The history of the modern U.S. Capitol, the iconic seat of American government, is also the chronicle of America's most tumultuous years. An award-winning journalist has captured with impeccable detail the clash of personalities behind the building of the Capitol and its extraordinary design and engineering.

ItOs All Who You Know When Working the System HereOs How to Get to Know the Right People The worldOs attention turned to the U.S. Capitol on January 20, 2009, when Barack Obama took the Presidential oath of office. But inside the building, changes had already taken place that would have broad implications for his agenda. The 111th Congress had convened on January 6 with a far stronger Democratic majority than the one that had preceded it. Their ambitious legislative agenda requires the assistance of their staffs to prepare them for all the important issues on the legislative table. Thus, it is more important than ever to know about senior congressional committee staff members and the role they play in shaping todayOs legislation. While members of the House of Representatives and the Senate enact laws, it is often their staffers who exert the greatest influence in the lawmaking process. Staffers advise their elected bosses, establish political positions on issues, craft legislation, put policies in place, and play important roles on scores of congressional committees. The next time you need to find out who is the most effective person to advocate your cause D turn to the InsiderOs Guide for all the answers. Overall it provides access to an important, if not very visible, component of the legislative process. Recommended-CHOICE The InsiderOs Guide to Key Committee Staff of the U.S. Congress contains in-depth profiles on key congressional staff members that you will not find elsewhere. The information provided on these personnel gives you not only the contact information and other pertinent data but also the inside track to those people. These are the staffers who work with and support the representatives and senators in various important roles that help to enact change or refine existing laws and codes that govern our nation. With all the sweeping changes that have taken place since the Obama administration took office, this essential resource has never been more important or more valuable. This new edition features over 125 new profiles and is designed to be the ultimate for quick and easy reference. The InsiderOs Guide is the leading source for information on more than 600 congressional staff members. The profiles included feature: In-depth biographical information Detailed professional history and educational background Staff membersO areas of expertise and committee role Up-to-date contact information and photograph, when available Staffers' own insights as to their committeeOs priorities and special projects during this session of Congress Organized by House, Senate, and Joint committee assignments, youOll find both the person youOre looking for and information on his or her individual impact on legislation and decision-making. With this InsiderOs Guide, youOll never again need to question who is the most effective person to advocate your cause.

Each year many of the millions of people who visit the United States Capitol are surprised and delighted to discover that the building is not only the home of the Congress but also a museum and gallery of fine art. Among the most remarkable works in the Capitol are the paintings of Constantino Brumidi, who devoted much of the last twenty-five years of his life to decorating the building. Indeed, his contributions to the Capitol are unsurpassed by those of any other artist. This is the first scholarly, in-depth publication on Brumidi. The book is an outgrowth of the mural conservation program. Much of the beauty of Brumidi's work was hidden under grime and overpaint, and some murals were threatened by cracking plaster.