A Journalist’s Guide to Covering Congressional Casework
Quick reference for journalists covering casework stories and Congressional office procedures for casework
Why Cover Casework?
Got a question about casework? Send it our way at casework@popvox.org.
Key Casework Challenges
At a Glance
What is Casework?
Types of Casework
One of Congress’ most important local functions is serving as a mediator, ombuds, and advocate for individual constituents experiencing problems with federal agencies — also known as “casework” or constituent service. Especially when federal agencies and programs undergo rapid change or experience crises, Congressional caseworkers can provide direct support to constituents by liaising directly with agency leadership to resolve bureaucratic errors and make sure constituents receive the benefits or services they are entitled to.
For journalists, Congressional casework can also provide story leads that shine a light on the work individual Members of Congress do in their communities, and on the local, human impact of federal policymaking. For example:
Casework requests to Member offices help demonstrate the human impact of executive orders and policy changes at federal agencies
A surge in casework requests to Member offices may indicate an under-the-radar issue in a federal program or service
Member office year-end reports can provide some comparable, quantifiable data about the impact Members have in their communities
Analyzing Member office outreach for casework can help shine a light on Member priorities and use of resources
This guide 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. This is a living document, and we will update it with additional questions.
Our team at POPVOX Foundation is always happy to answer more in-depth questions and flag emerging trends in casework.
Who Does Casework?
National Media Coverage
How is the Member Involved?
Our Casework Credentials
What Can Offices Not Do?
What Should I Ask?
Local Media Coverage
At a Glance
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Congressional offices serve as mediators between constituents and federal agencies when standard customer service channels fail — this activity is called casework.
Casework is part of Congress’ “oversight” authority, or its responsibility to oversee how federal agencies implement legislation. Casework requests can sometimes indicate areas where federal agencies are improperly implementing policies, or where agencies need additional resources to fulfill their legal mandates.
Every Congressional office dedicates staff specifically to helping constituents navigate bureaucratic challenges with agencies like Social Security, VA, IRS, and others. This is part of how Congressional Member offices keep an eye on local needs and priorities, and reach out to constituents who may otherwise not be politically engaged.
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Insights from casework provide Congress with direct insight into how federal agencies implement laws, informing future legislation and oversight.
Casework represents a rare example of bipartisan cooperation in Congress, with staff collaborating across party lines to serve constituents.
Casework can be an economic asset to a district by helping constituents recover delayed benefits and resolve problems during major policy changes.
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Constituent casework requests can often point to systemic problems in agency services and programs that require legislative fixes.
Casework is strictly governed by ethics rules dictating what offices can and cannot do. Offices cannot favor specific constituents, waive the law for certain cases, or accept payments or gifts in return for casework services.
Casework is often a method for Congressional offices to act as “gap fillers,” stepping in to support constituents when there are lapses in agency responsiveness or unfilled local service needs.
What is Casework?
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Ethics manuals in both chambers dictate that resources given to the Member should be used to represent their constituents, which is usually interpreted as limiting casework assistance to constituents (both citizens and non-citizens) of the district or state.
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Both chambers’ ethics manuals note that Congress’ oversight authority is limited to the federal government. While this is occasionally a blurry line, as with programs that are federally-funded but state-administered (e.g., SNAP benefits, Medicaid, and more), most offices will refer constituents asking for assistance with non-federal programs to state or local elected officials.
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There has to be a specific ask from the constituent. For example, a request for general information (e.g., “where can I find information on federal benefits?”) may not be treated as casework, but a more specific one (e.g., “Can Rep. Johnson help find out what’s happened to my VA benefits?”) would be recorded as a potential case. Determining the final ask or sequential asks in a case is often the product of significant and ongoing negotiation between caseworker and constituent.
Casework is how Members and their staff work to resolve individual constituent difficulties with federal agencies, within the bounds of the law. Direct constituent service, including what we now call casework, has been a part of Members’ representational duties since the nation’s founding, although it has evolved considerably since the first Congress.
Congressional offices often describe themselves as a “hail Mary” option of last resort for constituents who have exhausted all other avenues to resolve a difficulty regarding a federal agency, or met unreasonable burdens in trying to do so. Often these difficulties include bureaucratic snafus, unreasonable delays in agency proceedings, or policy “edge cases” where statutory or regulatory guidance is unclear.
