Reviewing the importance of close communication with legislators, this article provides guidelines for writing and providing information about vocational agriculture. Guidelines for planning a visit by the legislator to the local vocational agriculture program are also presented. (LRA)

Understanding the relationship between interest groups and legislators is one resource for effective use of influence. As major social welfare decisions are made in the political arena, social work must commit itself to understanding and influencing the political process. The article states generalizations based on political science literature.…

Rural senators were found to be more accurate in assessing their constituents' opinions and were more likely to vote according to the wishes of their constituency than were urban senators. (KS)

Describes the function of and services offered by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) of the Library of Congress, which is charged with meeting the research and information needs of the U.S. Congress. The interaction of research analysts and librarians within the service is discussed. (CLB)

State and federal budget cuts make it increasingly important for child welfare organizations to influence policy development. Accurate knowledge of legislators' beliefs about child welfare issues allows agencies and advocacy groups to develop positive means of promoting positive legislation. (SAK)

The contributions of Senator J. William Fulbright to public policy in the United States are examined, focusing on a lifetime of public service and the global view that he brought to American policy formation. Cultural tolerance and international cooperation are seen as the major themes dominating his public life. Excerpts of personal comments of a…

Discusses the need for more adequate materials and personnel in school libraries and describes provisions of the proposed Elementary and Secondary School Library Media Act. Sidebars include views of the bill by the American Library Association (ALA) and instructions on writing to senators and representatives to encourage support for the bill. (LRW)

Suggests that research on Congressional history is problematic due to the complexity of the institution. Provides a literature review broken down by the era covered in the works, beginning with the colonial roots of Congress and continuing until the present in 50-year spans. Notes sources for historical materials on Congress. (DSK)

Sophia Njaa, a senior at Maine's Portland High and a student representative on the district's school board, is one of a growing contingent of students across the country who are becoming more involved in school decision making through youth-empowerment programs. Her school board seat was established in 2004 through a collaborative effort between…

This article features Congressman Edward Rees's bill. Congressman Edward Rees of Kansas introduced a bill (H.R. 7786) in the U.S. House of Representatives on February 8, 1954, to create a national holiday that would honor the nation's veterans. He said in a speech on the floor of the House that he did it so that "a grateful nation may pay…

Representative Usher Burdick, who sat between 1949-1959, contributed to the isolationist label given to North Dakota. This Republican politician, not enthusiastic about U.S. participation in the Korean War, eagerly lambasted foreign aid during the Truman-Eisenhower years. Above all, the congressman attracted attention during the postwar period for…

While the major urban centers around the country were flooded by millions of protesters demanding immigrant rights in March 2006, the San Francisco Bay Area remained relatively quiet. A coalition of organizers, including Centro Legal de la Raza, Deporten A La Migra, and the Bay Area Immigrant Rights Coalition mobilized a one-week hunger strike,…

This Backgrounder Brief is an executive summary of "Telling the Technology Story: PR Strategies for School Leaders," a component of the Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) Essential Leadership Skills Series. Public relations is a critical component of a district's successful technology implementation--and it involves communicating on an…

In 2006, the input of scientists, economists, and private industry representatives inspired nearly unparalleled bipartisan support in Washington state for the formation of a Department of Early Learning. This new cabinet-level department consolidates three separate agencies, provides universal preschool for all children in Washington, and…

How do people define spirituality and religion and what, if any, relationship do they see between the 2 constructs? In this study, we answer these questions using a qualitative methodology with a nationally representative sample of graduate-level social work students affiliated with the National Association of Social Workers (N=303). A relatively…