The evolution of the Republican Study Committee
The Republican Study Committee (RSC) is an ideological faction within the U.S. Congress which was formed in 1973 and consists of conservative Republican members of the U.S. House of Representatives. This thesis analyzes the purposes for which the group was formed and the impact which it has had in the Congress. The RSC was not formed before 1973 because the need for a distinct ideological faction was not recognized by conservatives prior to that time. The RSC was patterned after the Democratic Study Group (of liberal Democrats), and its importance quickly surpassed the Wednesday Group (of liberal Republicans) in the structure of the House. The Republican Study Committee plays several roles in Congress, each of which is examined in this thesis. It acts as a legislative coordinating and strategy group providing staff resources to its members for joint activities. This allows junior members of the House, who do not have access to other forms of research staff assistance, to use policy staff on specific legislative issues. It provides the opportunity for academic conservatives to participate in the public policy process. It functions as the ~inside~ vehicle in the House of Representatives where it works with ~outside~
Feulner, Edwin John
History
The evolution of the Republican Study Committee. The Republican Study Committee (RSC) is an ideological faction within the U.S. Congress which was formed in 1973 and consists of conservative Republican members of the U.S. House of Representatives. This thesis analyzes the purposes for which the group was formed and the impact which it has had in the Congress. The RSC was not formed before 1973 because the need for a distinct ideological faction was not recognized by conservatives prior to that time. The RSC was patterned after the Democratic Study Group (of liberal Democrats), and its importance quickly surpassed the Wednesday Group (of liberal Republicans) in the structure of the House. The Republican Study Committee plays several roles in Congress, each of which is examined in this thesis. It acts as a legislative coordinating and strategy group providing staff resources to its members for joint activities. This allows junior members of the House, who do not have access to other forms of research staff assistance, to use policy staff on specific legislative issues. It provides the opportunity for academic conservatives to participate in the public policy process. It functions as the ~inside~ vehicle in the House of Representatives where it works with ~outside~
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