For a constituent request to be treated as casework (as opposed to filed as an opinion on a piece of legislation or policy), it must meet three criteria:
Once a case has met these three criteria, casework staff work as liaisons between the agency involved and the constituent to facilitate communication, obtain information, and raise any concerns until the case has reached a resolution, whether favorable or unfavorable to the constituent.
Ethics guidance from both chambers lays out a list of activities generally considered permissible in casework, including:
Requesting information or status reports;
Urging prompt consideration of a matter based on the merits of the case;
Arranging appointments;
Expressing judgment on a matter — subject to the ex parte communication rules; and
Asking for reconsideration, based on law and regulation, or administrative and other decisions.
Besides the “formal” activities of casework, Members offices may also engage in discretionary activities to serve constituents, for example:
Proactively providing educational materials about federal programs
Convening local resources to support constituents
Working to direct funding for local resources that supplement or coordinate with Congressional casework (e.g., federal funding for low-income tax clinics, legal assistance, food pantries, senior centers, refugee support centers, etc.)
Active Members will also advertise their team’s services, conduct local outreach to meet constituents where they are, and develop issue-specific competency among their casework staff (which requires investing in training and retaining talented staff).
Congress’ authority to act on behalf of individual constituents is part of constituents’ First Amendment right to petition the government for redress of grievances; part of Members’ duty of oversight over Executive branch operations; and part of a more general mandate to provide help to constituents and elevate the Member’s profile in their local communities.
Types of Casework
While agencies are not permitted to provide special treatment to cases that come in as Congressional inquiries, a Congressional inquiry may often trigger additional levels of scrutiny that can help surface and correct bureaucratic errors.
The majority of cases tend to concern the largest public-facing agencies. Some typical cases for these agencies may include problems with:
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Delayed tax refunds
Nonprofit status
Tax credit programs like Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC)
Payment plans for late taxes and penalties
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Encompasses retirement and spousal benefits, disability benefits, and Social Security numbers and cards.
Medical eligibility for disability programs
Financial eligibility for disability programs
Eligibility recertification
ID theft and replacement Social Security numbers
Retirement and survivor benefits eligibility
Overpayments
Windfall Elimination Provision/Government Pension Offset (while this policy was repealed at the end of 2024, offices will still likely receive inquiries from constituents on their post-WEP benefits)
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Enrollment, premiums, and penalties
Medical coverage under Parts A and B, especially for physical therapy and long-term care
Durable Medical Equipment like wheelchairs, hospital beds, CPAP machines, etc.
Medicare-Medicaid interaction
Drug prescriptions, shortages, and costs
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Compensation and Pension (disability benefits)
GI Bill and other educational and training benefits
Post-separation and reintegration services
GI bill home loans
Spousal and dependent care benefits
VA medical care, including eligibility, inpatient, and outpatient care
VA long term care, including home care and nursing home/assisted living compensation
Military burial
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Military Entrance Processing
Logistics related to deployment, transfer, moves
Military rank, pay, benefits
Medical care, medical retirement
Military separation
Discharge character
Corrections to military records
Note that requests for military records are a common area of casework, but handled through the National Archives and Records Administration
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Includes the Department of Homeland Security, Department of State, and sub-agencies including Immigration and Customs Enforcement, US Customs and Immigration Service.
