The CRGs are designed to fund thoughtful study into congressional leadership and Congress. Since 1978, The Center has awarded over $250,000 to more than 200 research projects. A continuing grant from the Caterpillar Foundation helps support this program. 

The Dirksen Center is a non-profit, non-partisan research center in Pekin, Illinois, that seeks to improve civic participation by promoting a better understanding of Congress and its leaders through research and educational programs. 

• John Bader, University of California, "Minority Party Leadership in the U.S. Senate."
• Stephen Borrelli & Terry Royed, University of Alabama, "Party Pledge, Party Leadership, and Public Policy in the U.S., 1977-1995."
• Martha Gibson, University of Connecticut, "Structure, Power, and Policy: U.S. Trade Politics and the Unintended Consequences of Congressional Reform."
• William Grover, Saint Michael's College, "The Congressional Progressive Caucus and the Policy Process."
• Terri Halperin, University of Virginia, "The United States Senate: The World's Greatest Deliberative Body, 1789-1821."
• William Hixon, University of Rochester, "Majority-Party Leadership and the Committee System in the U.S. House."
• James Lindsey, University of Iowa, "Beyond the Water's Edge: Congressional Leaders and Committees in Foreign Policy."
• John Messmer, University of Missouri, "Early Political Life on the World Wide Web: Congress, Voters, and Organized Interests and the Internet."
• Sharyn O'Halloran, Columbia University, "Congress, the Executive, and Delegation"
• Rosanna Perotti, Hofstra University, "Congress and Illegal Immigration Restrictions, 1986-1996."
• Bill Weinberg, Independent Author, "Biography of Carl D. Perkins."
• Clyde Wilcox, Georgetown University, "Individual Contributors in House and Senate Elections."

The Center's holdings include the papers of many former members of Congress, such as Speaker Carl Albert, Robert S. Kerr, and Fred Harris of Oklahoma, Helen Gahagan Douglas and Jeffery Cohelan of California, and Neil Gallagher of New Jersey. Besides the history of Congress, congressional leadership, national and Oklahoma politics, and election campaigns, the collections also document government policy affecting agriculture, Native Americans, energy, foreign affairs, the environment, and the economy. Topics that can be studied include the Great Depression, flood control, soil conservation, and tribal affairs. At least one collection provides insight on women in American politics. Most materials date from the 1920s to the 1970s, although there is one nineteenth century collection. 

The Visiting Scholars Program is open to any applicant. Emphasis is given to those pursuing post-doctoral research in history, political science, and other fields. Graduate students involved in research for publication, thesis, or dissertation are encouraged to apply. Interested undergraduates and lay researchers are also invited to apply. The Center carefully evaluates each research proposal. 
For more information, please contact Archivist, Carl Albert Center, 630 Parrington Oval, Room 101, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019-4031. Telephone: (405) 325-6372. FAX: (405) 325-6419. E-mail: kosmerick@ou.edu. Or visit the Center's Web site: http://www.ou.edu/special/albertctr/archives.htm. 

The Contemporary Congress, Second Edition 
by Burdett A. Loomis 
New York: St. Martin's Press, 1998 
 The second edition of The Contemporary Congress continues to emphasize the tension between centrifugal and centripetal forces in Congress. Writing at the outset of the 105th Congress, however, allows for a more dispassionate consideration of the institution than could have occurred in the "Republican revolution" context of 1995-96. In particular, the second edition offers an opportunity to examine the congressional party-committee nexus in the aftermath of the 104th experience. This update also incorporates the 1996 elections into its analysis, and includes a preliminary assessment of the evolution of campaign spending in the ‘96 campaigns. It remains an extended essay that weaves recent research and contemporary politics into the work of two generations of congressional scholars. 

Congressional Elections: Campaigning at Home and in Washington, Second Edition 
by Paul S. Herrnson 
Washington, DC: CQ Press, 1998 
 The second edition of Congressional Elections: Campaigning at Home and in Washington continues to focus on the campaigns that candidates wage for the House and Senate. One campaign is conducted in the district or state where candidates battle for votes. The other campaign takes place largely in Washington, D.C. where candidates bid for the support and resources of party committees, PACs, and other major contributors. Using information from the 1994 and 1996 elections, this edition highlights recent changes in soft money contributions and expenditures, party agenda-setting efforts (such as the Republicans' Contract with America and the Democrats' Families First Agenda), the legalization of party independent expenditures, and party and interest group sponsored issue advocacy campaigns. The emergence of tax-exempt organizations as partisan political campaigners and the expanded roles of members of Congress as contributors to and fundraisers for other candidates are also discussed. A new Web page (the "Free Resources" area of http://books.cq.com) presents the syllabus for a course on congressional elections, descriptions of student projects, questionnaires to guide research on congressional campaigns, a list of Web sites that provide resources for researching congressional elections, and information on the quantitative research that was used to write the book. 

