The Dance of Legislation

<p><i>The Dance of Legislation</i> has long been considered a classic description of the legislative process. In it Eric Redman draws on his two years as a member of Senator Warren Magnuson’s staff to trace the drafting and passing of a piece of legislation — S.4106 the National Health Service Bill — with all the maneuvers plots counterplots frustrations triumphs and sheer work and dedication involved. He provides a vivid picture of the bureaucratic infighting political prerogatives and Congressional courtesies necessary to make something happen on Capitol Hill. In a Postscript to the 2000 edition Redman reflects on how that process has and has not changed in the thirty years since the book was first published.</p>