Passports
Consular services for Americans in crisis overseas, including repatriation of American citizens or their remains
Child custody and international kidnapping
Refugee and asylum cases, including Afghan citizens who supported the US military and their family members
Parole cases (including Temporary Protected Status)
Work authorization
Family reunification
Deportations and stay-of-removal proceedings
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Security clearances
Federal benefits, including retirement and health care
Retirement processing
Survivor and dependent benefits
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Office of Workers Compensation Programs
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Missing and lost packages
Postal routes and services
Postal office location and consolidation
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Survivor benefits
Post-disaster relief and support services
Flood plain mapping
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Student loan servicers
Student loan repayment plans
Relief for student borrowers from for-profit colleges
Disasters and Other Crisis Situations
It is worth noting that disasters and other crises are often moments where Congressional casework can play an especially vital role in helping constituents who are most in need of urgent assistance. For example, recent crises caseworkers have handled have included:
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Helping first responders locate supplies and meet immediate triage needs
Handling calls from constituents who could not reach agencies’ customer service channels while agencies shifted to remote work
Troubleshooting issues with pandemic-era relief programs like EIDL, PPP, and EIP
Referring and triaging constituents seeking unemployment insurance from their states
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Sharing and amplifying evacuation orders and other urgent safety information from local authorities
Triaging and flagging urgent cases, including erroneous denials, for FEMA, other disaster response agencies, and benefits-granting agencies with disrupted operations
Working to coordinate disaster relief efforts between federal, state, local, and county authorities
Troubleshooting issues with benefit and relief programs including small business loans and federal flood insurance after disasters
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Liaising directly between US citizens/visa-holders and US Marines stationed at Hamid Karzai International Airport to help identify and evacuate at-risk citizens and allies
Communicating and coordinating between multiple federal agencies, including the Department of State and Department of Defense, to expedite processing for at-risk Afghans in the SIV process
Coordinating and troubleshooting ongoing bureaucratic issues with refugee and resettlement processing
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Compiling and relaying information about what agencies are shut down to constituents
Circulating resources for constituents impacted by shutdowns, including food banks and other emergency support
Helping connect federal employees to state-level representatives for unemployment benefits
It is worth noting that some government shutdowns affect caseworkers’ ability to do their jobs as well: for shutdowns where Legislative branch funding is on hold, Member offices may designate some of their staff as “essential” or “non-essential,” and furlough the non-essential workers at their discretion. For other shutdowns, the agencies Members interact with to resolve casework requests may be partially or completely shut down, limiting their ability to respond to Member inquiries.
Guidance to casework staff on preparing for a government shutdown.
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Assisting nonprofits, companies, and municipalities with frozen funding
Answering questions from federal employees about deferred retirement packages or other employment concerns
Supporting US citizens, American visa-holders, and other immigrants in the process of resettlement in the US (including Afghan nationals who assisted the US in the Global War on Terror) navigate changing immigration rules and available resources
Since President Trump was sworn into office in January 2025, Congressional teams have also handled a surge of inquiries related to the President’s executive orders impacting the federal workforce, funding and programs for US interests abroad, and domestic funding for climate, diversity, and other initiatives.
Who Does Casework?
Casework is primarily handled by staff for Members of Congress, coordinating with Members and dedicated agency liaisons.
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Casework is conducted exclusively by Members’ official or governing offices, which are prohibited from directly coordinating with Members’ campaign or political teams. (Campaigns may refer constituents who reach out with requests for assistance to the official offices, but casework staff are expressly prohibited from privilegeing campaign donors above other constituents in providing services.)
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Casework staff are almost universally district- or state-based where they are available to constituents by phone or in-person. Some offices also send casework teams out into their communities to reach less mobile populations, including running office hours at local community centers or government offices, or even purchasing vehicles to serve as mobile offices.
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Casework staff are hired and trained by individual offices, with some supplemental training and best practices resources available through the Senate Education and Learning office and the House Chief Administrative Officer, as well as external civil society organizations. To supplement in-office or central training, caseworkers also self-organize into large networks using email listservs and newer tools like Microsoft Teams chats to crowdsource difficult questions, share expertise, find camaraderie, and provide informal mentorship for more junior staff. Due to technological limitations, these networks have separate lists and chats for each chamber (House-only and Senate-only). The largest of these networks are nonpartisan, with participating caseworkers taking great pride in their ability to collaborate and share information with other caseworkers, no matter their boss’ party.
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Staff titles, salaries, and portfolios for casework staff vary considerably between offices. For example, one office might call its casework staff “constituent service aides,” where another may use the title “constituent advocate.” Some offices do not have casework-specific titles, and instead include casework responsibilities under a general district aide or regional director position. Where necessary, some Member offices employ subject-specific casework staff for portfolios requiring a higher degree of external knowledge, like immigration or veterans work, or specific relationships with local stakeholders like Native American tribes.
How is the Member of Congress Involved in Casework?
In Congress today, Members themselves are responsible for setting the overall priority and direction for casework operations, but are not frequently involved in individual cases.
Members determine the level of emphasis their team places on casework by hiring senior staff who are responsible for managing day-to-day operations, as well as determining how to allocate the office’s budget and staff roles to casework. Members may also play a “quality control” role by relaying concerns or congratulations from prominent stakeholders in the district or state back to their casework team, especially stakeholders that can be seen to represent or speak for a specific community — e.g., Veterans Service Officers, church leaders, etc.
Depending on the office, Members may also take a less frequent but more personal role in casework that is particularly urgent, requires escalation beyond the usual channels to reach a resolution, or has a personal connection to the Member — although it is worth noting again that offices are explicitly forbidden to prioritize campaign donors in casework services.
