#43: CIVICS 101: The Legislative Branch
Q&A #43: What are the functions of the congressional support agencies that are funded in the legislative appropriations acts?
Our American Government
Our American Government is a small book published by the House of Representatives for citizens and those who seek a greater understanding of the American interpretation of democracy. It follows a question-and-answer format and covers a broad range of topics dealing with the three branches of our Government, the electoral process, and the role of political parties.
The Savvy Citizen is reproducing the 169 questions-and-answers through a series of posts called Civics 101. Each post will contain the Q&A as well as some additional commentary to add historical context, fun facts, or anything we believe will add to our collective understanding of these topics.
Think of it as your adult Civics class but without the test!
Let’s keep at it.
SECTION: The Legislative Branch: The Congress
Members, Offices, and Staff
Q&A #43: What are the functions of the congressional support agencies that are funded in the legislative acts?
Legislative support agencies funded in the legislative appropriations act include:
the Congressional Budget Office (CBO),
the Congressional Research Service (CRS) of the Library of Congress, and
the General Accounting Office (GAO).
CBO assists the House and Senate Budget Committees in evaluating the spending and revenue priorities of Congress and aids all congressional committees in estimating the cost of proposed legislation.
CRS provides reference, research, and analytical assistance to committees, Members, and staff of Congress on current and anticipated policy issues.
GAO primarily studies and reports to Congress on the economy and efficiency of Government programs, operations, and expenditures.
My Thoughts
So much of what happens behind-the-scenes seems really boring, but it’s what makes everything tick (for good or for ill). Knowing what’s going on “under the hood” is the only way you can have confidence that things aren’t about to putter out!
P.S. The CRS is fantastic - it’s full of excellent commentary and 100% free to the public (well, we pay for it with our tax dollars)!
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Back next time with Q&A #44: What services are officially available to Members and to committees to assist them in the performance of their legislative duties?
Meanwhile, don’t forget that we’re organizing the post links on a single page available here.
xo,
Kelley for the Savvy Citizen Team
February 10, 2025