When the Senate Worked for Us: The Invisible Role of Staffers in Countering Corporate Lobbies

Every politically sentient American knows that Congress has been dominated by special interests, and many people do not remember a time when Congress legislated in the public interest. In the 1960s and '70s, however, lobbyists were aggressive but were countered by progressive senators and representatives, as several books have documented.

What has remained untold is the major behind—the—scenes contribution of entrepreneurial Congressional staff, who planted the seeds of public interest bills...