Kennedy School Online Political Information Network  provides links to a wide variety of resources on elections, parties and candidates, the federal government, state and local government, think tanks, advocacy, international information, academia, and news and media. Definitely one of the most comprehensive sites available. 

Federal Election Commission  includes financial information about candidates, parties, and other committees including summarized and detailed files covering 1997-98, 1995-96, 1993-94. In addition, the site provides 1996 election results and registration data. 

White House Electronic Publications  is a great resource for quick access to White House documents published since January 20, 1993. This searchable site includes White House news releases, briefings, executive orders, Letters to Congress and speeches by the President. 

Yale University's Avalon Project provides access to numerous digital documents such as the Magna Carta, the Atlantic Charter, and the War Powers Resolution. Many of the documents are hyperlinked to supporting information. Unfortunately, the site is not searchable. 

State Legislature Home Pages 
 

May 30-June 2, 1998--International Workshop on "Committees in Comparative Perspective: From Conflict to Cooperation," Greensboro, North Carolina, U.S.A. Contacts: Professor David M. Olson, Department of Political Science, 237 Graham Building, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC 27412, U.S.A.; Tel. +1-910-334-5989 or 299-7272; Fax +1-910-334-4315 or 334-3009; E-mail: olsondm@iris.uncg.edu OR Dr. Wlodzimierz Wesolowski, Institute of Philosophy and Sociology, Polish Academy of Sciences, ul. Nowy Swiat 72 (Palac Staszica), 00-330, Warsazwa. Poland; Tel. +48-22-826-52-31, ext. 253; +48-22-826-71-81; or +48-22-826-99-48; Fax +48-22-826-78-23 or +48-22-826-71-81. 

July 1-5, 1998--Budapest International Conference II on "The Significance of the Individual Parliamentary Member in Parliamentary Politics," Budapest, Hungary, sponsored jointly with the Center for Democracy Studies of the Budapest University of Economic Sciences. Contacts: Professor Attila Agh, Department of Political Science, Budapest University of Economic Sciences, Fovam ter 8, H-1093 Budapest, Hungary; Fax and Tel. +36-1-218-8049; E-mail: polt_agh@pegasus.bke.hu OR Professor Lawrence D. Longley, Department of Government, Lawrence University, Appleton, Wisconsin, 54912, U.S.A.; Tel. +1-920-832-6673; Fax +1-920-832-6944; E-mail: PowerLDL@aol.com 

July 6-9, 1998--Ljubljana International Conference II on "Opportunities and Dilemmas of Parliamentary Leadership," Ljubljana and Portoroz, Slovenia, sponsored jointly with the University of Ljubljana Faculty of Social Sciences and the Political Science Association of Slovenia. Contacts: Dr. Drago Zajc, Department of Political Science, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ljubljana, P.O. Box 47, 61109 Ljubljana, Slovenia; Tel. +386-61-168-1461; Fax +386-61-168-3421, 168-2329, or 168-5330; E-mail: drago.zajc@uni-lj.si OR Professor Lawrence D. Longley, Department of Government, Lawrence University, Appleton, Wisconsin, 54912, U.S.A.; Tel. +1-920-832-6673; Fax+1-920-832-6944; E-mail: PowerLDL@aol.com 

August 8-9, 1998--"Third International Workshop of Parliamentary Scholars and Parliamentarians," Wroxton College, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom, sponsored jointly with the Centre for Legislative Studies of the University of Hull, United Kingdom. Contact: Professor Philip Norton, Department of Politics, The University of Hull, Hull, HU6 7RX, United Kingdom; Tel. +44-1482-465-863; Fax +44-1482-854-168 or 466-208; E-mail: p.norton@pol-as.hull.ac.uk 

Late Autumn, 1998--International Workshop on "Reforming Legislatures," Jerusalem, Israel, sponsored jointly with the Israel Democracy Institute and the Centre for Legislative Studies of the University of Hull, U.K. Contact: Dr. Reuven Y. Hazan, Department of Political Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 91905 Jerusalem, Israel; Fax: +972-2-588-1333; E-mail: mshazan@mscc.huji.ac.il 

The Research Committee of Legislative Specialists of the International Political Science Association is an organization of more than 150 scholars from 39 different countries of the world whose goal is to facilitate research into the comparative forms and effects of legislative institutions, processes, and politics. The resulting network of international scholars includes individuals interested in national, cross-national, and sub-national aspects of parliaments and legislatures throughout the world. 

