Foreword by John Brademas

I AM HONORED TO INTRODUCE THE JOHN BRADEMAS CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF CONGRESS at New York University's Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service.

The Center is one of the first of its kind to pursue a rigorous study of Congress as a policy-making institution. The Center will enhance both scholarly and public understanding of the role of Congress in writing the nation's laws and forging its policies.

With our separation-of-powers Constitution, Congress, unlike the legislative body in a parliamentary system, exercises great power in the making of national policy. But with 100 senators and 435 representatives and, customarily, no strict party discipline, Congress is not an easy institution to understand, even for the well-informed.

The Brademas Center will be a place to which we shall invite presidents, senators, and representatives—current and former, Democrats and Republicans; cabinet secretaries and other executive branch officials; judges; congressional staffers; parliamentarians from other countries; journalists; and scholars and students to meet to discuss both the *processes* by which Congress shapes policy and *substantive issues* facing our nation. Through an interdisciplinary approach to the study of Congress, we seek to illumine both academic and public understanding of what the Constitution designates the “First Branch” of the federal government.

> "...we seek to illumine both academic and public understanding of what the Constitution designates the FIRST BRANCH of the federal government."

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Message from Alicia D. Hurley, Ph.D.,

Acting Director

"The Wagner School offers an exceptional environment in which the John Brademas Center strives to impart an increased knowledge of Congress—the 'People's Branch of Government'..."

NEW YORK UNIVERSITY TAKES PRIDE in its role as "a private university in the public service." By preparing some of the world's most talented public servants, NYU's Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service assumes a prominent place in this rich tradition. The Wagner School offers an exceptional environment in which the John Brademas

Center strives to impart an increased knowledge of Congress—the "People's Branch of Government"—on scholars, students, and the American people.

The Center will also help the public sector's next generation of leaders gain insights into how and why Congress makes decisions. All members of the NYU community and our friends far and wide are warmly invited to participate in upcoming activities, some of which are outlined in this brochure. We look forward to many exciting years!

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John Brademas Center for the
Study of Congress

THE MISSION OF THE JOHN BRADEMAS CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF CONGRESS is to advance the understanding of Congress—its powers, processes, and political character—among scholars, students pursuing careers in public service, those working on Capitol Hill, and the public. The Center achieves its mission through nonpartisan research, teaching, and public outreach events—such as symposia and conferences—focused on the role of Congress in making national policy. Our programming aims to explore issues and problems of the legislative branch from new perspectives. The Center is named for founder John Brademas, NYU President Emeritus and former Member of Congress.

Above:

Dr. Brademas opens the Center's Symposium on Presidential and Public Papers.

Left:

Then-Representative John Brademas addresses his colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives.

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## About John Brademas

John Brademas represented Indiana's Third District for 22 years (1959-1981) in the U.S. House of Representatives. He served as Majority Whip, the third-ranking member of the Democratic leadership in the House, for the last four of those years, by appointment of Speaker Thomas P. "Tip" O'Neill. During his tenure, Brademas served on three committees: Education and Labor, House Administration, and the Joint (House-

> "After leaving Congress, John Brademas continued his distinguished career by pursuing his passion for education and serving as president of New York University from 1981 to 1992."

Senate) Committee on the Library of Congress. As chief House sponsor of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act; Environmental Education Act; Library Services and Construction Act; Arts, Humanities, and Cultural Affairs Act; Arts and Artifacts Indemnity Act; Museum Services Act; and Older Americans Comprehensive Services Act, Brademas earned a reputation as a leading force in the creation of legislation concerning education, arts and humanities, vocational rehabilitation, services for the

elderly and disabled, and libraries and museums. Dr. Brademas is also proud to hold the distinction of being the first native-born American of Greek origin elected to Congress.

After leaving Congress, John Brademas continued his distinguished career by pursuing his passion for education and serving as president of New York University from 1981 to 1992. During that time, he led the transition of NYU from a regional commuter school to a national and international residential research university.

