Highlights from “Hill Etiquette for Interns”
Taylor J. Swift Taylor J. Swift

Highlights from “Hill Etiquette for Interns”

A recap of Hill Etiquette for Interns, a virtual event hosted by POPVOX Foundation and the Capitol Hill Intern Association, about how to effectively write quality deliverables and navigate the unique professional landscape of Capitol Hill.

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Recommendations for a more constituent-friendly Congress
testimony, Congress, staff support Anne Meeker testimony, Congress, staff support Anne Meeker

Recommendations for a more constituent-friendly Congress

Earlier this month, I had the top-of-the-bucket-list chance to testify at a House Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress on constituent services, and building a more customer-friendly Congress (video and transcript available here). As a former caseworker, it meant so much to be asked to come to DC to talk about casework, and share a starting-point vision for how Congress can capture the potential inherent in casework, and the expertise and talents of caseworkers across the country. The hearing covered so much ground, and it still only managed to scratch the surface of what’s possible and needed to push casework into the 21st century.

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House vs. Senate Earmark Accounts FY23
Anne Meeker Anne Meeker

House vs. Senate Earmark Accounts FY23

Last year, the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations announced the return of Member-Directed Spending, also known as “earmarks.” In the FY22 appropriations cycle, differences between the House and Senate processes, including mismatched eligible spending accounts, were some of the biggest unanswered questions of the reinstated process. This year, while there are still some discrepancies, the lists of eligible accounts in the House and Senate are very similar. We have provided a list below.

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Earmarks word for FY23: “executability”
Marci Harris Marci Harris

Earmarks word for FY23: “executability”

On March 31, POPVOX Foundation joined Bipartisan Policy Center and the Black Women’s Congressional Alliance to host a staff information-sharing session in collaboration with the House Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress.

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Leaving the Hill Part II: Landing on Your Feet
Anne Meeker Anne Meeker

Leaving the Hill Part II: Landing on Your Feet

You’ve decided—for whatever reasons, and in whatever circumstances — that it is time to move on from Congress.

This article addresses the nuts and bolts of how to leave smart, what to expect when you do, and four steps in your transition.

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This National Intern Day: Announcing ‘Intern-a-Palooza!’
Anne Meeker Anne Meeker

This National Intern Day: Announcing ‘Intern-a-Palooza!’

This National Intern Day, the POPVOX Foundation is pleased to announce the launch of the Fall 2021 Intern Orientation, also known as Intern-a-Palooza! This two-day free orientation and welcome event for Congressional interns is hosted by the POPVOX Foundation and organizations involved in the First Branch Intern Project, in collaboration with the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress. The event is intended to provide a warm welcome and words of advice to all Congressional interns—remote, DC, District, and prospective interns considering a future application—as they kick off their internships.

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House vs. Senate Member-Directed Spending
Report Anne Meeker Report Anne Meeker

House vs. Senate Member-Directed Spending

Both the House and Senate have reinstated Member-Directed Spending programs (formerly known as ‘earmarks’) this year, but there are some significant differences between the chambers. Below, we’ve provided some comparison, including differences between which eligible accounts are accepting Member-Directed Spending requests in both chambers. Resolving how to handle asymmetrical eligible accounts will happen in Conference after the House and Senate Appropriations Committees have both passed spending bills.

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