Congress and Policy Change

This book is about congressional policy making, and particularly processes by which congressional policy changes — and does not change. At times in our history Congress has been a policy initiator, at others it has been the bastion of resistance to new directions of government action. It reflects the will of the citizenry at times, while at others its rules and processes have done more to serve the interests of special and minority interests. In this collection of original essays, each presenting new research on the personal, political, and institutional factors influencing congressional policy change, eleven leading congressional scholars discuss Congress's policy making role from a variety of perspectives. The cumulative effect is to present a coherent and stimulating view of the processes of congressional policy making and policy change.