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Capitol Hill Campus Frequently Asked Questions

The following list of Frequently Asked Questions about Mercatus and the Chief of Staff Retreat are designed to help with any questions you may have about this year’s program.

Does the Chief of Staff Retreat comply with ethics rules?
Each year, since its inception in 1995, the Mercatus Center has written to both the House and Senate ethics committees informing them of the Chief of Staff Retreat and requesting their guidance to ensure we are in full compliance with both the letter of and intent of House and Senate rules. We will provide all nesseary forms, and within thirty days of the Retreat’s conclusion, we provide financial data to each participant so that he/she can fulfill mandatory reporting requirements.

What is the impact of new ethics rules on the 2008 Chief of Staff Retreat?
The Mercatus Center at George Mason University has consistently met all House and Senate requirements for organizations sponsoring educational trips for congressional staff, and we are in compliance with the new requirements of these new rules.

Accordingly, we certify the following statements to be true and accurate:

• The Mercatus Center at George Mason University is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit educational and research organization affiliated with George Mason University, a public institution of higher education in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
  
• The Mercatus Center at George Mason University does not employ nor retain any registered lobbyists or agents of a foreign principal.
  
• Financing for the 2008 Chief of Staff Retreat comes from general Mercatus Center operating funds, and the Mercatus Center has not received funds specifically earmarked for the 2007 Chief of Staff Retreat.

What is the Mercatus Center at George Mason University’s Capitol Hill Campus?
The Mercatus Center at George Mason University is a research, education, and outreach organization that works with scholars, policy experts, and government officials to connect academic learning and real world practice. The mission of Mercatus is to promote sound interdisciplinary research and application in the humane sciences that integrates theory and practice to produce solutions that sustainably advance a free, prosperous, and civil society. 

The Mercatus Center at George Mason University’s Capitol Hill Campus aims to bridge the gap between academia and policy by making academic research and methods available to policy makers and academics aware of policy makers’ need for relevant analysis of public policy issues.

The Mercatus Center at George Mason University is a 501 (c)(3).

What is the Chief of Staff Retreat?
The Mercatus Center at George Mason University’s Chief of Staff Retreat is the leading non-partisan, off-the-Hill gathering for senior congressional staff. The Retreat offers participants the chance to explore, engage, and debate the academic insights and economic concepts behind public policy issues in a comfortable educational setting.  The Chief of Staff Retreat faculty do not advocate particular recommendations on policy issues.  The Chief of Staff Retreat does provide policy makers with an economic and academic perspective on how they can analyze policy recommendations through discussions that range from general economic concepts to more specific policy concerns.

Who can attend the Chief of Staff Retreat?
The Mercatus Center at George Mason University’s Capitol Hill Campus invites senior, full-time and professional staff, regardless of party affiliation, from every personal office and every major committee in both the House and Senate, including the Congressional Budget Office, Government Accountability Office, and Congressional Research Service to its annual Chief of Staff Retreat.  In addition, the Mercatus Center invites some senior federal government officials and staff.  Attendees must be senior, full time and professional staff from one of the aforementioned offices.

Is my spouse able to attend the 2008 Chief of Staff Retreat?
Current House and Senate rules permit one family member to attend the Retreat.  The Mercatus Center will also cover transportation, meals and lodging for this guest. 

We ask that any family member who is a registered lobbyist or an agent of a foreign principal NOT accompany his/her spouse to the 2008 Chief of Staff Retreat.

Who pays for the Chief of Staff Retreat?
The Mercatus Center at George Mason University funds the Chief of Staff Retreat from its general operating funds. The Mercatus Center’s funding comes from individuals (53%), foundations (33%), and corporations (14%). The Mercatus Center at George Mason University does not permit any of our individual, foundation, or business contributors to attend or participate in the Chief of Staff Retreat and has a strict policy regarding the independence of its educational programs, as would be expected of a university-based organization.

Who teaches at the Chief of Staff Retreat?
Faculty at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University’s Capitol Hill Campus Chief of Staff Retreat are from the Mercatus Center, other university-based 501 (c)(3)s, and other public and/or private universities and colleges. We also select program faculty from federal and state government agencies and departments.

Can I get Continuing Education Credit for attending the Chief of Staff retreat?
The Mercatus Center at George Mason University, which funds the Chief of Staff Retreat, is a university based learning environment.  As such, attendees can obtain Continuing Education Credit from George Mason University by attending the Chief of Staff Retreat.

How much does the Chief of Staff Retreat cost for attendees?
Consistent with current rules of conduct for both House and Senate employees, the Mercatus Center only pays for lodging, travel to and from Capitol Hill and the Retreat, and meals for each attendee and one family member. On average total costs do not exceed $600 per attendee.

Each year, since its inception in 1995, the Mercatus Center has written to both the House and Senate ethics committees informing them of the Chief of Staff Retreat and requesting their guidance to ensure we are in full compliance with both the letter of and intent of House and Senate rules. Within thirty days of the Retreat’s conclusion, we provide financial data to each participant so that he/she can fulfill mandatory reporting requirements.