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FAQs 

Congressman Brad Sherman’s FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions Page

The following Frequently Asked Questions and answers are posted to provide general information concerning frequent requests made of Congressman Sherman and his office.

Q: How may I contact Congressman Sherman's office to voice my opinions about federal legislation and national policy?

Q: How can I obtain a nomination to one of the U.S. military academies?

Q: How can I obtain tour reservations for the White House?

Q: How can I arrange a visit to the House Chamber?

Q: How can I find out about internship opportunities in Congressman Sherman' offices?

Q: How can I contact Congressman Sherman's offices to request assistance with a bureaucratic problem within the federal government?

Q: I am from a local government, private company, or organization that would like to request information on the grant process, how can Congressman Sherman help me obtain a grant?

Q: How do I access the texts of bills, statements, or resolutions on the Internet?

Q: What is an appropriation?

Q: What is an authorization?

Q: What is a balanced budget?

Q: What is a budget agreement?

Q: What is a budget resolution?

Q: What is a censure?

Q: What is a conference committee?

Q: What is discretionary spending?

Q: What is the Electoral College?

Q: What are entitlements?


Q: What is an omnibus bill?


Q: What is a quorum call?


Q: Can I contact someone in Congressman Sherman's office if I have further questions?


Q: How can my group schedule a meeting with the Congressman or his staff?
 

Q: How may I contact Congressman Sherman's office to voice my opinions about federal legislation and national policy?

A: Congressman Sherman welcomes the opinions and comments of his constituents on federal issues that are of concern to them.

You may e-mail Congressman Sherman's office by filling out the contact Brad form on this site. You may also mail comments on federal legislation to the following address:

Congressman Brad Sherman
U.S. House of Representatives
2242 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515

Please feel free to call the Congressman's Washington, D.C., office at
(202) 225-5911, or visit the contact information page for more information.

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Q: How can I obtain a nomination to one of the U.S. military academies?

A: Congressman Sherman is permitted to make a limited number of nominations for appointments to the U.S. Naval Academy, the U.S. Air Force Academy, the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

For instructions on how to apply for a nomination, visit the service academy appointments page or call the Congressman's Sherman District office at (818) 501-9200.

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Q: How can I obtain tour reservations for the White House?

A: To arrange a tour, please visit Congressman Sherman’s tour request page (at least four months in advance) and fill out the necessary information. You may also contact the Washington, DC at (202) 225-5911 and ask for the tour coordinator.

*Please note White House tours are approved by the White House and not through Congressman Sherman’s office. While rare, if you are selected for a tour, you will be contacted.

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Q: How can I arrange a visit to the House Chamber?

A: Visit the tour request page and fill out the reservation form. When in Washington, please visit Congressman Sherman's Capitol Hill office in Room 2242 of the Rayburn House Office Building and pick up passes to the House Chamber's Visitors' Gallery.

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Q: How can I find out about internship opportunities in Congressman Sherman' offices?

A: Congressman Sherman's offices welcome the assistance of interns who wish to experience the inner workings of a Congressional office.

A limited number of volunteer internships are available to students (usually at the college level) in Congressman Sherman' Capitol Hill office. Duties will include sorting mail, arranging and conducting constituent tours of the Capitol, answering phones, attending legislative briefings, and assisting with various administrative tasks. This is an excellent opportunity for college students and recent graduates to learn how a Congressional office operates. Applicants should be enthusiastic, hard-working, and able to multi-task, and must have strong written and oral communication skills. Ideal candidates are able to work at least 20 hours a week. Please send a resume, cover letter with availability, and short writing sample (5 pages or less) to Lauren.Wolman@mail.house.gov or via fax to (202) 225-5879.

For information about internships in Congressman Sherman' district office, contact the Sherman Oaks office directly at (818) 501-9200.

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Q: How can I contact Congressman Sherman's offices to request assistance with a bureaucratic problem within the federal government?

A: Congressman Sherman's office is available to assist you in solving any difficulties you may encounter with federal agencies. Please visit the help with federal agencies page for more information.  Due to federal privacy laws, Congressman Sherman must receive a written request from you in order to contact any agency on your behalf. The letter should include your name, postal address and telephone number as well as a brief description of the problem you are having with the federal agency.

