HOME INTERNSHIPS EMPLOYMENT NEWSLETTERS CONTACT US DONATE ABOUT CONVERGENCE IN THE NEWS HOW WE WORK GET INVOLVED OUR PROJECTS EVENTS Working With Congress > OUR PROJECTS > WORKING WITH CONGRESS Convergence Works with Congress In January 2019, the Bipartisan Working Group (BPWG), a caucus of 28 House Members who meet regularly to work across the aisle, invited Convergence to provide support through the 116th Congress to “help Members strengthen relationships across the aisle and find common ground so that they [could] work more effectively to advance their shared policy goals.” The request came from the five co-chairs of the Working Group: Representatives Derek Kilmer, Andy Barr, Susan Brooks, Kathleen Rice, and Mike Gallagher. Our work with BPWG grew out of our Building a Better Budget Process (B3P) project during which we came to the attention of Representative Derek Kilmer. In meeting with B3P stakeholders, Rep. Kilmer spoke highly about Convergence’s support as well as our ability to get disparate groups to come to agreement. BPWG meetings focus on major policy issues before Congress. Using our diverse stakeholder network from B3P and other projects, Convergence invites experts from across the political spectrum to share their ideas on specific issues. This helps Members explore complex issues and deepen their relationships as they better understand the motivations and perspectives of interest groups and each other. Convergence is also assisting the group with setting and achieving longer-term goals. Convergence has also been supporting the work of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress (Select Committee). Established in 2019, the Select Committee is a bipartisan committee working to make Congress more effective, efficient, and transparent. Throughout the 116th Congress, the Select Committee was tasked with crafting recommendations to help Congress work more efficiently. Under leadership from Chair Derek Kilmer and Vice Chair Tom Graves, Democrats and Republicans on the Select Committee passed 97 recommendations spanning a wide range of topics. The full list of recommendations can be found here. In December 2020, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress (SCMC) will be extended through the 117th Congress. Read our letters from the BPWG: Request for Convergence’s assistance (January 2019) Appreciation for Convergence’s partnership (December 2019) LEARN MORE MODERNIZING CIVIL SERVICE REIMAGINING CARE FOR OLDER ADULTS GUNS AND SUICIDE PREVENTION ECONOMIC RECOVERY WORKING WITH CONGRESS CALIFORNIA HEALTH REFORM FUTURE OF HEALTH LONG-TERM CARE FINANCING COLLABORATIVE REENTRY READY ECONOMIC MOBILITY FEDERAL BUDGET REFORM HEALTH REFORM ROUNDTABLE NUTRITION AND WELLNESS EDUCATION REIMAGINED U.S.-PAKISTAN RELATIONS Copyright 2021 Convergence Center for Policy Resolution. All Rights Reserved. PRIVACY POLICY | TERMS & CONDITIONS CONNECT WITH US: