Volume 4, Issue 2 (2012)

Editor's Welcome

Dear Readers,

It is my pleasure to present the second issue of Volume 4 of the Legislation & Policy Brief. As the fall elections draw nearer, the topics discussed in this and future issues of the Brief are sure to be of national interest as the 113th Congress convenes.

Over the past year, the Legislation & Policy Brief has expanded its involvement within the Washington College of Law community, as well as the greater Washington, DC area. In addition to delivering copies of the Brief to various Capitol Hill offices, the Brief launched a new blog which can be found at legislationandpolicy.com. My special thanks goes to our incoming Editor-in-Chief, Nicole Winters-Brown, for her dedication to this and many other projects over the last year.

Additionally, the Brief is happy to announce two new outlets for staffers and other interested students to gain experience in legislative lawyering while still students. First, the Legislative Lawyering practicum, headed by one of the Brief’s faculty advisors, Professor Bill Yeomans, will place students in congressional offices, public interest organizations focusing on legislative work, or in the legislative office of an Executive Branch agency. Also, the Maryland State Senate legislative practicum, headed by Brief faculty advisor Professor Jamin Raskin, will allow students to get hands-on legislative experience at the state level. We are confident that these terrific new opportunities will even better prepare our staffers and other interested WCL students for careers as legislative lawyers.

Finally, the Brief is seeking submissions for its upcoming issues. Articles should be well researched and cited in Bluebook format, with an emphasis on legislative history. More information on submissions can be found at digitalcommons.wcl.american.edu/lpb/.

It has been my honor and pleasure to serve as Editor-in-Chief of this publication and work with such a dedicated Editorial Board. My deepest gratitude goes to the Brief’s Managing Editor, Tommy Tynes, for his invaluable assistance during my term. My best wishes and thanks to all of the 2011-2012 Editorial Board members.

Best Wishes,

Vanessa Careiro