US House Rep Susan Davis' office issued the following:
Washington, March 20, 2019
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U.S. Rep. Susan Davis (CA-53) was named a finalist for The Congressional Management Foundation's (CMF) highly competitive Democracy Awards for excellence in the Constituent Service category. The award focuses on how an office serves constituents, especially how it uses and leverages specific, methodical, and consistent processes for achieving measurable results in constituent service.
“As a finalist in Constituent Service, Rep. Davis’ office is one of the best in Congress,” said Bradford Fitch, President and CEO of the Congressional Management Foundation. “This
designation demonstrates that Rep. Davis has made a significant
commitment to being the best public servant for her constituents in
California. Rep. Davis and her staff are to be congratulated for not
only being a model for colleagues in Congress, but for helping to
restore trust and faith that our democratic institutions can work,” he said.
“Constituent service is the most rewarding part of
our job and we take great pride in making the federal government work
for the taxpayers,” said Rep. Davis, a former social worker. “My
staff and I prioritize constituent service because we know it directly
impacts people’s lives. Service is our mission. I’m honored and thank
CMF for their efforts to raise awareness about the work Congress does to
serve the public.”
Twelve House and Senate offices were honored as finalists
in three categories: 1) Constituent Service; 2) Transparency,
Accountability, and Innovation; and 3) "Life in Congress"- Workplace
Environment. House and Senate personal offices self-nominated using an
online questionnaire, and CMF followed up with offices to gather
documentation and assess the office's adherence to the established
criteria.
In 2018, Davis was awarded
the first-ever Democracy Award for "Life in Congress"- Workplace
Environment for her office policies which emphasize both flexibility and
accountability.
“Positivity begets productivity” said Davis. “I
am honored that my office was recognized for both our positive,
collaborative atmosphere and for the productive results we deliver for
my constituents. They go hand in hand.”
Davis has displayed excellence in constituent services
through a few signature practices and by putting constituent service
ahead of politics.
Last year, Davis successfully helped about 850
constituents, securing more than $2 million in benefits from federal
agencies. Davis’s office helps constituents one-on-one with all federal
agencies. The bulk of her cases involve veterans benefits, IRS refunds
and immigration issues.
Every member of Davis’s staff connects with constituents by
having bi-weekly mail goals, answering more than 41,000 constituent
letters, emails, and calls last year.
Davis’s public event ideas for the district are
constituent-generated. When constituents had questions about the new tax
law and how it would impact them, Davis brought in tax experts and
hosted a purely informational event, though she strongly opposed the
bill on the floor. Davis also created her own Global Policy Speakers
Series to bring experts on world affairs and current events to speak
with her constituents about their concerns.
Davis’s Washington office offers constituents
behind-the-scenes tours and Davis or her staff meet with every
constituent who requests a meeting.
A committee comprised primarily of former Members of
Congress and former congressional staffers will select the two winners
(one Democrat and one Republican) for each category. Winners will be
announced in May and a ceremony to honor finalists and winners will be
held on June 20, 2019.
The Democracy Awards is CMF’s honors program recognizing
non-legislative achievement in operations and constituent service by
congressional offices and Members of Congress. The Founding Partner for
the Democracy Awards is the Bridge Alliance, which provided a generous grant to launch the program. Bridge Alliance is a diverse coalition of more than 80 organizations committed to revitalizing democratic practice in America.
The Congressional Management Foundation (CMF) is a
501(c)(3) nonpartisan nonprofit whose mission is to build trust and
effectiveness in Congress. Since 1977, CMF has worked internally with
Member, committee, leadership, and institutional offices in the House
and Senate to identify and disseminate best practices for management,
workplace environment, communications, and constituent services. CMF
also is the leading researcher and trainer on citizen engagement,
educating thousands of individuals and facilitating better relationships
with Congress. For more information, please visit www.CongressFoundation.org.
