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1 [1] (July 8, 2024)

handle is hein.crs/govepjb0001 and id is 1 raw text is: CRS Services to District and State Offices: Overview and Selected Resources The Congressional Research Service (CRS) serves all congressional offices-those on Capitol Hill, as well as those in a Member's home district or state office. This resource guide provides a brief overview of how CRS may assist all congressional offices with resources designed for activities often undertaken by district and state offices. CRS is Congress's own nonpartisan think tank, reference library, and information resource hub, housed within the Library of Congress. CRS can assist district and state offices with any number of work-related needs. For example, staff frequently have questions about demographic characteristics or other information about their district/state or a municipality, options for navigating constituent casework, and assorted questions originating from local stakeholders. CRS works exclusively for Congress and does not directly interface with the public. CRS can assist with providing information to help offices respond to inquiries from constituents or other entities. Resources on CRS.gov are accessible only to Members and congressional staff; publicly available copies of CRS reports can be accessed at https://crsreports.congress.gov/. For additional discussion of constituent services topics, see CRS In Focus IF10503, Constituent Services: Overview and Resources. Customized CRS Assistance: How To Ask For Hep CRS assists all congressional offices, including staff in district and state offices. Offices may ask for assistance with identifying resources or data, guidance on various issues, general information, and briefings. Congressional offices can get in touch with CRS in a number of ways: by making direct contact with a CRS subject matter expert, calling the CRS main line (202-707- 5700) during business hours (Monday-Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. eastern standard time; Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 pm; Saturday 10:00 am-5:00 pm if either chamber is in session), or placing a request online via the CRS Place a Request portal (accepted anytime and routed to experts Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. eastern standard time). Members and staff can also sign up for a MyCRS account to make requests more quickly, save searches, and receive notifications about new or updated CRS products on topics of interest. CRS Events for Dstrct and State Staff CRS periodically provides a District/State Staff Institute, a two-day seminar that offers discussions on a range of topics for staff in district and state offices. Topics typically include an overview of CRS services, Congress.gov, grants Updated July 8, 2024 services to constituents, staff safety, casework practices, and casework resources from several federal agencies (e.g., Social Security Administration, Internal Revenue Service, Department of State, Citizenship and Immigration Services, Department of Veterans Affairs). The program is typically offered at least a few times a year, sometimes virtually, and sometimes in-person in Washington, DC. CRS holds many events for Members and congressional staff throughout the year, including seminars on appropriations and budget processes, federal legal research, legislative process, and policy and legal seminars. See CRS Events for a list of upcoming opportunities, or contact CRS to request information on planned future dates. CRS seminars may be offered in-person in Washington, DC, or virtually. Since CRS offers customized assistance, district and state offices may also request custom virtual trainings and briefings. CaSEwOrk Casework refers to the response or services that Members of Congress provide to constituents seeking assistance, often when they are dealing with a federal agency to resolve a specific problem. Common requests involve securing federal benefits, obtaining a missing record or payment from a federal agency, or assistance with immigration matters. Each Member office has considerable discretion in how it defines and approaches casework, subject to House or Senate rules, ethics guidelines, and statute. An office's casework portfolio may include other constituent services, including those that are discussed in more detail in select CRS products, including the following: * CRS Report RL33209, Casework in a Congressional Office * CRS Resource Website, Casework & Other Constituent Services, at https://www.crs.gov/Resources/casework * CRS Report R44696, Casework in Congressional Offices: Frequently Asked Questions * CRS Video WVB00093, Introduction to Congressional Casework Federal Agency CAngressonaL L sons One challenge for caseworkers can be determining who to talk to at a particular federal agency. CRS maintains a directory of about 200 congressional liaison offices, intended to help congressional offices with contacting federal government agencies. Resources on congressional liaison offices include the following:

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