POPVOX Foundation Key Priorities Included in FY26 Legislative Branch Appropriations Bill
The FY 2026 House Legislative Branch Appropriations bill includes key report language backed by POPVOX Foundation, advancing Congressional modernization and support for caseworkers. Wins include expanding the CRS liaison directory, continued development of the Case Compass project, improved data mapping, and institutional training on AI.
Caseworkers and Field Reps Take DC
The latest Casework Navigator newsletter includes a recap of our Closing the Feedback Loop Through Casework event, a casework-related hearings roundup, and a ton of casework news and agency updates (especially ICE).
When disaster strikes, your local congressional office can help
During disasters, help from federal agencies can be critical—and local congressional staff are key to making that happen. In a conversation with Federal News Network, Deputy Director Anne Meeker, a former caseworker, highlights the unique challenges these caseworkers face.
The Case for Casework
Casework strengthens Congressional oversight, builds constituent trust, and supports a more resilient institution. POPVOX Foundation Deputy Director Anne Meeker, a former caseworker, outlines strategies to support caseworkers, modernize tools, and turn constituent insights into actionable policy.
Public Witness Testimony on Strengthen Congressional Capacity and Constituent Service to House Appropriations Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch for FY26
POPVOX Foundation's Advisor for Congressional Initiatives Danielle Stewart submitted testimony to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch for FY26 requesting the subcommittee's consideration of three initiatives to improve Congressional capacity.
New Research: How Would Constituent Services Work in Multi-Member Districts?
A new paper by POPVOX Foundation Deputy Director Anne Meeker and New American Senior Fellow Lee Drutman, in partnership with Protect Democracy, examines the potential impacts of multi-member districts on the critical constituent service work that many Americans rely on when navigating federal agencies and programs.
Bridging the Implementation Gap: Key Insights for Congressional Staff
On March 24, POPVOX Foundation and the Niskanen Center hosted "The Implementation Gap: Turning Legislative Intent into Executive-Led Outcomes," a panel discussion offering insights and solutions for Congressional staff taking on the challenge of translating legislative intent into effective policy implementation.
Committee on House Administration Member Day
Ahead of the Committee on House Administration's upcoming Member Day, POPVOX Foundation offers the following recommendations encouraging Member engagement with CHA to build on previous successes in creating a strong, responsive Legislative branch.
Introducing a Journalist’s Guide to Covering Congressional Casework
A Journalist’s Guide to Covering Congressional Casework is a quick reference for journalists covering casework stories, covering typical Congressional office procedures for casework, the history and legal background for casework, and questions to ask around specific pitches or stories.
POPVOX Foundation hosts webinar on agency responsiveness to Congress
One of the hardest things about getting up to speed as a new caseworker is learning the different contacts and practices for each individual agency in responding to casework requests.
POPVOX Foundation hosts webinar on coordinating casework with state and local offices
Finding productive ways to coordinate with your state and local counterparts is not only important for handing cases off between jurisdictions, but can also help both sides more efficiently balance casework and outreach.
POPVOX Foundation hosts webinar on proactive casework outreach
With recent changes to House Ethics rules allowing for more cohosted constituent service events, many casework teams are exploring creative strategies to reach constituents and spread the word about their services. But do these work?
AI Tools for Casework: A Guide for Congressional Staff
AI Tools for Casework: A Guide for Congressional Staff, shares a few starting points for caseworkers to use tools like ChatGPT in casework, including sample prompts.
The Lawfare Podcast: How Congressional Staffers Helped Our Afghan Allies
Anne Meeker, POPVOX Foundation’s Deputy Director, appeared on The Lawfare Podcast to discuss American Ingenuity: Congressional Casework in the Afghanistan Withdrawal.
Congressional Hackathon 5.0 Recap
A recap of Congressional Hackathon 5.0, co-hosted by the Speaker of the House, Minority Leader of the House, and the CAO.
POPVOX Foundation and #AfghanEvac announce award for Congressional caseworkers
POPVOX Foundation and #AfghanEvac have created a one-time special award to recognize the heroic efforts of Congressional caseworkers, volunteers, and federal employees involved in the relocation and resettlement efforts of Americans and American allies from Afghanistan.
POPVOX Foundation releases report on Congressional casework during Afghanistan withdrawal
“American Ingenuity: Congressional Casework in the Afghanistan Withdrawal,” a new report from the nonpartisan POPVOX Foundation, details the extraordinary efforts of Congressional caseworkers working in collaboration with federal agency staff and non-governmental organizations to facilitate the evacuation of thousands of Americans and American allies during the chaotic US withdrawal from Afghanistan.
POPVOX Foundation hosts casework history webinar with Senate Historical Office’s Associate Historian
On January 17, 2024, POPVOX Foundation kicked off the Casework Navigator webinar series with special guest Daniel Holt, Associate Historian from the Senate Historical Office. This event put modern casework in context, exploring how we got here, and what we can learn from previous iterations of casework to chart the future of democratic representation in America.
POPVOX Foundation hosts webinar on diagnosing problems with Congressional casework
Don Moynihan, McCourt Chair at the Georgetown McCourt School of Public Policy, has pioneered the study of administrative burden, including new language and frameworks to understand the types of costs associated with navigating complex bureaucracies. This webinar offered caseworkers a deeper understanding of the root problems behind common casework inquiries, and ideas for tracking types of casework and articulating casework challenges to policy staff.
POPVOX Foundation hosts webinar on championing implementation vs. policy
Every government program starts with good intentions—it’s how they’re carried out that can make them fail in big ways or in small ways that add up. In this webinar, Jennifer Pahlka discussed how caseworkers and other frontline implementation experts can and must leverage that expertise to reimagine government service for the 21st century.