WASHINGTON –The online office of Congressman Paul Ryan, http://paulryan.house.gov, was awarded a “112^th Congress Platinum Mouse Award” and recognized as the overall best website in the House of Representatives by the Congressional Management Foundation. 

Upon learning of the award, Ryan said: “Providing my employers with the easiest and most effective ways to communicate with me and our federal government is my number one priority. Through my online office, residents of Southern Wisconsin have access to the tools they need to e-mail me, get help dealing with federal agencies, schedule a visit to DC, and learn how Congress is impacting their lives. I’m grateful to receive a Platinum Mouse Award for having the most user-friendly and informative website in the House of Representatives.”

“Rep. Ryan is to be commended for educating citizens and achieving the highest degree of transparency and accountability in online communications," said Bradford Fitch, President and CEO of CMF. "In the 21st Century, a website is much more than a broadcasting tool for a political message - it's a virtual office and a window into our democratic institutions. These winners of the Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze Mouse Awards understand the value of using the Internet to enlighten and serve constituents, and are examples for all congressional offices to follow," he said.

Through his official Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube pages, and his House Budget Committee website, which also received a “112^th Congress Silver Mouse Award”, Congressman Ryan is committed to using all available avenues to communicate with residents of Wisconsin’s First District and inform them of his efforts in Congress. In addition to these online resources, Congressman Ryan will also be holding three listening sessions in Southern Wisconsin this Friday where he’ll speak with residents about efforts to grow the economy and create jobs. A full schedule of these listening sessions can be accessed here.

This is the third consecutive award Ryan’s website has received from the Congressional Management Foundation. The Congressional Management Foundation is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization which works to improve communications between citizens and Congress, and has graded congressional websites since 2001. The Congressional Management Foundation conducted its analysis of 618 websites from June to September 2011 and evaluated websites on 10 criteria such as usability, timeliness of content, legislative process information, constituent services and casework information, and district/state information. The full report can be downloaded here.