What Can Congressional Offices Not Do Through Casework?
Per House and Senate ethics rules, Members and their staff are expressly prohibited from:
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Typically, in writing an inquiry on a constituent’s behalf, Member offices request that a case be given full and fair consideration under all applicable laws. While a Member office may call something to an agency’s attention (for example, a medical document that appears to have been overlooked) or express their own judgment in a case (e.g., “to the best of my knowledge, given the information provided by this constituent, I believe that they should be eligible for benefits under this program”), they are prohibited from ordering or demanding that an agency make specific decisions, including threatening to conduct an oversight hearing or defund an agency unless they rule a certain way.
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For more formal cases that are under review in court or by an administrative law judge, Members are prohibited from sending ex parte communications, or any communications on behalf of a constituent to a judge that are not shared with all parties.
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While Members can send inquiries on behalf of constituents, they cannot enter into any kind of legal attorney-client relationship with them.
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While Members and caseworkers are permitted to accept very small gifts (with an annual limit) from constituents, they are not permitted to accept anything that could be interpreted as payment for services. This restriction comes up frequently in corruption cases. For example, former Senator Robert Menendez [D, NJ] claimed that his actions on behalf of foreign entities — who later allegedly paid him and his wife in gold bars, luxury automobiles, and cash — were simply constituent services.
Beyond these hard-and-fast rules, offices are also discouraged from:
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Ethics rules in both chambers state that Member office budgets (including staff time) should be used only on behalf of constituents, meaning that performing casework for non-constituents is strongly discouraged. The Senate ethics manual does make an explicit exception for cases that may be related to a Senator’s committee assignments. However, like most decisions in Congress, this is a matter for the Member’s individual discretion.
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Includes military justice or disciplinary proceedings
Most offices will decline to intervene in any criminal cases, deferring to the authority of the legal system; however, again, this decision is at the discretion of individual Members of Congress on a case-by-case basis.
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Casework is usually understood to be part of Congress’ oversight role overseeing the federal government; therefore, Congress has a more limited role providing direct oversight for private companies. However, many constituents will reach out for help navigating issues with companies like private air carriers, banks, health insurance firms, credit monitors, and more. Once again, there are grey areas for many of these companies that allow offices to exercise some discretion, especially in closely-regulated industries where there may be a possible action involving a federal agency (e.g., an inquiry through the Federal Aviation Administration for an air carrier case). Congressional offices who choose not to pursue these cases may refer constituents to their state Attorney General or legal services.
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Except in cosponsored constituent service events
Offices are technically prohibited from referring constituents directly to a local nonprofit organization for services. However, both chambers are allowed to cosponsor constituent service events with local nonprofits, which some offices interpret as permission to make referrals. Again, this is a choice largely at the Member’s discretion.
Key Casework Challenges
While casework represents some of the best of Congressional service, it is nonetheless hampered by some of the same modernization and capacity challenges common to other areas of Congressional work.
For journalists covering casework, there are some critical challenges with casework services that may be useful background for pitched stories or casework year-end reports.
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Little-known rules in the House and Senate dictate that any information constituents provide to their Members of Congress in the course of casework are understood to remain the sole personal property of the Member of Congress. Because Congress is not subject to other federal data and privacy laws, this means that this data may be released or used for any otherwise-legal purpose by a Member of Congress. This ownership is not always clearly communicated to constituents when initiating casework with a Member office.
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Because casework data is the sole property of individual Members of Congress, it is at the Member’s discretion whether data regarding any open casework is transferred to that Member’s successor in office if the Member dies, leaves office, or loses their election. The House has recently taken a first step toward addressing this problem with a new required opt-in process for new Members to choose whether to transfer open cases to their successors should they leave office before the end of their terms before they take office.
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While casework is broadly understood as part of Congress’ oversight authority, the formal relationship between Congressional offices and federal agencies has never been codified, meaning that Members and agencies are constantly negotiating over appropriate timelines and standards for responses to casework inquiries. This challenge has been covered in an amicus brief from Wilmer Hale on behalf of 35 Members of Congress, as well as in our reports on disaster casework and Afghanistan casework (see above).
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Because data is owned solely by one Member, Member offices are unable to access caseloads and data in other offices. This means that it can be difficult for offices to understand whether the cases they are seeing are a coincidence or indicative of a larger trend or structural issue that may require legislative intervention to correct. However, the House has taken steps to address this with a pilot project from the House Digital Service to develop a nationwide aggregator for anonymized casework data, allowing Members to compare their local caseloads against national averages.
