The Government Affairs Institute (GAI) has been conducting courses on Capitol Hill since 1965. The Institute's mission is to provide education and training about congressional processes, organization, and practices, and about selected legislative policy issues. By better understanding the functions and organization of Congress, executive branch personnel and others with a direct interest in federal programs can more effectively plan, manage, and budget for those programs, and better represent those programs before Congress. All GAI courses are planned, designed, and conducted by the Institute's senior fellows, who also conduct dozens of on-site classes each year in the Washington DC area and around the country. The Senior Staff of the Government Affairs Institute consists of individuals strongly committed to teaching, with academic backgrounds in political science, public administration, history, and economics. Most have taught extensively at the university level, and all are experienced observers of Congress who spend much of their time on Capitol Hill. In addition to courses listed on our website, GAI conducts tailored courses for more than 40 federal departments and agencies and other organizations with an interest in the United States Congress. We are grateful to the thousands of individuals who attend our courses each year, and who believe in the importance of improving the relationship between Congress and the executive branch.