THIS WEEK, WE begin a new irregular series with the help of our friends at the Center for National Independence in Politics.
The center, a bipartisan group which boasts a list of heavy-hitting founders ranging from Jimmy Carter on the left to Barry Goldwater on the right, is dedicated to helping citizens become more aware of the political scene.
Staffed mostly by student volunteers in Boston and Corvallis, Oregon, the center has spent the past few years running Project Vote Smart, which offers a toll-free number people can call to learn where candidates for federal office stand on various issues.
Now the organization is branching out as a congressional watchdog. Every two months, they'll be providing The Weekly with a chart showing where Arizona congressmen voted on key issues. This month, the group is tracking key Contract with America legislation and providing readers with phone numbers for their elected officials.
If you're more interested in learning about legislation before your senator or representative votes on an issue, you can take advantage of the center's new service, Congresstrack.
"The voting information is, in a sense, a little bit reactive," says Lorena O'Leary, director of the project's Reporter's Resource Center. "They've already voted and you call to find out how they've voted. With Congresstrack, when you see a particular bill that you're interested in, you can track what happens to it before it's actually voted on. So you can see it as it makes its way through committee and when it's going to the floor and contact your senator or representative before they vote and get information on it."
To learn more about the service, call 1-800-622-SMART.
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