If I’m Writing a Casework Story, What Should I Ask?
Key Moments to Watch for Casework
While casework happens 24/7, 365 days a year in Member offices across the country, casework is especially critical at certain moments that may be helpful to note or work into your editorial calendar.
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If a federal program or service that provides public benefits or services in some way is in the news, there is a strong chance that program is also showing up in Member-office casework. For example, the executive orders issued by the Trump Administration in January 2025 freezing federal spending, downsizing some agencies, and offering a deferred retirement to all federal employees led to an enormous surge of casework for Member offices from impacted constituents, businesses, municipalities, and federal employees. In an urgent situation, Member offices help find out what is happening, relay that information to constituents, and troubleshoot specific problems with administrative processing. Talking to Member offices about casework in these crises can be a way to highlight the local impact of a national story, as well as help constituents understand and evaluate what their Member can do for them.
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When a Member passes away or resigns from office before the end of their term, this can cause some significant disruption to casework. In the House, any open cases will be managed by staff from the Clerk of the House until a special election can be held to fill the vacant seat. This does not mean that constituents are left with no representation in the meantime, as they can always go to either their Representative in the House or either Senator, but it may lead to some disruption for open cases.
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As discussed above, Members have sole ownership over all casework data, and may choose to transfer that information to their successor or not. This means that the transition between Member offices is sometimes disruptive for constituents with active cases: even for Member offices who do transfer this data, constituents have to bring new caseworkers up to speed on their case, and pick up on any in-progress actions. Many new offices do not complete their hiring until February or March after their swearing-in, so this can be a period of significant disruption in available constituent services.
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Many Members of Congress will publish year-end or end-of-Congress reports on their constituent services, making the end of the year a good time to plan for stories on Member office effectiveness and services. More on these below.
Questions to Ask when Pitched a Casework Story
You may occasionally hear directly from Congressional offices or from constituents themselves about specific cases. Keep in mind that while Member offices are not subject to FOIA, HIPAA, or the Privacy Act, most Member offices still treat constituent information as confidential, and will decline to provide specific information on a constituent’s case unless that constituent directly authorizes it. Federal agencies likewise will probably not comment on specific cases.
Here are some helpful questions to ask about a case-specific pitch:
How did this constituent get in touch with the Member office about this issue?
What was the issue this constituent had with a federal agency? How did this issue impact their life/livelihood/family?
Were there any special or mitigating circumstances around this case? For example, a foreclosure deadline, a significant family event, a medical emergency, etc.?
How long had this issue gone on before the constituent contacted the Member’s office?
How long was this case “open” with the Member’s office?
What specific actions did the Member office take on this constituent’s behalf? Can you review copies of any correspondence, redacted for constituent PII or non-public agency contact information?
Without the Member’s intervention, what might have happened in this case?
Is it reasonable to expect constituents to be able to resolve similar problems by themselves, without Congressional intervention, in the future?
Did the constituent approach any other elected officials or local resources for help? If so, were any of them also involved with securing this outcome?
Is this case indicative of larger issues with agency operations? If so, what other steps is the office taking to mitigate these larger issues?
If other constituents have similar problems, how can they best contact the office?
Understanding EOY Casework Reports
Many Congressional offices now publish a year-end report or end-of-Congress report on the office’s activities — sort of a “shareholder” report for constituents on what the office accomplished on their behalf. Most offices include casework metrics as a prominent part of this report, including number of cases closed, and money returned to constituents.
Understanding that each office has different practices and policies around casework and casework data-tracking, journalists covering these year-end reports may find it helpful to ask some more detailed questions about the information presented:
What percentage of casework inquiries have been closed, and what percentage of those were closed favorably? Asking for percentages helps create a comparable metric that accounts for the huge discrepancies in demand between districts (offices can increase demand through a lot of outreach, but it's more often a factor of district demographics and needs).
How much money has the office's casework team returned to constituents through casework, and what do they include in that metric? For example, some offices count not only retroactive benefits, but also project benefit amounts forward for a set period of time. Others roll their earmark, grant, and casework money-returned metrics into one number. Again, getting methodology specifics helps make it more comparable.
What are the top areas of casework demand? This helps level-set on the amount of money returned — offices that are mostly handling business casework through the IRS are more likely to see big numbers than offices chasing immigration casework or SSI claims.
