Congress U

Ongoing education

Congress members receive information primarily through their own party leaders and lobbyists, both of which filter the information to favor a specific policy outcome. Leaders can use Congress U to find politically neutral information on a variety of issues related to US policy.

Specific Understanding

Detailed, balanced information helps leaders make informed decisions on policies and laws that lie outside their own area of expertise, without relying solely on party and lobbyist briefings.

Better Leadership

Informed debate produces better policy. Leaders may have different priorities and come to different conclusions around the same issue, but understanding all sides of the issue is critical to making the best possible policy decisions.


A selection of sample topics

Economics

Every economic policy decision comes with inherent trade-offs: positive impacts in one area and negative impacts in another. Economic theories conflict with one another in predicting the likely outcomes of a decision, so information rooted in a single theory is likely to lead to overly-simplistic, biased conclusions. Congress U will provide balanced information on relevant economic topics, including the pros and cons to each possible decision.

Science & Technology

Policy decisions should be based upon the best available scientific evidence, but evidence can be difficult to interpret without sufficient background knowledge. Congress U provides clear explanations on relevant topics that impact policies on topics such as natural resources, environment, public health, technologies, energy extraction and production, and research funding.

Foreign Affairs

Alliances and hostilities with other countries impact many aspects of our domestic lives. Trade policies impact the price of everything from cars to breakfast cereal. Foreign aid and military policies impact our homeland security. The US reputation and credibility abroad impacts the stability of our monetary system. Congress U will help congressional representatives understand and navigate the web of downstream effects in foreign policy decisions. 

Education

Topics like pre-k programs, textbook and curriculum development, voucher systems and university accreditation begin to describe the breadth of educational policy, and how today's planning affects the next generations' competitiveness and success.

Ethics & Leadership

When leaders demonstrate ethical practices, including unselfish and honest behavior to their work, leaders earn the respect of their constituency and peers, building integrity and trust in our dynamic democratic system.

Current Events

From domestic or global events, our nation is constantly growing and encountering new issues.  The NCCA is committed to bringing an unbiased perspective to the historical, cultural and technical aspects of an issue, which is a key to informed leadership.