4.13 Congress / Legislative Affairs

Established by Article I of the Constitution, the Legislative Branch consists of the House of Representatives and the Senate, which together form the United States Congress. The Constitution grants Congress the sole authority to enact legislation and declare war, the right to confirm or reject many Presidential appointments, and substantial investigative powers. (The White House. The Legislative Branch.)

Within federal agencies are legislative affairs offices that coordinate legislative activity for the agency and serve as the primary liaison to Members of Congress and their congressional staff. They develop and implement strategies to advance their agency's legislative initiatives, respond to inquiries from Congress, and keep senior leadership and OMB informed about the activities of Congress. Agency CIOs are subject to testify before Congress to articulate the agency's position on proposed legislation and/or progress towards initiatives, policies, and programs.