This is one of four publications making up Congressional Quarterly’s Encyclopaedia of American Government, which aims “to provide readers with easily understood, accurate information about the institutions of American government”. Congress A‐Z seeks “to help readers understand the history, structure, dynamics, operation and personalities of Congress”. In short, it acts both as a political and historical and a procedural and constitutional guide.
A series of long articles examines key concepts of the constitutional powers and the workings of Congress. The government and parliamentary system of the USA is very different from the Westminster system, and to appreciate these differences readers on this side of the Atlantic could ask for no better guide than the article on separation of powers. That on structure and powers provides an overall view which is complemented by essays on individual powers. These, which cover areas such as finance and foreign policy, demonstrate the ways in which the work of Congress is part of the process of government. The long essays on the Senate and the House of Representatives are wide‐ranging, covering history, powers, criteria for membership and organisation of business. They are clearly set out and function as a useful corrective to those of us who are familiar with the Westminster system and are inclined to see the two houses as analogous to the Commons and Lords. The entry on the legislative process outlines the procedures in both Senate and House of Representatives by which laws are made, with useful diagrams attached. There are also essays on Congress committees which are rather more powerful than Westminster committees. Users with a specialised interest in the workings of legislatures will appreciate the many procedural articles on topics such as voting and the moving of amendments. Administrative topics, including pay of members and the staffing of Congress, are also covered. The article on the Library of Congress does not confine itself to the library’s work for politicans. I am indebted to it for the information that the earliest known motion picture is entitled “Fred Ott’s Sneeze”.
The history of Congress is a major theme. All articles describe the historical development of their topics and there is generous use of historic photographs, drawings and cartoons. Important events and periods receive entries, including the reconstruction era after the Civil War and the progressive era from 1900 to 1917, as well as scandals like Teapot Dome and Watergate. There are also biographies of many members of Congress, mostly officers and those in whose careers Congress played a significant part. These entries concentrate almost entirely on their subjects’ congressional careers. Students of American politics will find the article on Joe McCarthy and McCarthyism particularly illuminating for the close attention it pays to proceedings within Congress. More recent figures are covered, including George Mitchell, Edward Kennedy and Newt Gingrich. The authors are not afraid to tackle recent controversies such as the Clinton impeachment trial and do so with clarity, impartiality and, on occasion, a touch of impish humour. They avoid the portentous quality which marks so many writings on Westminster.
Librarians, especially those working with legislatures, will find the appendices of reference material extremely valuable. There are lists of senior figures and statistical information on members and sessions. Perhaps harder to obtain from other sources is the information provided on the operational costs of Congress. There are also useful sections on writing to members of Congress and on the official documents which mark each stage in the legislative process. Information is also given on relevant Websites. Finally,the full text of the US Constitution, with amendments, is included.
Many of the entries have short bibliographies attached. There is also a longer selected bibliography. This is remarkably comprehensive, ranging from classic texts of the nineteenth century to studies published within the last year. It would be an excellent starting point for a student working on the US political system or a librarian building up a collection. I regret the absence of Bradshaw and Pring’s (1981) Parliament and Congress, a familiar comparative text from this side of the Atlantic. Bibliographical citations are detailed and list reprints of older texts.
Congress A‐Z will be a valuable addition for reference collections on politics and US studies and for the libraries of parliamentary institutions.
