Congressional Research Service

Congressional Research Service
[[File:		alt=]]
Formation	1914
Type
Headquarters	Washington, D.C.
Membership
Language	English
Leader title	Director
Leader name
Website

The Congressional Research Service (CRS) is a public policy research institute of the United States Congress. It is a legislative branch agency within the Library of Congress and works exclusively for the United States Congress, providing policy and legal analysis to committees and members of both the House of Representatives and Senate, regardless of party affiliation.

History

The CRS was established in 1914 as the Legislative Reference Service (LRS) and was renamed the Congressional Research Service in 1970. The change was part of the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1970, which aimed to improve the legislative process by providing Congress with more comprehensive and analytical research services.

Mission and Function

The mission of the CRS is to support an informed national legislature. It provides Congress with timely, objective, and authoritative research and analysis to assist in the legislative, oversight, and representational duties of Congress. The CRS is known for its confidentiality and nonpartisanship, ensuring that its work is trusted and respected by all members of Congress.

Services Provided

CRS provides a variety of services to Congress, including:

• Reports: CRS produces reports on a wide range of topics, which are often used by Congress to inform policy decisions.
• Consultations: CRS staff provide personal consultations to members of Congress and their staff on specific issues.
• Seminars and Workshops: CRS conducts seminars and workshops to educate congressional staff on various policy issues.
• Expert Testimony: CRS experts may testify before congressional committees on topics within their expertise.

Structure

CRS is organized into several divisions, each focusing on different areas of public policy, including:

• American Law
• Domestic Social Policy
• Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade
• Government and Finance
• Resources, Science, and Industry

Access to CRS Reports

Historically, CRS reports were not made publicly available, but in recent years, there has been a push for greater transparency. As of 2018, many CRS reports are available to the public through the Library of Congress website.

Also see

• Library of Congress
• United States Congress
• Government Accountability Office
• Congressional Budget Office

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