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→Two congressional institutes
===Two congressional institutes===
===Two congressional institutes===
The Congressional Institute, a [[nonprofit organization]] based in Alexandria, [[Virginia]], ranks among the top sponsors of congressional travel between January 2000 and June 2005, spending more than $830,000 on almost 1,000 trips.
The Congressional Institute, a [[nonprofit organization]] based in Alexandria, [[Virginia]], ranks among the top sponsors of congressional travel between January 2000 and June 2005, spending more than $830,000 on almost 1,000 trips.
The group primarily funds travel for Republican lawmakers and their staff members. Its sister organization, the Public Governance Institute, holds bipartisan retreats primarily for House members; in the period covered, the institute found that Congress spent more than $135,000 on about 120 congressional trips.
The group primarily funds travel for Republican lawmakers and their staff members. Its sister organization, the Public Governance Institute, holds bipartisan retreats primarily for House members; in one period, the institute found that Congress spent more than $135,000 on about 120 congressional trips.
The Congressional Institute organizes at least one retreat for congressional Republican leaders each year, and another for all Senate and House Republicans at places such as the Greenbrier Resort in [[West Virginia]]. Since 2001, [[U.S. President]] [[George W. Bush]] has been the usual keynote speaker for another retreat called "Congress for Tomorrow." By bringing members together to discuss policy and governance issues, the group helps lawmakers to do their work more effectively, said Climer. But the institute does not specifically advocate potential solutions to public problems.
The Congressional Institute organizes at least one retreat for congressional Republican leaders each year, and another for all Senate and House Republicans at places such as the Greenbrier Resort in [[West Virginia]]. After 2001, [[U.S. President]] [[George W. Bush]] was the usual keynote speaker for another retreat called "Congress for Tomorrow." By bringing members together to discuss policy and governance issues, the group helps lawmakers to do their work more effectively, said Climer. But the institute does not specifically advocate potential solutions to public problems.
The institute is financed by such [[corporation]]s as [[Lockheed Martin]], Merck, [[Verizon]], and Altria, each of which contributes $25,000 annually. Thirteen of the fifteen members of the board of directors are registered D.C. [[lobbyist]]s. Board members include Gary Andres of Dutko Worldwide, one of Washington's largest lobbying firms; Barbara Morris, a lobbyist for Verizon; and Daniel Meyer of the Kenneth Duberstein Group, which has among its lobbying clients [[General Motors]], [[Time Warner]] and [[Comcast]], all of which are donors to the Congressional Institute.
The institute is financed by such [[corporation]]s as [[Lockheed Martin]], Merck, [[Verizon]], and Altria, each of which contributes $25,000 annually. Thirteen of the fifteen members of the board of directors are registered D.C. [[lobbyist]]s. Board members include Gary Andres of Dutko Worldwide, one of Washington's largest lobbying firms; Barbara Morris, a lobbyist for Verizon; and Daniel Meyer of the Kenneth Duberstein Group, which has among its lobbying clients [[General Motors]], [[Time Warner]] and [[Comcast]], all of which are donors to the Congressional Institute.
At the Public Governance Institute, Climer was named by [[Trent Lott]], then the majority leader of the United States Senate to a 21-member federal government panel, "Helping Enhance the Livelihood of People," known by the acronym HELP. The Commission focused on developing strategies to maximize the efficiency of United States [[foreign aid]] and filed its report with the President and the Congress in December 2007.
At the Public Governance Institute, Climer was named by [[Trent Lott]], then the majority leader of the United States Senate to a 21-member federal government panel, "Helping Enhance the Livelihood of People," known by the acronym HELP. The Commission focused on developing strategies to maximize the efficiency of United States [[foreign aid]] and filed its report with the President and the Congress in December 2007.
In 2007, Climer announced his retirement from the Congressional Institute. He was succeeded by Mark Strand, who had been the chief of staff to former U.S. Senator [[Jim Talent]], a [[Missouri]] Republican who was defeated for a full term on November 7, 2006. Climer continued as an advisor through 2008. Together with the chairman of the institute, Mike Johnson, and his successor, Mark Strand, Climer coauthored ''Surviving Inside Congress:'' A guide for prospective, new and not-so-new Congressional staff - and a guided tour for those who just want to learn how it all works.
In 2007, Climer announced his retirement from the Congressional Institute. He was succeeded by Mark Strand, who had been the chief of staff to former U.S. Senator [[Jim Talent]], a [[Missouri]] Republican who was defeated for a full term on November 7, 2006. Climer continued as an advisor through 2008. Together with the chairman of the institute, Mike Johnson, and his successor, Mark Strand, Climer coauthored ''Surviving Inside Congress:'' A guide for prospective, new and not-so-new Congressional staff - and a guided tour for those who just want to learn how it all works.