The RCLS, which celebrated in 1996 its 25th year of scholarly activity, regularly organizes international gatherings of parliamentary and legislative specialists. Three recent major scholarly conferences sponsored by RCLS include an international conference on "The Changing Roles of Parliamentary Committees" held in Budapest, Hungary in June 1996 which involved 63 scholars from 20 countries presenting 32 papers; an international conference on "The New Democratic Parliaments: The First Years" held in Ljubljana, Slovenia, also in June 1996, which included 63 scholars from 16 countries presenting 32 papers; and "The Second Workshop of Parliamentary Scholars and Parliamentarians" held in Oxfordshire, England in August 1996, which involved more than 70 scholars of parliaments and members of national parliaments. Details of these and other conference, research, and publishing initiatives are regularly sent to current RCLS members worldwide. In 1997 the RCLS was the sponsoring scholarly organization for the monumental World Encyclopedia of Parliaments and Legislatures (Washington: Congressional Quarterly Books, 1997). 

Additionally, RCLS published in 1997 two further volumes in its ongoing Working Papers on Comparative Legislative Studies book series. One volume on The Changing Roles of Parliamentary Committees is an outgrowth of the RCLS Budapest 1996 International Conference and consists of 32 original studies of parliamentary committees ranging from Russia to South Africa, and from Korea to the United States. The second volume in the series, The New Democratic Parliaments: The First Years, likewise resulted from a RCLS 1996 international conference, in this case the conference in Ljubljana, and includes 26 original studies on the experiences of the new democratic parliaments in their first decade or less of experience. These books are available from the RCLS at a cost of $40 each, plus $5 for worldwide postage (or plus $15 for worldwide air delivery). 

Since 1991 RCLS has published and distributed to its membership the RCLS International Newsletter. Each issue of the International Newsletter features a section, "Scholarly Extensions," which provides an outlet for scholars of legislatures to present interesting data, summaries of larger research efforts, theoretical statements, or critiques of other works. The International Newsletter, from time to time, offers--by special arrangement with publishers--discount arrangements for particularly important international journals and scholarly books in the field. Periodically RCLS also distributes the International Membership Directory and Research Register to its members. The 1997 edition contained detailed member information and listings of current research interests for more than 150 individual legislative scholars from 39 different countries of the world. 

Scholars and others interested in parliaments and legislatures are invited to join this international network of scholars and thus facilitate communication among researchers with common interests in the comparative forms and effects of legislative institutions, processes, and politics. Membership in the Research Committee of Legislative Specialists currently runs through the year 2000 IPSA World Congress in Quebec City, Canada, and entitles international scholars to information concerning the professional activities of the Research Committee (including program plans for RCLS sessions at the year 2000 IPSA World Congress), receipt of the International Newsletter, and listing in the RCLS International Membership Directory and Research Register. 

In order to join the Research Committee of Legislative Specialists, please send your name, professional address, telephone and fax numbers, E-mail address, and current legislative research interests, together with a check for $40 U.S. or L30 sterling to either: 
 

Professor Lawrence D. Longley Co-Chair, RCLS Dept. of Government Lawrence University Appleton, WI 54912 U.S.A. Tel. +1-920-832-6673 Fax +1-920-832-6944 e-mail: PowerLDL@aol.com

Professor Philip Norton Co-Chair, RCLS Dept. of Politics The University of Hull Hull, HU6 7RX, United Kingdom Tel. +44-1482-465-863 Fax +44-1482-466-208 e-mail: p.norton@pol-as.hull.ac.uk

Please make your check payable to the "Research Committee of Legislative Specialists" or "RCLS." Please do not forget to list your current research interests, E-mail address, and fax and telephone numbers for the RCLS International Membership Directory and Research Register, and be sure, also, to order your copies of the new RCLS "Budapest Book" on The Changing Roles of Parliamentary Committees and the just-published "Ljubljana Book" on The New Democratic Parliaments: The First Years.