15 House Members Named Finalists for Extraordinary Public Service Awards
WASHINGTON — Fifteen members of Congress, Republicans and Democrats, have been named finalists for a Democracy Award, an annual award bestowed by the Congressional Management Foundation to recognize excellence in constituent services by members and their offices.
Founded in 1977, the nonpartisan Congressional Management Foundation is a 501(c)(3) dedicated to strengthening Congress and building trust in its work on behalf of the American people.
Toward this end, among other things, the nonprofit works to promote best practices in congressional offices and encourages what it describes as “constructive and inclusive” dialogue between members and their constituents.
As part of this effort, it established the Democracy Awards with a grant from the Bridge Alliance, a coalition of organizations dedicated to eradicating political divisiveness.
“Americans usually only hear about Congress when something goes wrong. The Democracy Awards shine a light on Congress when it does something right,” said Bradford Fitch, president and CEO of the Congressional Management Foundation, in a written statement.
“These members of Congress and their staff deserve recognition for their work to improve accountability in government, modernize their work environments and serve their constituents,” he said.
The 2024 Democracy Awards finalists by category are:
Constituent Service
• Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla.
• Rep. Blake Moore, R-Utah.
• Rep. Susie Lee, D-Nev.
• Rep. Lucy McBath, D-Ga.
Constituent Accountability and Accessibility
• Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla.
• Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa.
• Rep. Sean Casten, D-Ill.
• Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass.
“Life in Congress” Workplace Environment
• Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb.
• Rep. Burgess Owens, R-Utah.
• Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill.
• Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass.
Innovation and Modernization
• Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska.
• Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla.
• Rep. Don Davis, D-N.C.
• Rep. Sara Jacobs, D-Calif.
The Congressional Management Foundation says the finalists were picked based on a detailed process of selection.
First, House and Senate offices placed themselves in nomination in early 2024 by using an online questionnaire. The Foundation then followed up by conducting a series of interviews and assessing the office’s adherence to the established criteria, using a detailed checklist to determine a list of finalists that would advance to the selection committee phase.
In June, the selection committee, composed primarily of former members of Congress and former congressional staffers, will select two winners (one Democrat and one Republican) for each category using the nomination forms, interview notes and supporting material provided by the office.
The winners will be announced in July, and a ceremony honoring all finalists and winners will be held on Sept. 26, 2024.
Dan can be reached at [email protected] and at https://twitter.com/DanMcCue
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