congress • Congress has no “central nervous system”

4. III. What to make of Congress • 535 members looking out for their constituents is not a pretty picture • And then there is the partisanship • This is a political system not designed for speed and efficiency • The astute federal official takes Congress for what it is, not what he or she wishes it were

5. IV. Tips for Dealing with Today’s Congress • Effective provision of information to congressional staffers – some do’s and don’t’s • Coping with the partisanship • An era of budget constraints