Former chairman of the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, the National Endowment for Democracy, and the Board of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, John Brademas is president of the King Juan Carlos I of Spain Center of New York University Foundation and chairman of the American Ditchley Foundation. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a member of the National Academy of Education (USA), the Academy of Athens, the European Academy of Science and Arts, and the National Academy of Education of

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Argentina. In 2004, he was elected to the New York State Board of Regents by the New York State Legislature.

A graduate of Harvard, B.A. (magna cum laude), he was a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University, where he earned his Ph.D. He has been awarded honorary degrees by 52 colleges and universities, most recently by the University of Oxford

(2003). The Oxford degree citation described him as “a man of many talents and extraordinary energy, the most practical of academics, the most scholarly of men of action.” Among other honors he has received is the Hubert H. Humphrey Award of the American Political Science Association for outstanding public service by a political scientist.

**Above, left to right:**
President Emeritus John Brademas at a New York University commencement; then-President Ronald Reagan greets Dr. Brademas at the White House; Dr. Brademas with former President Bill Clinton and NYU President John Sexton.

**Left:**
Former members of the House: Majority Whip John Brademas, Majority Leader James Wright, Representative Thomas Foley, and Speaker Thomas P. “Tip” O’Neill (seated).

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## Center Programming

## LAUNCH EVENTS

In the fall of 2005, the Brademas Center hosted its inaugural event, the First Annual Bernard and Irene Schwartz Lecture on Congress. Hosted by Librarian of Congress James H. Billington at the Library of Congress, the lecture featured Senators Richard G. Lugar (R-IN) and Paul S. Sarbanes (D-MD) and congressional scholar Dr. Norman Ornstein of the American Enterprise Institute. Made possible by a generous contribution from the Bernard and Irene Schwartz Foundation, the lecture was the first in an annual series to be held at the Library.

Provocative questions raised at this event laid the groundwork for many of the issues the Center will consider, such as how the power struggle between Congress and the president affects policy making and whether there is a decline in Congress's institutional identity.

Also in the fall of 2005, the Center hosted the Symposium on Presidential and Public Papers to mark the 1974 Presidential Recordings and Materials Preservation Act (PRMPA), of which John Brademas was chief author in the House of Representatives. This measure helped to assure that the federal government assumed ownership of the tapes and papers of the Nixon presidency, declaring these materials property of the people of the United States and allowing for their publication.

Given recent events in Washington, DC, and around the country—from controversies over the writings of Supreme Court nominees to allegations of corrupt lobbying practices to the disclosure of the government's secret domestic surveillance

program—the issue of public access to vital documents, which in many cases are difficult to locate and assemble in a meaningful way, has taken on an increased sense of urgency. Not since the Nixon administration has the debate about public access to information been so relevant.

To address this subject, the symposium organized by the Brademas Center convened leaders in the field to discuss the history of the 1974 PRMPA, its role today and current policy options and obstacles in archiving the papers of government officials. Allen Weinstein, archivist of the United States, keynoted the daylong conference, which included panels composed of leading archivists, historians, and lawyers as well as a former counsel to President Nixon. The Center subsequently issued a set of recommendations, including proposing that a federal statute be developed to govern the disposition and preservation of congressional papers.

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## Future Activities

### EVENTS

The Brademas Center sponsors public lectures, symposia, conferences, roundtables, and briefings that both individually and cumulatively address the question of congressional capacity for decision making—whether, how, and why that capacity has declined—and what measures Congress can take to strengthen and enhance its ability to make good public policy. Events covering a wide range of policy and procedure issues take place in New York City, Washington, DC, and at some of NYU's international sites.

### INTERNSHIPS

Beginning in the summer of 2006, the John Brademas Center is sponsoring a competitive Congressional Internship Program for New York University undergraduate and graduate students. During the 8- to 10-week program, participants have an opportunity to gain political and policy-making skills at the federal level and also develop a better understanding of the role of Congress in the American political system. Placed in the offices of members of Congress, the students are awarded a stipend and work on research projects under the supervision of faculty and fellows affiliated with the Center.

### RESEARCH PROJECTS

The Brademas Center conducts research consistent with its mission of developing a greater understanding of Congress. Research focuses not only on examining the rules and procedures of Congress but also on the ways in which the Senate and the House of Representatives shape law and policy for the government of the United States—through their leaders, committees, caucuses, conferences, staffs, and individual members, and through the interaction of Congress with the executive and judicial branches.

