The Congressional Deskbook is a definitive, practical guide to understanding how Congress truly operates—its people, pressures, procedures, and power structures. It offers a clear, accessible explanation of the daily realities of congressional life including the responsibilities of Members and staff.
Readers gain a comprehensive understanding of congressional organization, leadership roles, staffing structures, budgets and allowances, and the formal and informal rules that guide both the House and Senate. Detailed chapters walk through every stage of the legislative process, starting with bill drafting and referral to committees. The Deskbook explains how committees conduct hearings, markup legislation, and generate reports before measures move to the floor. It also outlines House and Senate floor procedures, including the use of calendars, rules, amendments, debate structures, and voting methods, culminating in conference committees and final passage.
Designed for clarity and real-world usefulness, the Congressional Deskbook includes practical examples, sample forms, schedules, glossaries, and discussion questions to help readers deepen their understanding. These tools make complex procedures easier to grasp and apply, whether for academic study, professional development, or on-the-job reference.
This comprehensive guide to Congress is ideal for anyone who wants to know how Congress really works, including federal executives, attorneys, lobbyists, media and public affairs staff, government affairs, policy and budget analysts, congressional office staff and students.
Judy Schneider was a specialist on Congress at the Congressional Research Service, a department of the Library of Congress, and an adjunct scholar at The Brookings Institution. She worked previously for Senate and House committees, including the Senate Select Committee to Study the Senate Committee System. Ms. Schneider was selected as a Stennis Fellow for the 108th Congress, and received the Women in Government Relations Distinguished Member Award in 2004. Ms. Schneider was a frequent speaker and lecturer on Congress and legislative procedures. She held bachelor's and master's degrees from The American University. Michael L. Koempel is a senior specialist in American national government at the Congressional Research Service, a department of the Library of Congress. He worked previously for Congressional Quarterly Inc., and on the staffs of a U.S. representative and a state governor. Mr. Koempel holds a bachelor's degree from Georgetown University and a law degree from The Catholic University of America, and is admitted to practice law in the District of Columbia.
"The Congressional Deskbook puts between two covers what would take most people hundreds of hours to track down separately (let alone decipher). It pulls it all together by using concrete examples and documents to make things easily understandable--no mean feat given the labyrinthine ways of Congress." -- Don Wolfensberger, Former staff director, House Rules Committee
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