Course materials can include the Training Edition of Persuading Congress

"In Persuading Congress, Joseph Gibson, a longtime veteran of Capitol Hill, offers masterful counsel to anyone who wants to work well with Congress."
-- Martin Gold, Covington & Burling, Washington, DC

  Custom Training Information

Welcome and Introductions

This session sets the context by defining the political environment in the current Congress, and discussing the congressional members and staff who work there.  Specific tools and techniques that you can use to communicate most effectively with members and staff will be described, specifically addressing how you need to adjust your communication at the end of one Congress, and the beginning of another. The instructor will provide practical suggestions for making the most of meetings with staff, including how to set-up a meeting, who should attend, and how to follow-up after the meeting.  Learn the importance of and how to write a "one pager".  The session will provide important "do's" and "don'ts" of interacting with the Hill and building good working relationships between Congress and outside interests.

Communicating with Congress and Staff: A Member's Perspective

A former member of Congress provides insight into the many pressures and responsibilities that a member must balance in day-to-day decision-making and policy-making. He will then discuss how members rely on staff to deal with the busy Capitol Hill environment, and how outside interests can communicate effectively with staff and members in this environment. Discussion will include how members set up their offices, what they expect from staff, and whether staff influence members.

The Work of Personal and Committee Staff

A panel of congressional staff members discuss the positions and responsibilities of committee and personal staff, the organization of congressional offices and the work environment on the Hill. They will focus on what staffers need or expect from outside interests, the most effective forms of communication in the post-anthrax era, and how to build strong working relationships with staffers. The staffers will also provide their insights into the dynamics of Congress.

Lunch and breaks scheduled as appropriate

All custom training is tailored for each organization and audience. Topics from this program can be combined with topics from our other programs and with topics from your existing training programs.
 

Sample agendas of different versions of this program tailored for previous custom clients are available in  Adobe PDF.

• As part of "legislative day" training for national association - Working with Congress and the Regulatory Process

• 3-hour program "Communicating Effectively on the New Capitol Hill" for national association  

• 1-day including Congressional Dynamics session for federal agency - Dynamics of the New Congress and Communicating Effectively with Staff

• Also see our "Legislative Day" Training for Associations, and Coalitions program

See our Sample Agendas page for more.
 

Our selected client list includes clients who have purchased custom training, sent staff to our public programs and who have purchased our publications.
 

Usually requires 1/ 2 to 1 day.

This program is usually held in Washington, DC. It can be presented anywhere in the United States and in many foreign countries online.
 

The program fee includes pre-program development and design, materials for your internal marketing and promotion, all course materials, and faculty chosen for your topic and your audience at the time and location you choose.

Our custom program clients provide the classroom/meeting space, all audio visual equipment, any food and beverages, all registration functions, and travel arrangements for attendees. When the program is held outside the Washington, DC metro area, travel arrangements for faculty can be made by the client or by us. 

We can also provide meeting space, online venue, audio visual equipment, food and beverage, registration, and travel arrangements, though this affects program cost.
 

• Drafting Federal Legislation and Amendments

• Grassroots Advocacy on the New Capitol Hill

• How to Research and Compile Legislative Histories

• How to Work With the Media

• "Legislative Day" Training for Associations, and Coalitions

• Preparing and Delivering Congressional Testimony

• Tracking and Monitoring Legislation
   

FEIN: 54-1917701     DUNS: 04-273-5071      CAGE: 1K5S4
 

• Congressional Procedure

• Congressional Directory

• Congressional Leadership and Committees (listing)

• Congress - Published Schedules

• Essential Hill and Political Washington Web Sites

• How to Contact Congress

• Legislation and Legislatures, including national, state and local links

• Lobbying and Advocacy links

• Pay and Perquisites of Members of Congress

• Persuading Congress

• Capitol Learning Audio Courses: Working with Congress ^TM
   

• Phone: 202-678-1600

• Email: custom -at- TheCapitol.Net

• Complete our online custom program information request.