Advanced Legislative Strategies, from TheCapitol.Net

Advanced Legislative Strategies
Advanced Legislative Strategies
Advanced knowledge to help you develop strategies and tactics to help shape legislation.

Agenda Rave Reviews When Where Registration Fee Policies Related Information

This advanced three-day course builds on the skills of those who have already learned the legislative process and basic congressional operations. In this course, participants learn how to develop high-level strategies and tactics to help educate Congress and influence legislation.
In this course, you�ll:

Identify new opportunities for legislative education and influence

Learn how key legislative decisions are made during markups

Discover when and how legislation is considered on either floor

Anticipate whether a bill will go to conference

Understand how earmarks and the appropriations process work

Hear from a former Member of Congress

The leadership competencies for this course include:
Financial Management
Strategic Thinking
Influencing
Political Savvy

Bring this course to your site.

This course and any combination of it's topics are available as custom on-site training for your organization. We have tailored this course for attorneys, program analysts, administrative assistants, scientists, and others. For more information about how this training can help your members and staff, please contact our client liaison.

This is an elective course for the Certificate in Congressional Operations.

Space is limited.

If you get a "Wait List Only" message when registering, please select the next date.
Click this link to add this program to your Google calendar (opens current month in new window or tab).

Next Course
August 4-6, 2010:
For location in Washington, DC, see below.
$1295
If you get a "Wait List Only" message when registering, please select the next available dates.

Approved for 1.6 CEUs from George Mason University.

Congressional Operations

For a printable course description, agenda with dates, and registration form, click here.
PDF

Course materials include

Course materials include the Training Edition of the Congressional Deskbook

"The Congressional Deskbook is perfect for anyone who wants to understand how Congress works. It is concise, clarion clear and comprehensive all at once. It is spare and crisp -- but it never oversimplifies. It is written in lay language, but it never 'dumbs it down.' The Congressional Deskbook is a unique tool, one that I use regularly."
-- David Hawkings, Senior Editor, Congressional Quarterly

PLUS a course manual of over 100 pages.

