About CRS

The Congressional Research Service is the public policy research arm of the United States Congress. As a legislative branch agency within the Library of Congress, CRS works exclusively and directly for Members of Congress, their Committees and staff on a confidential, nonpartisan basis.

History and Mission

Congress created CRS in order to have its own source of nonpartisan, objective analysis and research on all legislative issues. Indeed, the sole mission of CRS is to serve the United States Congress. CRS has been carrying out this mission since 1914, when it was first established as the Legislative Reference Service. Renamed the Congressional Research Service by the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1970, CRS is committed to providing the Congress, throughout the legislative process, comprehensive and reliable analysis, research and information services that are timely, objective, nonpartisan, and confidential, thereby contributing to an informed national legislature.

CRS Staff

The CRS staff comprises nationally recognized experts in a range of issues and disciplines, including law, economics, foreign affairs, public administration, the information, social, political sciences, natural sciences. The breadth and depth of this expertise enables CRS staff to come together quickly to provide integrated analyses of complex issues that span multiple legislative and program areas.

CRS analysts work directly with Congress on a daily basis to help the Congress identify, analyze, and formulate legislative proposals. They perform in-depth policy, legal, and procedural analyses; identify and assess policy alternatives and their implications; assist in framing legislative proposals; develop quantitative databases and analyses using the latest research tools and methodologies; identify and evaluate new research findings, data, and information sources; and deliver expert testimony before congressional committees. Their work takes the form of written analytical reports and confidential memoranda, educational seminars and workshops, and in-person briefings and telephone consultations. CRS also provides the Congress with a wide range of specialized reference and information services.

Organizational Structure

CRS is organized into six interdisciplinary research divisions: American Law; Domestic Social Policy; Foreign Affairs, Defense and Trade; Government and Finance; Information Research; and Resources, Science and Industry. Within each division, CRS staff are organized into smaller sections, which focus on specific areas of public policy.

The work of the CRS research divisions is supported by five infrastructure offices:Congressional Affairs and Counselor to the Director; Finance and Administration; Information Resources Management; Legislative Information; and Workforce Development.

CRS is headed by a Director, who is appointed by the Librarian of Congress with the consent of the Joint Committee on the Library. The current Director of the Congressional Research Service is Daniel P. Mulhollan. His Deputy Director is Angela M. Evans.

Values

Client Service Uncompromising Integrity Total Quality   Mutual Respect Diversity

Goals

I. Service Quality

• Timeliness: To meet or beat all client deadlines for legislative assistance and be responsive to legislative timetables
• Accuracy: To provide products and services on legislative matters that are reliable, current, and comprehensive
• Confidentiality: To maintain confidentiality on all requests and responses unless clients direct otherwise
• Responsiveness: To respond to congressional needs with the most useful, legislatively relevant products and services
• Resident Expertise: To provide expert, multi-disciplinary, and analytical support on all legislative matters before Congress
• Objectivity: To provide products and services that can be relied upon to be free of partisan or other bias

II. Accessibility:

• Availability: To be readily available through a variety of access options familiar to clients seeking legislative assistance
• Outreach: To communicate regularly and effectively to clients all relevant information regarding available products and services

III. Resource Management

• Economy: To allocate staff and other resources to functions that directly support Congress or are essential to that support
• Efficiency: To meet client legislative needs in full at the least cost and without duplicating support available from other sources
• Organization: To organize functions, staff capabilities, and responsibilities to meet legislative needs most effectively
• Accountability: To define the success of staff primarily in terms of its effectiveness in serving congressional legislative needs

IV. Effectiveness

• General Mandates: To be the primary source of analysis and evaluation of legislative proposals and for other legislative and representational assistance
• Specific Mandates: To successfully meet additional specific statutory obligations placed on the Service

Annual Report

The Congressional Research Service FY2003 Annual Report is available online. This document is in PDF format. Adobe® Acrobat® Reader® is needed to view this document. If you have this software proceed by clicking the aforementioned report title, if not visit the Adobe Acrobat website at http://www.adobe.com/ to download the reader.

Please note that since the publication of this document, CRS organizational structure has changed. For up-to-date information, see Organizational Structure.

Last Update: September 20, 2004