Does the office conduct a constituent feedback survey, and if so, what kinds of metrics do they track to improve their performance?
Which areas of the district or state have the highest levels of casework demand? Are there specific communities or populations that are especially overrepresented or underrepresented in this office’s caseload?
Can the office outline any specific oversight or legislative actions (for example, hearing questions, letters to agency heads, bills cosponsored, or bills introduced) taken to address issues from casework inquiries this year?
What casework challenges does the office anticipate on the horizon for the coming year/Congress, and how can constituents prepare?
Examples of Casework Coverage (Local Media)
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Real Radio 804: Wittman’s Office Secures Over $4 Million in Federal Benefits For Constituents During 118th Congress
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Orleans Hub: Tenney said her office was busy serving constituents in 2024
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Independent Messenger: Constituent services aids with federal benefits
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WEKU NPR: Sen. Rand Paul hosts veteran services fair in Winchester during eastern Kentucky visit
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SI Live: Rep. Malliotakis celebrates reunion of Staten Island pastor from Nigeria with sons who spent 10 years apart
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Des Moines Register: Biden administration will relocate thousands of Afghan interpreters who worked with US military
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North Platte Post: Mobile Office Hours Milestone: Ricketts Celebrates Outreach Events in all 93 Nebraska Counties
Examples of Casework Coverage (National/Beltway Media)
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Washington Post: Do women in Congress work harder than their male colleagues?
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NBC News: Latino members of Congress seek changes in translations of immigration documents
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ABC News: The real-world consequences of not having a House speaker
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Forbes: 10 Things To Know About Getting Help From Your Congressman Or Senators
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The Independent: Madison Cawthorn fails to forward case work to successor in Congress and uproots to Florida
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Business Insider: The questionable way lawmakers get taxpayers to fund borderline campaign ads
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Huffpost: The Crucial Immigration Lifelines Inside Congress That Nobody Sees
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Federal News Network: A better approach to dealing with requests for Congressional casework
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Roll Call: ‘Shrugged off and ignored’: Lawmakers disagree on how to ease pain of election churn
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New York Times: The Paramedics Couldn’t Find Lysol. They Turned to Their Congressman.
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New York Times: Mitch Albom Is Among Group of American Volunteers Rescued From Haiti
Our Casework Credentials
POPVOX Foundation has been a key voice raising public awareness on the importance of casework on Capitol Hill since 2021. POPVOX Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to helping legislatures keep pace with rapid changes in tech and society. Supporting and strengthening casework is a critical piece of that mission, touching on interbranch coordination, building public trust through responsive governance, and the need for enhanced Congressional capacity.
In 2021, POPVOX Foundation Deputy Director Anne Meeker, a former House caseworker and Director of Constituent Services, was invited to testify to the House Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress at a hearing on improving casework services for the House. Several recommendations in this testimony were later adopted in the Select Committee’s final report, including: the creation of an anonymized system to aggregate casework data into a national dashboard, and an expanded Congressional Research Service list of casework liaisons to include regional and processing center contacts. POPVOX Foundation also invited caseworkers to contribute to the Office of Management and Budget’s RFI on improving access to federal services — a first-of-its-kind example of Legislative-branch expertise being tapped for Executive-branch information-gathering.
In 2022, POPVOX Foundation launched the Casework Navigator program, providing nonpartisan resources and advocacy for casework and caseworkers, and welcomed Senior Casework Fellow Katherine Long. Today, the Casework Navigator program maintains a weekly newsletter reaching over 2,000 Congressional staff, a webinar series on casework-related topics, and a resource library for caseworkers (including a Portuguese-language introduction for international lawmakers).
In 2024, POPVOX Foundation published two in-depth reports on how Congressional offices handle crisis casework: American Ingenuity, on casework in the US military withdrawal from Afghanistan, and Disaster Casework on improving casework after natural disasters.
For FY 2025, bicameral Appropriations Subcommittees on the Legislative Branch prioritized initiatives to strengthen how Congress works, including provisions that echoed POPVOX Foundation testimony calling for improving communications between federal agency liaisons and Congressional caseworkers.
POPVOX Foundation’s work on casework has been covered in RollCall, the LawFare Podcast, and the Niskanen Center’s new report The How We Need Now. Anne has also spoken on casework at events for the Council of State Governments, the Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy, the R Street Institute, the American Enterprise Institute, and more.