Until recently most students of Congress were limited to studying it from afar, depending primarily on secondary sources. Limited press coverage of current debates and behavior were often so skimpy that it was necessary to wait a number of years until a select group of events percolated through the process to become part of “the literature.” It took even longer before the events found their way into the classroom as relevant examples of important principles and concepts. The primary sources available (The Congressional Record, Committee Reports, etc.) were ponderous, poorly indexed and often retained the tainted image that they did not truly represent reality. While the Congress of recent years is much more open to public view than its predecessors, open committee meetings and the increase in recorded voting did little to enhance the resources available to teachers or students for understanding the process.
Women’s Afternoon: What the Congressional Record Can—and Cannot—Tell us about the Meaning of “Sex” Under Title VII
