" About FirstGov : Whatever you want or need from the U.S. government, it's here on FirstGov.gov. You'll find a rich treasure of online information, services and resources.
Our Vision : FirstGov.gov, the official U.S. gateway to all government information, is the catalyst for a growing electronic government. Our work transcends the traditional boundaries of government and our vision is global - connecting the world to all U.S. government information and services.
Government at Your Fingertips : Our powerful search engine and ever-growing collection of topical and customer-focused links connects you to millions of web pages - from the federal government, local and tribal governments and to foreign nations around the world. On FirstGov.gov, you can search more than 51 million web pages from federal and state governments, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories. ..." more - Contact Your Government - Contacting the White House

" During his 10 years on Capitol Hill, YourCongress.com Founder and CEO Christopher Porter realized that there is so much that Congress does - both good and bad - that people never see. When Chris would meet with constituents, the complaints were always the same: newspaper and television coverage of Washington is inadequate, and no one has time to go to the library to check up on Congress. And if you watch C-SPAN, it's like they're speaking a foreign language.
After reading a People Magazine article about Northern Virginia-based Motley Fool, which uses humor to teach people about stocks and investing, Chris' wife Rosalyn had an idea: why not employ the Motley Fool model to teach people about Congress?" ... more

" The Speaker of the House of Representatives is widely viewed as symbolizing the power and authority of the House. The Speaker's most prominent role is that of presiding officer of the House. In this capacity he is empowered by House rules to administer proceedings on the House floor, including the power to recognize Members on the floor to speak or make motions and the power to appoint Members to conference committees. The Speaker also oversees much of the non-legislative business of the House, such as general control over the Hall of the House and the House side of the Capitol and service as the chairman of the House Office Building Commission. His role as "elect of the elect" in the House also places the Speaker in a highly visible position with the public. " ... more

" The term whip is derived from the British term "whipper in", who was the person responsible for keeping the foxhounds from leaving the pack. AWhip was first used in the British House of Commons in the late eighteenth century and then in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1897, when Representative James A. Tawney (R-Minn.) was appointed whip by Speaker Thomas Reed (R-Maine) to help keep track of party Members.
As the Majority Whip, Congressman Roy Blunt, performs three primary functions: mobilizing the vote on key Republican legislative objectives, providing information to Members and leadership, coordinating strategy within the House." ... more

" The first of eight major recommendations of the 1946 Joint Committee on the Organization of Congress was the consolidation of 81 legislative committees into 34. The second major recommendation was the creation of the Policy Committee.
The Joint Committee, which included among its 12 Members Sen. Robert La Follette, Sen. Claude Pepper, Sen. Richard Russell, and Rep. Everett Dirksen, envisioned the Policy Committee as the principal forum for the consideration of forward-looking legislative initiatives, the enunciation of official party policies, and the resolution of inter-jurisdictional policy disputes. The Joint Committee recommended that the Policy Committee "serve as a formal council to meet regularly with the Executive, to facilitate the formulation and carrying out of national policy, and to improve relationships between the executive and legislative branches of the Government." The Policy Committee serves all of those missions " ... more

The Role of Majority Leader
" The House of Representatives, with its large membership, has chosen majority and minority leaders since the 19th century to expedite legislative business and to keep their parties united. These leaders are elected every two years in secret balloting of the party caucus or conference.
The role of the majority leader has been defined by history and tradition. This officer is charged with scheduling legislation for floor consideration; planning the daily, weekly, and annual legislative agendas; consulting with Members to gauge party sentiment; and, in general, working to advance the goals of the majority party. " ... more

" The Office of the Clerk welcomes you to the online Information Center. At this site, you can obtain copies of House documents, including public disclosure forms, made available by the Clerk as part of his official duties. You can also find historical information about the House of Representatives and information about its Members and Committees. "

Offices Services

" Capitol Advantage is the nation’s premier provider of grassroots solutions for corporations, nonprofit groups, associations, educational institutions, and other organizations. Founded in 1986, Capitol Advantage provides grassroots advocacy products and services to more than 1,500 organizations, including some of the nation’s largest and most respected portals and media companies as well as trade associations, nonprofit organizations and corporations.
Whether you are looking for a comprehensive online grassroots action center, personalized congressional print directories, or hands-on strategic and tactical consulting support, Capitol Advantage is the only source of support you will need. "

GovernMail is the first government application also developed for users around the world. The program features a comprehensive listing of world parliaments and leaders from countries around the world. These listings include email addresses for world leaders so users can write to leaders of other countries to let their voice be heard.