Congressional Procedures and the Policy Process

By Walter J. Oleszek, Elizabeth E Rybicki, William A Heniff, et al.

Book Overview

"The book does an outstanding job in covering all the necessary details on congressional rules and procedures, most of which are not easy to understand. ...] It has been and will remain to be a must-read for all the congressional politics students and Washington insiders."

- Hong Min Park, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee

Congressional Procedures and the Policy Process examines the entire arc of the legislative process--from a bill's introduction, to its signature into law, to congressional review of the law's administrative implementation--and the many procedural pitfalls that exist along the way. Author Walter J. Oleszek and co-authors Mark Oleszek, Elizabeth Rybicki, and Bill Heniff, Jr. do not shy away from the complexity of the topic, yet they ensure that the operations of Congress are understandable to students and practitioners alike. Through an array of interesting examples, case studies, and the authors' personal anecdotes, this definitive work delivers timely explanation and analysis of the nation's premier lawmaking institution.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1506367496
• ISBN13: 9781506367491
• Release Date: October 2019
• Publisher: CQ Press
• Length: 488 Pages
• Weight: 1.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.0" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

A must read . . .

If you are new to the Hill, this book is a must desk-side companion. It is a practical guide that steers a Hill staffer through the rules, norms and processes of the Capitol complex. The House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate are institutions where knowledge of process is more highly regarded than understanding the issues under debate. Olezek underscores that fact. His book has been must reading for congressional staff for a generation, and it continues to be the first among equals today. Anyone thinking of working on the Hill or studying U.S. legislative processes would do well to begin here.

Book is great

A great resource for everyone from new lobbyists to people interested in knowing more about how their government works.

An excellent insider's guide to understanding Congress

I'm a chief of staff to a Member of the House of Representatives. I give a copy of this book to every new staffer who comes to work in our office, and tell them it's mandatory reading. Simply put: Mr. Oleszek's book is the single best reference out there for students and citizens wanting to learn about the ins and outs of how a bill becomes a law. What makes the book a must-read is not just the author's experise in understanding how Congress works, but also his ability to write extremely readable prose.