Course Details

Agenda

Advanced Legislative Strategies (CD = reference to relevant section of Congressional Deskbook)
DAY ONE
9:00	How Knowing the Procedures Enables the Formulation of Strategies and Tactics and Ultimately Influences Congressional Action Learn why it is important to understand the process Identify new opportunities where you can influence congressional action The role of the lobbyist and government affairs officer in the legislative process
10:00	The Committee System and Committee Markups Understand why the drafting of legislation is strategic to its survival (CD 8.20, 8.30) Learn how key legislative decisions are made during markups Vehicles for markup Examine the amendment process (CD 8.50) Committee Reports
11:15	Break
11:25	The House Rules Committee: Gatekeeper to the Floor (CD 8.90) Briefly review the history of the Rules Committee, its power, and its role in recent Congresses Take an inside look at the work, membership and internal decision-making process of the Rules Committee Find out how the resolutions or "rules" granted by the Rules Committee structure floor debate and amendment opportunities (CD 8.91) Learn the nuances and procedural implications of the different types of "rules" by walking through the common types: open, modified, closed Examine the procedures that govern floor consideration of the "rule" View videotapes of floor action
12:25	Networking Lunch
1:45	Major Legislation on the House Floor and the Amending Process Master the stages of action when the House resolves itself into the Committee of the Whole (CD 8.113) Understand the specific rules that govern debate, the amendment process, and voting (CD 8.111) Examine the different types, classes and degrees of amendments (CD 8.121) Learn the strategic importance of knowing when to offer an amendment Examine the steps following the Committee of the Whole consideration including the motion to recommit and final passage (CD 8.140) Walk through a real-life example of the House amending process
2:45	Break
2:55	Mastering Legislative Procedures: A Member's Perspective
3:55	Complete Evaluations for Day One
4:00	Day One Concludes
DAY TWO
9:00	The Dynamics of the U.S. Senate Learn how the Senate's rules are designed to slow down or even defer, action on legislation by granting enormous parliamentary powers to individual senators (CD 12.50, 8.03) Analyze how legislating in the Senate differs from legislating in the House (CD 8.151) Discuss the current Congress in terms of political dynamics, leadership, and the role of partisanship
10:00	Break
10:10	Scheduling and Calling Up Bills on the Senate Floor Examine what takes place during the various stages of a typical day on the Senate floor Take a behind-the-scenes look at the strategies and factors involved in scheduling legislation for Senate floor action including the interaction between the majority and minority leaders, the competing interests of senators, and procedural factors Compare and contrast the scheduling of minor versus major legislation Analyze the role of unanimous consent and other measures for bringing bills to the floor (CD 8.201, 8.202) Learn about the practice of placing a "hold" on legislation (CD 8.190) Senate Floor Procedures Study the sequence of floor procedures that occurs after a bill has been scheduled and called up for consideration on the floor (CD 8.210) Discuss the importance of the floor manager's role Learn the rules pertaining to filibusters, cloture, and post-cloture filibusters (CD 8.230) Examine voting procedures, and the strategies behind the use of motions to table, reconsider, and recommit (CD 8.240) View videotape of Senate floor action Amending Legislation on the Senate Floor Examine the amendment process in the Senate (CD 8.220) Learn to distinguish different types, classes and degrees of amendments Discuss the modification, withdrawal and disposition of amendments Understand how members' strategies are influenced by the order in which amendments are voted on
12:30	Networking Lunch
1:45	The Role of the Conference Committee in the Legislative Process Examine how conference committees have changed as Congress has changed, i.e. growth of subcommittee power, the rise of omnibus bills, use of multiple referrals Learn how differences between the House and Senate are solved via amendments between the houses, and the advantages of using this process (CD 8.260, 8.270) Discuss pre-conference maneuvering in the House and Senate and the key factors that determine whether a bill does or does not go to conference Distinguish between House and Senate procedures for going to conference, and the conferee selection process (CD 8.270) Examine the political and strategic role of instructing conferees before the conference committee meets
2:45	Break
3:00	The Conference Committee in Action Discuss the selection and the role of the conference committee chairman, how the meeting location influences the dynamics of the conference committee, the different styles of conference committees, and how subconferences are used to streamline the work of large conference committees (CD 8.280) Examine the scope of what the conferees may debate, negotiating strategies used by conferees during the bargaining process, and how institutional differences--particularly the issue of germaneness--impact the bargaining process (CD 8.282) Review the role of the committee staff, other members of Congress, the executive branch, and lobbyists in this final stage of the legislative process
3:55	Complete Evaluations for Day Two
4:00	Day Two Concludes
DAY THREE
9:00	Congressional Floor Strategies and Tactics Review actual applications of parliamentary procedural tactics employed by House and Senate Members/ staff to achieve their objectives Presentation of actual case studies of strategies and tactics used on the House and Senate floor to influence the results of legislation Discussion of options used to influence legislation pending resolution by the full House of Representatives and the Senate
10:00	Break
10:10	Congressional Floor Strategies and Tactics (continued)
11:10	Break
11:20	Strategies and Tactics You Can Use to Create Results for Your Organization Formulating and implementing political lobbying strategies Sponsors, champions, and handlers What federal agencies need to know When to engage in the legislative process
12:20	Networking Lunch
1:30	Influencing the Appropriations Process; Earmarks Overview of the appropriations process What are earmarks Making your case at every stage of the process Education and advocacy
2:30	Break
2:40	Influencing the Appropriations Process; Earmarks (continued)
4:00	Complete Evaluations for Day Three
4:10	Course Concludes

This is a sample agenda: the actual program may differ slightly.
For a printable course description, agenda with dates, and registration form, click here. PDF

This course is also available as a custom program.

Do you need a training course we don't offer or coverage of an additional topic in this course?

If you have suggestions for courses or topic you would like to see us offer, please contact us or complete our online suggestion form.

Suggested Prerequisites

Working knowledge of (or a minimum of one-year's experience working with) the legislative process or completion of our course Congressional Dynamics and the Legislative Process recommended.

If you need help deciding which courses you should take based on your work experience or training, please contact us via email or phone: 703-739-3790.

Rave Reviews

"Indispensable!"
-- Partner, Patton Boggs

"Will be a more proficient lobbyist."
-- Lobbyist (12 year's experience)

"Support material particularly effective in driving home the points."
-- Business Development Manager, The Boeing Company

"Quality of presenters is unrivaled. [Congressional] Deskbook is priceless. Another outstanding course by TheCapitol.Net."
-- Attorney/Analyst, FAA

See more testimonials about this course.

Time and Dates

9:00 am to 4:00 pm all three days

W - F, August 4-6, 2010

If you get a "Wait List Only" message when registering, please select the next available dates.