The Center is currently undertaking a major research endeavor to assess the capacity of Congress and its ability to make long-term decisions for the 21st century. The Center is exploring difficulties that Congress faces when trying to predict outcomes; obstacles to sound policy making, such as the existing committee structure and the increasingly divisive partisanship; and what can be done to make Congress more flexible and adaptive to future problems.

### FELLOWS AND GRADUATE ASSISTANTS

Reflecting its purpose of encouraging a better understanding of the role that Congress plays in making national policy, the Brademas Center supports graduate student research assistants drawn from within the University. The Center also hosts fellows who are current and former senators and representatives; congressional staff; executive branch officials; judges; journalists; scholars at other institutions; representatives of other sectors of American life; and parliamentarians from abroad.

In residence at the Center, the fellows and graduate assistants work alongside the Center's staff on significant research projects. Scholars and practitioners foster a rich, ongoing exchange of ideas and knowledge between academia and Capitol Hill. The research is interdisciplinary, drawing on perspectives from political science, history, legal studies, and other disciplines and will look not only at political issues but also at the interplay between Congress and the other branches of government.

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## Advisory Council

Members of the Brademas Center's Advisory Council offer counsel on current activities and future programs and participants.

John Brademas, Chairman

## POLITICAL LEADERS

**Mickey Edwards**, former Member of the U.S. House of Representatives (R-OK); Director of the Aspen Institute-Rodel Fellowships in Public Leadership, Aspen Institute, Washington, DC

**Geraldine A. Ferraro**, former Member of the U.S. House of Representatives (D-NY); 1984 Vice Presidential Nominee; Executive Vice President and Head of the Public Affairs Practice, Global Consulting Group

**Lee Hamilton**, former Member of the U.S. House of Representatives (D-IN); President and Director of Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Washington, DC

**Trent Lott**, Member of the U.S. Senate (R-MS); former Senate Majority Leader

**Leon Panetta**, former Member of the U.S. House of Representatives (D-CA); Director of the Panetta Institute, California State University

**Charles B. Rangel**, Member of the U.S. House of Representatives (D-NY)

**Paul S. Sarbanes**, Member of the U.S. Senate (D-MD)

**Philip R. Sharp**, former Member of the U.S. House of Representatives (D-IN); President, Resources for the Future

**Christopher Shays**, Member of the U.S. House of Representatives (R-CT)

**Olympia J. Snowe**, Member of the U.S. Senate (R-ME)

## ACADEMIC ADVISERS

**Thomas Bender**, Director of the International Center for Advanced Studies, University Professor of the Humanities, and Professor of History, New York University

**Nigel Bowles**, CUF Lecturer in Politics and Balfour Fellow in Politics, St. Anne's College, University of Oxford

**Alan Brinkley**, Provost and Allan Nevins Professor of History, Columbia University

**Douglas Brinkley**, Director of the Theodore Roosevelt Center for American Civilization and Distinguished Professor of History, Tulane University

**George W. Downs, Jr.**, Dean for the Social Sciences and Professor of Politics, New York University

**Elizabeth Drew**, Author/Journalist

**Richard F. Fenno, Jr.**, William R. Kenan Professor Emeritus of Political Science, University of Rochester

**Alton Frye**, Presidential Senior Fellow Emeritus, Council on Foreign Relations

**Thomas E. Mann**, W. Averell Harriman Chair and Senior Fellow in Governance Studies, Brookings Institution

**David Mayhew**, Sterling Professor of Political Science, Yale University

**Norman J. Ornstein**, Resident Scholar, American Enterprise Institute

**Ronald M. Peters, Jr.**, Regents' Professor and former Director of the Carl Albert Congressional Research and Studies Center, University of Oklahoma

**Nelson W. Polsby**, Heller Professor of Political Science, University of California at Berkeley

**Catharine R. Stimpson**, Dean, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and University Professor, New York University

**Julian E. Zelizer**, Professor of History, Boston University

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