Gavel to Gavel: A C-Span Guide to the Congress

Twenty years ago, C-SPAN, the public affairs network created by the cable industry, began providing live, gavel-to-gavel coverage of the U.S. House of Representatives. For the first time in American history, people outside the nation's capital could watch their government in action -- without interruption and without editorial comment.Now C-SPAN has provided a concise, information-packed guidebook that takes readers behind the scenes to explain exactly how Congress works. Going far beyond daily news accounts or high school civics texts, this handbook offers detailed, insider information on topics ranging from the meaning of the bells and buzzers that inform Members of floor proceeding to an explanation of what each congressional position does -- not only such well-known posts as Majority and Minority Leaders but also Sergeant at Arms, Doorkeeper, Timekeeper, Parliamentarian, and Journal Clerk. The book includes seating diagrams, a schedule of a typical day's activities, and a clear, easy-to-understand overview of exactly how a bill becomes law.