Location

August 4-6, 2010: Location in Washington, DC will be announced before course.

Other dates: Location in Washington, DC will be announced before course. Many of our courses are held at these locations:

Cannon House Office Building (HOB), First and C Streets, SE, Washington, DC (Capitol South Metro stop) Our map | Google Map
Capitol Hill Club, 300 First Street SE, Washington, DC (directly across the street from the Capitol South Metro stop) Our map | Google Map
College of William & Mary Washington DC Office, 1779 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Suite 810, Washington, DC 20036 (two blocks southeast of the Dupont Circle Metro stop) Google Map
DC Bar Conference Center, 1101 K Street NW, Suite 200 (12th and K Streets NW), Washington, DC (McPherson Square station) Our map | Google Map
Goethe-Institut, 812 Seventh Street NW, Washington, DC 20001 (Gallery Place / Chinatown Metro stop) Our map | Google Map
Hall of the States, 444 North Capitol Street NW, Washington, DC (1 1/2 blocks from the Union Station Metro stop) Our map | Google Map
The Liaison Capitol Hill, 415 New Jersey Avenue NW, Washington, DC (2 1/2 blocks from the Union Station Metro stop) Our map | Google Map
Longworth House Office Building (HOB), New Jersey Ave. and C Streets, SE, Washington, DC (one block west of the Capitol South Metro stop) Our map | Google Map
National Democratic Headquarters, 430 So. Capitol Street SE, Washington, DC 20003 (Capitol South Metro stop) Our map | Google Map
Rayburn House Office Building (HOB), Independence Ave. SW and South Capitol Street (two blocks west of the Capitol South Metro stop) Our map | Google Map
Reserve Officers Association, One Constitution Avenue NE, Washington, DC (3 1/2 blocks from the Union Station Metro stop) Our map | Google Map

Course Materials

= Course materials include the Training Edition of the Congressional Deskbook and a course manual of over 100 pages.

Registration Fee

$1295 **

If you get a "Wait List Only" message when registering, please select the next available dates.

Discounts

** Group Discount! When 4 people from the same organization register and pay together, the 4th person is free! When 8 people from the same organization register and pay together, the 4th and 8th persons are both free! See complete details here.

Certificate of Training
and
CEUs

A Certificate of Training is available for this course. To get a Certificate of Training, your registration fee must be paid in full, and you must attend the entire course.

This course is approved for 1.6 CEUs from George Mason University.

This is an elective course for the Certificate in Congressional Operations.

Policies

For this course, cancellations and transfers must be submitted in writing to us. Our transfer and cancellation fees are outlined below.

** Transfer and Cancellation Fee For all registrations received on or after September 1, 2007
Time Before Course	Substitutions Allowed	Transfer Fee	Cancellation Fee
More than 4 weeks	Yes, in writing	None	None
2 to 4 weeks	Yes, in writing	25% of tuition	50% of tuition
3 days to 2 weeks	Yes, in writing	50% of tuition	75% of tuition
1 to 2 days	Yes, in writing	75% of tuition	100% of tuition
day of program (no refunds to no-shows)	Yes, in writing	100% of tuition	100% of tuition

No refunds for no shows. We reserve the right to change this fee and time period.

TCN reserves the right to cancel any course in the event of insufficient registrations.

All statements and discussion at all of our courses, workshops and seminars, public and custom, are off the record and not for attribution, unless specified otherwise. The resulting confidentiality ensures a frank and free exchange of views.

FAQs

FAQs about our training including suggested attire.

Register

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If you get a "Wait List Only" message when registering, please select the next available dates.

Click here for a printable course description, agenda with dates, and registration form. PDF

Fax or Mail: Print out and complete the registration form (in Adobe pdf). The completed form should include your method of payment.
Fax the completed form to us at 703-739-1195.
Mail the completed form to us at TheCapitol.Net, Inc., PO Box 25706, Alexandria, VA 22313-5706

Related Information

Educational Tracks

Related Training

Available as custom, on-site training?

Yes. This program can be tailored for on-site agency, association and corporate training. Please call 703-739-3790 for information.

Need more information?

Phone: 703-739-3790
Email: registrar -at- TheCapitol.Net
Complete our online information request.

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TheCapitol.Net is a non-partisan firm, and the opinions of its faculty, authors, clients and the owners and operators of its vendors are their own and do not represent those of TheCapitol.Net.