Surviving Inside Congress

Surviving Inside Congress provides essential and non-partisan educational information to new Congressional staff and fills in some gaps for those who are not so new to the Hill. Many books are written with advice for new Members of Congress, and no doubt they would benefit from this book. However, Surviving Inside Congress is the first publication of its kind to give staff detailed insight into what is expected and required of those who are the glue that holds the institution of Congress together.

Most new members of Congressional staffs are ill equipped to the meet the diverse and critical needs of elected officials and their constituents. There are no comprehensive training programs, and no curriculum that adequately addresses the multiple roles they will play and functions they will perform. This is due in large measure to the uniqueness of these roles and the environment in which their work will be done. As a result, the academic credentials and professional experience they bring with them will have little relevance to the tasks they re about to undertake. Surviving Inside Congress tries to address these challenges.

Although the first edition of Surviving Inside Congress addresses challenges that staff might face, Congress evolves so quickly, and the second edition reflects that fact. This new edition addresses many political events that have occurred since the first publication: the passage of health care reform, the development of the Tea Party movement, and the 2010 Congressional elections, among others. Additionally, it includes more recent research on Congressional communications, especially in the field of new media and technology like tele-town halls. Perhaps most importantly, it includes a whole new chapter on Congressional polarization, describing its development and proposing remedies for it. All these additions will provide readers a unique perspective to help them understand and effectively respond to recent developments in American politics.

Founded in 1987, the Congressional Institute, Inc. is a not-for-profit 501(c)(4) corporation dedicated to helping Congress better serve its constituents and helping their constituents better understand the operations of the national legislature.

Mark N. Strand has been the president of the Congressional Institute since 2007 and is an adjunct professor of legislative affairs at George Washington University's Graduate School of Political Management. He spent nearly 24 years on Capitol Hill, most recently as chief of staff to Senator James M. Talent of Missouri (2003-07). From 2001-2002, he was vice president of government affairs for the American Water Works Company America's largest publicly held water utility. Prior to that, Strand served as staff director of the House Committee on Small Business when Talent was chairman. He has served as chief of staff to Talent, Bill Lowery of California and Stan Parris of Virginia. He has also been a legislative director and a press secretary. He obtained a BS in political science and history from Excelsior College of the University of New York, an MBA in Marketing from the University of Phoenix in 2003, and a master s in legislative affairs from George Washington University. He completed the Stennis Congressional Fellowship in 2000. He frequently speaks to groups about how Congress works. He resides in Virginia, is married and has three daughters.

Michael S. Johnson served 14 years in the executive and legislative branches of government, first on the White House communications staff of President Gerald Ford. He served as press secretary and later as chief of staff for former House Republican Leader Bob Michel of Illinois. Johnson entered the private sector in 1990, as a lobbyist with Texas and Ohio law firms. He served as a senior vice president of APCO Worldwide, an international public affairs firm for five years, before joining the OB-C Group in 2001. Johnson has served on the staff of every Republican national convention since 1980, has taught policy and public affairs, serves as a political and communications advisor, co-founded the Congressional Institute, and has served as its chairman on the Board of Directors. He writes periodic columns for the Washington Examiner blog and newgopforum.com. A native of Illinois, who was reared and educated in South Dakota, Johnson began his career in journalism as a reporter and eventually executive editor of a small Illinois daily newspaper. He is married and has five children.

Jerome F. (Jerry) Climer arrived on Capitol Hill in 1967 where he served for two years as the legislative staff (offices had fewer personnel in those days) to a freshman Member of the US House, who managed to stay in office for 28 years. After taking time out to manage an unsuccessful US Senate campaign, he spent a few years in the executive Branch, including serving as Assistant to the Secretary of the US Department of Agriculture, and then returned to the House as chief legislative assistant to former Congressman Tom Coleman (R-MO) and then for six years as chief of staff to former Congressman Ed Bethune (R-AR). His final five, official, years on Capitol Hill were served as leadership assistant to the late Congressman Guy Vander Jagt (R-MI). Then Climer co-founded the Congressional Institute, which he served as president for 20 years until his retirement in 2007. After retiring and relocating to North Carolina, he continues to serve as president of the Public Governance Institute, a 501 (c)(3) organization and heads Policy Implementation Consultants, LLC, a private consulting endeavor. In 2009 he was appointed to a state created entity, the Edenton Historical Commission, by the Governor of North Carolina and he now chairs that commission. He is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Chowan County Tourism Development Authority. To keep his political skills honed, he managed a successful campaign for a candidate for Edenton s Town Council, defeating an 18-year incumbent in a non-partisan three-man race. In 2010 he chaired the reelection campaign for Sen. Richard Burr in Chowan County.