Please send requests for assistance to 5000 Van Nuys Blvd., Suite 420, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403 or visit the office to speak with a caseworker during regular office hours.

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Q: I am from a local government, private company, or organization that would like to request information on the grant process, how can Congressman Sherman help me obtain a grant?

A: One of the best ways local governments and agencies, businesses and non-profit organizations can fund projects is through federal grants, which do not have to be repaid. Grant proposals are extremely competitive in nature. For additional information please visit our grant information page.

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Q: How do I access the texts of bills, statements, or resolutions on the Internet?

A: You can access all statements, bill texts, and resolutions by going to the legislation and Issues section of this site, or visit the Library of Congress' Thomas website. If you have trouble locating a document that you are seeking, please e-mail Congressman Sherman or call the Washington office at 202-225-5911.

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Q: What is an appropriation?

A: The funding of government agencies and programs or the granting of money. Appropriations bills originate in the House.

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Q: What is an authorization?

A: The act of establishing a program and setting its general level of funding. The process of authorization must be followed by that of an appropriation before a program can go into effect. There are often great disparities between what is authorized and what is appropriated.

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Q: What is a balanced budget?

A: A budget in which income equals or exceeds spending. Most states require balanced budgets, but the federal government does not.

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Q: What is a budget agreement?

A: A complex accord between Congress and the White House to reduce deficit spending over a five year period. The Balanced Budget agreement for 1997 set the parameters for a balanced budget.

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Q: What is a budget resolution?

A: Concurrent resolution, not a law, setting out the congressional spending priorities for the next five fiscal years.

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Q: What is a censure?

A: The act of disciplining a fellow member through a vote of disapproval or condemnation. This may be a reprimand, severe reprimand, censure, condemnation, or expulsion. The Constitution specifies that each house may "punish its members for disorderly behavior, and, with the concurrence of two thirds, expel a Member."

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Q: What is a conference committee?

A: Panel of members from both the House and Senate, usually key members of the committees that handled the bill under consideration, given the job of working out a compromise between the usually different versions of a bill passed by the House and Senate.

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Q: What is discretionary spending?

A: Spending that is not guaranteed by entitlements. This increasingly shrinking authority was split into three categories – defense, domestic, and international.

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Q: What is the Electoral College?

A: The body of presidential electors, equal in number to each state's representation in Congress, as chosen by the voters in presidential elections. It takes 270 votes in the Electoral College to become president.

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Q: What are entitlements?

A: Programs, such as Medicare, Medicaid, and veterans' benefits, that must be provided to all eligible persons who seek them, with the added assurance of legal recourse if they are not.

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Q: What is an omnibus bill?

A: Any piece of proposed legislation that deals with a wide variety of subjects. Today, the term is used mostly to describe a mammoth bill like a continuing resolution, which is usually used at the end of the legislative session to package many bills together. This is usually done with spending bills.

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Q: What is a quorum call?

A: A demand that the members present be counted to see if a quorum is present. Most quorum calls in the House are actually used to delay proceedings until a deal can be worked out or until a tardy speaker can get to the floor. Anyone may set a quorum call in motion, usually by saying "I suggest the absence of a quorum."

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Q: Can I contact someone in Congressman Sherman's office if I have further questions?

A: Congressman Sherman’s Sherman Oaks office is open daily from 9am – 5pm PST, Monday through Friday to assist constituents. You may visit, write, phone, fax or email the local office, and a staff person will be assigned to you. For more information on how to contact Congressman Sherman, please visit the contact information page.

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Q: How can my group schedule a meeting with the Congressman or his staff?

A: To ensure accuracy, we ask that meeting requests be submitted in writing. The easiest way to submit a meeting request for Congressman Sherman is by sending an email to Sherman.Scheduler@mail.house.gov. Staff is also available to meet with constituents. For meetings with staff in Sherman Oaks, call (818) 501-9200. For Washington, DC staff meetings, call (202) 225-5911.

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