Legislation

• As an integral part of our legislation system, a congressman writes and proposes new laws. He usually does this by partnering with colleagues within his division to form a group that focuses on specific legislation. Within his group he works out the details of a law, co-writes the provisions and decides on the best way to ensure the law passes. He also meets with businessmen, lobbyists and members of the executive branch to discuss special interests and exchange policy information.
  
  

Committee Responsibilities

• A congressman serves on several committees, an average of two or more if he is a member of the House of Representatives and four if he is a Senate member. Each committee he chooses deals with a specific area or topic, such as enacting laws to make the country more energy efficient. As a committee participant, his tasks include voting on proposed legislation, writing reports, attending meetings and preparing amendments to bills.
  
  

Office Duties

• Each congressman has an office with staff members. On average, a House representative oversees a staff of up to 22 and a Senator manages about 38 staff people. A congressman receives an allotted amount from government to cover his staff expenses. One of his duties is to manage these funds by using them to ensure that his office operates efficiently while remaining within his budget. He must balance his budget for each fiscal year and account for all personnel and office expenses. His other office responsibilities include hiring new staff members and delegating tasks among and conducting meetings with his staff.
  
  

Public Commitments

• Because congressmen are public officials chosen and elected by U.S. citizens, their most important tasks involve interacting with and representing the public, especially the district and state they represent. A congressman is a liaison between the government and his state's citizens, industries and businesses. He participates in media and public events such as press conferences, town meetings and personal interviews to discuss the details of new laws and proposals including how they will affect his state or district. He researches the impact of legislation on the territory he represents and makes choices in voting that reflect the interests of the people. A congressman also assesses the financial and institutional needs of his home base and lobbies to obtain federal assistance for them.