The Waxman Report How Congress Really Works

For four decades, leading U.S. congressman Henry Waxman has taken principled positions on crucial issues and been a driving force for change. Because of legislation he helped champion, our air is cleaner, our food is safer, and our medical care is better. As a top congressional watchdog, he worked on vital steps to curb abuses on Wall Street, halt wasteful spending in Iraq, and ban steroids from Major League Baseball. Now in this eye-opening book, Waxman offers readers a rare glimpse into how this was achieved: the strategy, the maneuvering, the behind-the-scenes deals. He shows how sometimes the most dramatic breakthroughs occur through small twists of fate. In today's political climate, where so much has been written about what's wrong with Congress-the gridlock, the partisanship, the influence of interest groups-Henry Waxman offers sophisticated, concrete examples of how government can (and should) work. Book jacket.

Congressman Henry Waxman has represented the Los Angeles area of California since 1974. He is the Chairman of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and a member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce. During his thirty-plus years in Congress, he has helped craft landmark legislation addressing health and the environment.