Pressley is Named Finalist for Congressional Management Foundation’s “Democracy Awards”

WASHINGTON – The Congressional Management Foundation (CMF) announced that Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) is a finalist for a Democracy Award, CMF’s annual awards recognizing non-legislative achievement and performance in congressional offices. Rep. Pressley was selected as a finalist for outstanding achievement in the category of Constituent Accountability & Accessibility. Rep. Pressley was also selected as a finalist for outstanding achievement in the category of Life in Congress: Workplace Environment in 2023.

In this year’s competitive process, 15 House and Senate offices were honored as finalists across four categories. House and Senate personal offices are nominated using an online questionnaire, after which CMF interviewed offices and gathered documentation to assess the office’s adherence to the established criteria. The winners will be selected in July by an external selection committee primarily comprised of former Members of Congress and congressional staff. The finalists and winners will be honored at a ceremony to be held in Washington, D.C. on September 26, 2024.

“This recognition is a testament to our team’s dedicated work, day in and day out,” Congresswoman Pressley said. “I am so fortunate to work with outstanding staff who care deeply about our district and our constituents. We are always working to bring government to the people and make the resources and services our office provides more accessible to everyone who calls the Massachusetts 7^th home. Too many people feel left and out and left behind when it comes to the work of government, and across our team we are trying to shift that dynamic and build trust.”

“As a Democracy Award finalist, the Rep. Pressley office is clearly one of the best in Congress,” said Bradford Fitch, President and CEO of the Congressional Management Foundation. “This designation demonstrates that Rep. Pressley has made a significant commitment to being the best public servant for her constituents. Rep. Pressley and her staff are to be congratulated for not only being a model for her colleagues in Congress, but for helping to restore trust and faith that our democratic institutions can work,” he said.

CMF cited the following as reasons for selecting Rep. Pressley as finalist for the award in Constituent Accountability and Accessibility:

“The office of Rep. Ayanna Pressley aims to practice ‘cooperative governing’ and ‘keeping those closest to the pain closest to the power.’ This model of governing informs every interaction that the office has with constituents. Rep. Pressley leverages every congressional tool available to communicate important updates to her constituents, including a periodical newsletter with updates on her legislative work and upcoming events, and using her social media platforms and press interviews to share federal resources. The office ensures that videos are captioned and photos include ‘alt-text’ for constituents with hearing and visual impairments, and it is standard practice to use CART or live ASL translation for public community events. Finally, the office has inculcated into staff a mentality to look for and create access to constituents where barriers could exist. This includes language barriers, physically accessibility issues, even providing childcare services at events so parents can attend.”

Details on the process and the history of the Democracy Awards can be found here: https://www.congressfoundation.org/democracy-awards

The Congressional Management Foundation (CMF) is a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan nonprofit founded in 1977 dedicated to strengthening Congress and building trust in its work with and for the American people. CMF works to revitalize Congress as an institution; promoting best practices in congressional offices; and helps Congress and the people they represent engage in a constructive and inclusive dialogue toward a thriving American democracy.

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