Home Papers Policy Agendas Project Other Projects Books Position Papers

Papers

Structure and Opportunity: Committee Jurisdiction and Issue Attention in Congress

By: Adam D. Sheingate

Abstract: This article explores how the congressional committee system shapes the dynamics of issue attention. Consisting of what is referred to as a congressional opportunity structure, it describes how committee jurisdictions provide an important institutional context for the attention paid to newissues in congressional hearings. This is illustrated through an examination of congressional attention to biotechnology over a 30-year period. This article finds that committeeswith broader jurisdictions were more active in biotechnology than committees with a narrow policy remit. However, these institutional effects varied widely, even within a single policy domain. This variation suggests that issue attention depends on the degree of fit between issue characteristics and the congressional opportunity structure. More broadly, the findings here illustrate the virtues of public policy research in studies of Congress.

Home Papers Policy Agendas Project Other Projects Books Position Papers		Papers Structure and Opportunity: Committee Jurisdiction and Issue Attention in Congress By: Adam D. Sheingate Abstract: This article explores how the congressional committee system shapes the dynamics of issue attention. Consisting of what is referred to as a congressional opportunity structure, it describes how committee jurisdictions provide an important institutional context for the attention paid to newissues in congressional hearings. This is illustrated through an examination of congressional attention to biotechnology over a 30-year period. This article finds that committeeswith broader jurisdictions were more active in biotechnology than committees with a narrow policy remit. However, these institutional effects varied widely, even within a single policy domain. This variation suggests that issue attention depends on the degree of fit between issue characteristics and the congressional opportunity structure. More broadly, the findings here illustrate the virtues of public policy research in studies of Congress.

2008 University of Texas at Austin. All Right Reserved. Credits and Acknowledgements \| Disclaimer \| Citation Guidelines
Home \| Codebooks \| Datasets \| Data Tools \| Publications \| News & Events \| Resources \| About Us \| Site Help \| Contact Us \| Site Map