Seminar for Executives on Legislative Operations

This 3-day course is designed for members of the Senior Executive Service, SES candidates, and GS/GM 14s and 15s (or uniformed service equivalent) who would benefit from more detailed knowledge of the legislative process and are more likely to interact directly with Congress.

The Seminar for Executives on Legislative Operations is designed to make federal managers more savvy about Congress. The legislative branch has extensive powers to determine agency policies, and has the ultimate power of the purse. It is crucial that managers and executives understand how Congress exercises those powers, as well as the context of the current political dynamics.

This course is conducted on Capitol Hill so that participants can interact directly with key players, including congressional staff, GAO personnel, and others. Participants will come away with an in-depth understanding of Congress’s role as it affects executive branch agencies, and will be updated on the current developments in the budget and appropriations process, the political dynamics of the House and Senate, and the relationship between the White House and Congress.

The course will give participants a deeper understanding of:

• The connections between the executive and legislative branches
• How the House and Senate are organized and conduct legislative business
• The role of executive branch officials in the legislative process, the critical stages in the process, and how legislation is modified and refined at the various stages
• The budget and appropriations process, how it works and why it breaks down
• The practices of congressional committees, including the context and purposes of committee hearings
• How outside interests influence the congressional policymaking process
• The various ways Congress conducts oversight and investigations
• GAO and the agencies; OMB and the agencies
• The political dynamics and issue landscape of the current Congress
• How to work more effectively with Congress

Target Audience:

SES, SES candidates, GS/GM 14s and 15s (or uniformed service equivalent) and others who need more detailed knowledge of the legislative process and are more likely to interact directly with Congress. Individuals who work in a legislative affairs or budget capacity may benefit from this course as well.

Meets Executive Core Qualifications 1, 4, and 5.