Survey Says! House Rules Committee Has Best
Congressional Committee Web Site

WASHINGTON - With millions of Americans only a few clicks away from Congress, House Rules Committee Chairman David Dreier (R-CA) said today he was proud of the leading role the Rules Committee site has taken in providing the public with unparalleled access to legislative information, as recognized by its recent award for the best Congressional Committee Web site.

"Net Gains: The 106th Congress on the World Wide Web" surveyed all 551 Congressional Web sites. The Rules Committee site was chosen as the best overall Committee site because of its wealth of information on the legislative process and Committee activities, as well as its user friendly design.

"Technology is continuing to empower individuals. I’m excited about the opportunity to keep constituents better informed," said Dreier, who has made it a priority to develop a state-of-the-art Committee Web site that offers people rapid access to the Committee and procedural information on the House.

"For many Americans, such as my constituents in the San Gabriel Valley, Washington is a far off place separated by both distance and time differences. Congressional Web sites, like the Rules Committee site, allow Americans wherever they live to access legislative and policy information from the convenience of their home or work computer. The Internet is great for students, and citizens of all ages who are interested in their government."

James A. Thurber, Director of American University’s Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies, who conducted the survey, described the Rules Committee site as "the best overall Congressional Committee site. It is a great site for high school and college courses on Congress."

The survey ranked the Web sites of Senators and Representatives by the following five criteria: content; constituent service; visual appeal; user friendliness; and, use of technology. In addition to these criteria, committee sites were reviewed with following ten criteria: presence or absence of a calendar; a hearing/floor schedule; whip notice; reports; jurisdictional definitions or committee scope; rules and procedures of the committee, if applicable; the text of legislation; and, a list of bills under consideration by the committee.

Thurber and Jack Bonner, President of Bonner & Associates presented the award during today’s Second Annual Conference on Lobbying and the Internet.