How to Find, Track, and Monitor Congressional Documents
Going Beyond Thomas
Research Workshop: Congressional Documents

Are you responsible for tracking legislation for your organization, finding committee hearings and reports, or searching for legislation and amendments? Do you know which online resources are most useful for your particular task? Do you need to know alternative methods for monitoring legislative changes and ways to better utilize your resources (saving time in the process)?

This course helps students:

• Quickly locate and use online and print congressional documents corresponding to each step in the legislative process
• Effectively track, monitor or research legislation
• Research and analyze legislative history
• Delve beyond monitoring legislation in the news and track real time progress in Congress

You'll learn different types and versions of bills, committee and conference reports, and leadership documents. Students also find out about The Congressional Record, Congress' official activity account. Learn about legislation tracking, monitoring and the complexities of how a bill becomes a law. Learn to find "the needle in the haystack." 

The online research sources we reference in this course are located at CongressionalDocuments.com.

Research is a fundamental job requirement of many jobs in Washington, DC, and our research skills courses can help you perform this work more efficiently and more effectively, contributing to better job reviews and promotion possibilities.

You will have a hands-on opportunity to follow our faculty and navigate the Internet with one of our laptop computers (first 20 registrants to sign in at program). Or, bring your own Wi-Fi equipped laptop and take advantage of our Portable Wi-Fi Classroom^TM to enhance your learning.

 

More Information
Agenda	When	Where	Related Training	Policies	Related Resources

 

The leadership competencies for this course include:

• Technology Management
• External Awareness

Bring this course to your site. This course and any combination of its topics are available as custom on-site training for your organization. We have tailored this course for attorneys, program analysts, administrative assistants, and others in agencies, Fortune 500 businesses, and think tanks.  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.

Agenda	Tracking and Monitoring Legislation 9:00 am to 1:00 pm   Overview of Congressional Documents The Legislative Process and Corresponding Documents Types and Versions of Legislation   Committee Documents Committee Calendars, Prints, Markup, and Reports   Leadership Documents and Legislative Advisories House Calendar Resolutions from the House Rules Committee Senate Calendar of Business Senate Executive Calendar Senate Unanimous Consent Agreements Whip Notices The Congressional Record Conference Reports   Research Tools, Search Tips, and Web sites GPO Access / FDsys.gov Thomas Alert Services This is a sample agenda: the actual topics 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 topics you would like to see us offer, please contact us or complete our online suggestion form.
Suggested Prerequisites	Basic knowledge of the legislative process or completion of Congress in a Nutshell: Understanding Congress or Congress 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.
Time and Dates	9:00 am to 1:00 pm T, June 19, 2012 F, September 7, 2012 Th, December 13, 2012
Location	June 19, 2012:   Goethe-Institut, 812 Seventh Street NW, Washington, DC  (Gallery Place / Chinatown Metro stop)   Our map | Google Map Other dates:  Location in Washington, DC will be announced before course.  Our courses are held at these Washington, DC, locations.
Course Materials	Extensive course manual of more than 225 pages, including material from the Congressional Deskbook.
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 is an elective course for the Certificate in Congressional Operations.    This course is approved for .4 CEUs from George Mason University.
Related Training	Essential Washington Research Skills How to Research and Compile Legislative Histories Research Tools and Techniques for Analysts: Going Beyond GoogleTM Congress In A Nutshell Congressional Briefing Conference - Capitol Hill Workshop Advanced Legislative Procedure Congressional Dynamics and the Legislative Process
Policies	For this course, cancellations and transfers must be submitted in writing to us.  Substitutions must be submitted in writing - include substitute's name, phone and email. Our transfer and cancellation fees are outlined below. Transfer and Cancellation Fee Time Before Course Substitutions Allowed Transfer Fee Cancellation Fee More than 4 weeks No charge No charge No charge 15 days to 4 weeks No charge 10% of tuition 25% of tuition 4 days to 2 weeks No charge 20% of tuition 50% of tuition 1 to 3 days No charge 30% of tuition 75% of tuition day of program (no refunds to no-shows) No charge No refund No refund No refunds for no shows. We reserve the right to change this fee and time period.  Cancellation, Substitution and Transfer Policy  Weather Policy 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	$395 Payment methods we accept include checks, EFT/ACH, and Intuit Payment Network (IPN).     For a printable course description, agenda with dates, and registration form, click here.  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 Resources	Legislative History Reference and Research Tools Congressional Documents Online Internet Resources handout from our Legal Research course Legal Reference and Research Tools Legislation and Legislatures, including national and state and local links Online Regulatory Research Resources Real World Research Skills Statutory Construction and Interpretation, Government Series Capitol Learning Audio Courses TM Practical Web Research in a Nutshell Tracking and Monitoring Legislation Researching Federal Legislative Histories: Bills, Resolutions, Committee Hearings, and Committee Reports Researching Federal Legislative Histories: Statutory and Code Research Researching Legislative Histories Statutory Construction: A Primer on How to Read and Understand Statutory Text
Educational Tracks	Congressional Operations Research Skills
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.
Non-Partisan	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.

 

URLs: www.thecapitol.net/PublicPrograms/rwcd.html
tml.htm
DCResearchSkills.com
WashingtonResearchSkills.com
TrackingLegislation.com
TCNFTM.com
TCNTML.com

Next Course
June 19, 2012
9:00 am to 1:00 pm
Location (below)
$395

   
Approved for .4 CEUs from George Mason University.

All of our courses and workshops include extensive interaction with our faculty, making our courses and workshops both educational and mini-consulting sessions with substantive experts.

Rave Reviews

"Helped me a great deal by providing expert knowledge on how to track legislation. Speakers were excellent!"
-- Course Attendee

"Now I have a clue on where to go and find info for my boss."
-- Budget Analyst, DISA

"These classes have helped me effectively do my job! Great courses for someone without a background in these subjects. The reference materials alone are worth the trip to DC!"
-- Course Attendee

"I can look at documents and have a better understanding of what they mean and how to deal with them. They don't seem so much like Greek."
-- Congressional Researcher, Litton Industries

"Very interesting way of explaining and relating complex information together that makes sense."
-- Course Attendee

"Picked up lots of new info, also developed new ideas. Lots of new web sites to review."  
-- Legislative Research Specialist, USDA

"This course provides you with knowledge of resources that help you work more efficiently and effectively."  
-- Communications Manager, American Heart Association

"I track legislation on a daily basis and this course made the process clear."
-- Course Attendee

"Great presentation of process coupled with informative paper and on-line resources."
-- Course Attendee

"Outstanding insight & essential practical advice on how to effectively navigate through the sometimes overwhelming myriad of Congressional documents."  
-- Senate Fellow, U.S. Coast Guard

See more testimonials about this course.

Chris Davis

Peggy Garvin

Robert Healy

Michael Koempel

Paul Rundquist

Myra Engers Weinberg