The Role of Congressional Caucuses in Advocacy

In this era of partisan gridlock, 24hour news channels, and Twitter hashtags, advocacy groups can have a hard time just breaking through all the “noise” to discuss their issue with policymakers. Fortunately, one way to bring attention to an issue on the Hill is through congressional caucuses. A congressional caucus is an informal group of congressmen and women, established to pursue or promote a shared interest. Caucuses can be large, with hundreds of members, or quite small, involving just a few members focused on a specific topic. While some caucuses are associated with a specific party, many are bipartisan. They can exist in the House or the Senate, but they are much more common in the House. While the number of caucuses fluctuates with each congressional cycle, at any time, there are literally hundreds of active caucuses focussing on almost any issue imaginable.