ABSTRACT
I. Introduction............................................................................................................ 560 II. Online access and requests for congressional casework ..................................... 561
A. Findings and discussion ................................................................................. 562 III. Effects on the process of congressional oversight................................................ 563
A. Findings and discussion ................................................................................. 563 IV. Micromanagement.................................................................................................. 565
A. Findings and discussion ................................................................................. 566 V. Implications and conclusions ................................................................................ 566
References........................................................................................................................ 568
As federal government agencies offer more sophisticated and useful web access to their programs, many have examined citizen use of these services. Other effects of the increasing online access to agency information and services have been less well studied. Here we focus on the effects of the increasing digital capacity of federal agencies on congressional oversight. We explore the impact of expanded online agency offerings on the number and type of requests for casework; on the focus, duration, and number of investigative hearings; and on the detail and specificity with which program legislation is written. This research is based on interviews with committee staff with jurisdiction over two agencies with a strong Internet presence and two with a weak presence.
