Does Congress know enough to legislate for the nation? Reforms over
the last two decades, increasing the number of congressional staff
and enhancing congressional support agencies, have dramatically
expanded the availability of policy information. In a
groundbreaking new study of congressional communication networks,
David Whiteman finds that, although on any particular issue there
are very few in Congress undertaking extensive searches for
information, the collective base of information generated by all
searches is unexpectedly comprehensive.
As Whiteman reminds us, communication lies at the core of
congressional decision making and thus at the core of
representative democracy itself. Treating each congressional office
as an "enterprise" composed of the elected official and associated
personal and committee staff, he explores how enterprises develop
the communication networks they need to obtain information and
policy analysis from interest groups, executive agencies,
congressional support agencies, and policy research
organizations.
Relying on network analysis and more than 300 interviews with
senators, representatives, and staff members during the 99th
Congress, Whiteman provides an in-depth analysis of congressional
communication based on four specific issue networks in the health
and transportation policy domains. After determining each
enterprise's level of interest in each issue, he contrasts the
extensive searches of the few enterprises that have chosen to
become involved in the issue with the much more limited searches of
the vast majority of enterprises merely staying attentive to
developments.
Whiteman is particularly careful to assess the place of policy
analysis within the full range of information sources available to
enterprises. By following a sample of policy analysis projects
throughout the course of an entire Congress, he is able to
establish that Congress is using, much more than previously
acknowledged, information from policy analysts and other expert
sources.
The first study to look closely at the contributions of
congressional staff within the context of overall congressional
communication networks, Whiteman's book will be useful to scholars
and teachers of legislative politics, public policy, policy
analysis, and political communication. In addition, with its
accessible language and wealth of anecdotes and practical examples,
it should be especially appealing to all citizens, lobbyists,
government employees, and policy analysts attempting to communicate
with Congress.
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