The IRE Resource Center is a major research library containing more than 23,250 investigative stories — both print and broadcast. Add to that more than 3,000 tipsheets from our national conferences on how to cover specific beats or do specific stories and you have a resource that no reporter or editor should be without. These stories and tipsheets are searchable online or by contacting the Resource Center directly (573-882-3364 or rescntr@ire.org) where a researcher can help you pinpoint what you need. Browse or search the tipsheet section of our library below. Logged-in members can view the tipsheets free online:
Search results for "congress" ...
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Data Ideas for Congressional Coverage
Thorough tips and advice on how and where to look for information regarding congressmen in areas such as staff members, salaries, owned properties, received donations, etc.
Tags: congress; senate; congressman; senator; fec; legistorm; opensecrets; legislative bills; sopr; senate office of public records
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Investigating Politicians
Grimaldi covers basics for backgrounding politicians, but goes into depth about some of the things you should look for in their property records, etc. He also details how to explore their campaign finances and various lobbying and travel reports.
Tags: politics; politicians; lobbyists; campaign finance; House of Representatives; Senate; Congress;
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The Chronicle of Education's online databases about academe
Brainard outlines the data available through The Chronicle of Higher Education that may be helpful in covering local universities. Included in the data sets are: compensation of college presidents; compensation for other university employees; what professors make; academe's pork barrel (Congressional earmarks going to universities).
Tags: Chronicle of Higher Education; data; academia; Congress; university salaries; earmarks
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First Day on the Military Beat
Some basic guidlines on reporting on the military as well as some sources that can be used. Also a copy of the 2005 "Annual Report to the President and Congress" by Rumsfeld is attached.
Tags: military; defense; department of defense; navy; army; marines; beat reporting
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Following the Money in Congress: Meet the (New/Old/Same) Boss
Willis discusses how to make sense of confusing campaign finance rules. He also suggests websites and resources that will be useful for reporters on this beat.
Tags: campaign finance; money; federal government; election; politicians
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www.opensecrets.org
www.opensecrets.org helps track congressional money. It provides databases for contributions, 527s, lobbying, PACs, personal financial disclosures, revolving door, and travel.
Tags: database; government; congress; money; funds; spending
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US-MEXICO BORDER ISSUES General Resources
Molly Molloy lists websites that provide resources and open the access to information on US-Mexico border issues, both in English and in Spanish. Find out about websites related to border studies. Look at a list of media that cover border issues, from both sides of the border. Each website listed includes a brief description of the internet site.Tipsheet en ingles y espanol
Tags: Mexico; US-Mexico; border; border issues; border sources; internet; website; Latin America; open access; open access information; US-Mexican studies; border studies; Mexican media; media in Mexico; Open Access Journals; SciELO; OAIster; Highwire Press; Library of Congress; Hispanic Division; Country Studies; Latin American Studies; border resources; Political Database of the Americas; Center for Latin American Studies; Americas Program; SICE; Commission for Environmental Cooperation; BorderBase; Center for US-Mexican Studies; migration
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The lost stories: How a steady stream of laws, regulations and judicial decisions have eroded reporting on important issues
This tipsheet, a "white paper" published by The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, reviews a host of stories journalists are now hampered from doing because of restrictions on government records. Acts of Congress, new rules by federal agencies, decisions by courts, and overreactions by administrators and bureaucrats have led to a host of "lost stories" that are no longer informing the public about how its government works. The tipsheet also discusses future risks that journalists should watch for and advises journalists on how to compensate for the shortfalls in access.
Tags: FOIA; open records; public records; public access; driver records; medical privacy; homeland security; courts; privacy; electronic records
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Parachuting into Congress and making a soft landing
Kuhnhenn offers tips on how to bring Congressional activities home to your readers. He explains how to track any special interests of your local representatives, finding data about Congress and important tips on how to handle a trip to Capital Hill to track down a representative.
Tags: Capital Hill; Congress; special interests
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Foreign correspondent's D.C. survival kit
The myriad of organizations and bureaucracy in Washington D.C. can be confusing to anyone, let alone someone from outside the U.S. Marian Wilkinson and Andre Verloy compile an essential tipsheet for foreign correspondents covering the Beltway. There are useful web links galore in the handout, covering government agencies to resources and NGOs. While this tipsheet is designed for foreign journalists, it can be equally useful to any journalist covering government in D.C.
Tags: Foreign correspondent; government; federal government; defense; terrorism; legislature; Capital Hill; Congress; Supreme Court; NGO; think tanks; State Department; GAO; SEC