Pasco Reporter

WASHINGTON, D.C., July 2, 2024 – The Congressional Management Foundation (CMF) has announced that Rep. Gus Bilirakis is the 2024 winner of two Democracy Awards for Outstanding Achievement. Bilirakis was recognized in both the Constituent Service and Constituent Accountability & Accessibility categories.

The CMF annually honors non-legislative achievements and outstanding performance of congressional offices through its Democracy Awards. Each year, one Democrat and one Republican are selected as winners in four categories: Constituent Service; Constituent Accountability and Accessibility; Innovation and Modernization; and "Life in Congress"- Workplace Environment. Winners are chosen by an external committee comprised of former Members of Congress and congressional staff after a thorough examination of candidates’ policies, procedures, and practices.

Bradford Fitch, President and CEO of the Congressional Management Foundation, commented on Bilirakis’s achievement: “As a Democracy Award winner, the Rep. Bilirakis office is clearly one of the best in Congress. This designation demonstrates that Rep. Bilirakis and his staff are working hard to provide the best public service possible for his constituents.”

Rep. Bilirakis expressed gratitude for the recognition: “I’m humbled to once again be recognized for outstanding constituent service, communication, and accessibility as one of the top performers in Congress. I’m blessed with a top-notch team of professionals who share my passion for public service.”

CMF highlighted several reasons for selecting Rep. Bilirakis for these awards:

For Constituent Service:

“The office of Rep. Gus Bilirakis cultivates a culture of excellence and continuous improvement supported by formal procedures.” Practices include separate intake and casework manuals outlining a 24-hour response time; utilizing a shared intake drive checked by five staff members throughout the day; weekly legislative staff meetings with district staff to identify trends; tracking constituent feedback through various channels; conducting at least one tele-town hall per month on targeted topics; engaging constituents through events like Stars, Stripes and Smiles offering free dental services to veterans, Veterans Resource Fairs linking veterans with community resources, Coffees with Your Congressman at Homeowners Associations, Senior Seminars providing critical information about senior care advancements.

For Constituent Accountability & Accessibility:

“The office believes the best ideas come from those he serves,” embedding policies to maximize constituent engagement throughout operations with a focus on public service excellence supported by formal procedures. The team actively seeks legislative solutions based on constituent trends resulting in Dear Colleague letters, testimony at hearings, or formal legislation. The Congressman’s vote record is displayed on his website with explanations provided in a weekly newsletter distributed to over 205,000 subscribers.

Details on the process and history of the Democracy Awards can be found here. Congressman Bilirakis will be honored alongside fellow nominees at a ceremony in Washington D.C., on September 26, 2024.

The Congressional Management Foundation (CMF), founded in 1977 as a nonpartisan nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening Congress's relationship with American citizens through promoting best practices within congressional offices.