Center Co-Hosts Nov. 7 Briefing For Reporters On Covering The Divided Congress

How does a Capitol Hill reporter meet the challenge of writing about substantive issues at a time when lawmakers seem preoccupied with throwing political punches across the aisle? On Monday, Dec. 7 in Washington, a panel of experts will discuss the interplay between the nation’s deep political divide and policymaking in Congress.

The free morning briefing for D.C. journalists will examine how to avoid getting caught up in the “he said-she said” of partisan sniping in Congress and focus instead on explaining the genuine philosophical differences that profoundly impact members’ ability to legislate.

Is the current political antipathy truly unprecedented, or have we been here before? Are there some bills actually moving, behind the scenes? What’s the prognosis for the budget? Jobs bills? What other important issues might be hamstrung next year by congressional gridlock?

The panelists who will discuss these topics and take questions:

— Matt Bennett, Senior Vice President for Public Affairs, Third Way

— Sarah Binder, Senior Fellow, Governance Studies, Brookings Institution

— Jonathan Allen, Senior Congressional Reporter, POLITICO

Time and Place:

Monday, Nov. 7, 8:45am – 10:30am

Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars

4th Floor Conference Room

Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center

1300 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, D.C.

There is no fee to attend, but space is limited and reservations are required. Click here to register.

Continental breakfast will be available for 15 minutes before the program, which starts promptly at 9am.

Partnering with the Center in sponsoring this Capitol Hill Issues Briefing are the National Press Foundation and POLITICO.

The aim of the Issues Briefing series is to help Washington reporters bring more depth and perspective to their coverage of timely topics in the news. Briefings during 2010 were in April on financial regulation legislation; May on Elena Kagan’s nomination to the Supreme Court; June on energy and climate legislation in the wake of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill; September on the public’s opinion of Congress’ performance and the midterm election; and December on what to expect in the 112th Congress. Seminars this year were in February on covering the fiscal 2012 budget process, and in June on the debt limit dilemma.