Research Methodology for Plotting Member Meetings

How does Sunlight determine how to plot meetings conducted by members of Congress?

Sunlight researchers review the schedules posted by members of Congress on an ongoing basis. After archiving a week's worth of schedules on Congresspedia.org, the researchers analyze them and use Google searches and other online resources to provide additional information about the individuals and organizations that members are meeting. The only meetings that are plotted are those with individuals representing outside interests. Meetings with individuals who do not appear to be representing any particular group, or who have no ascertainable home-base location, are not included on the map. No official congressional business – (meeting aides and staff, attending committee hearings, voting or speaking in a floor debate, or meeting with other sitting members of Congress) is plotted on the map.

Ideally, the lawmakers' schedules would show the name of the person they met with and their affiliated organization, as well as that organization's headquarters location. However, not every member provides this level of detail for every meeting. When an entry on a schedule lists the name and location of an attendee but does not include the name of a business, Sunlight staff attempt to determine if the individual is affiliated with a local business, nonprofit, university, civic organization or trade group. If an entry does not list the name of the meeting attendee, but does name an organization represented at the meeting, Sunlight staff link to that organization's Web site. When plotting the meetings, Sunlight's research team looks for local connections—if a national organization has chapters, branches, subsidiaries or facilities in a member’s district or state, we provide the local or home state address. However, if the organization or individual does not represent an organization with a local presence, then the headquarters of the organization is listed.

Below is a detailed explanation of how Sunlight staff research and plot such meetings:

1. For example, this is a meeting Sen. Max Baucus held on September 20, 2007:

   2:15 P.M. Meeting with Brad Heckerman of Missoula, MT

   First, Sunlight staff note that no business or organization name is provided.

2. This entry does say that the attendee, Brad Heckerman, is from Missoula, MT. From that information, Sunlight researchers conduct a Google search using this information to try to identify the organization Brad Heckerman represents. The first link from this Google search shows a Brad Heckerman with a Missoula, MT address.

   




3. Sunlight researchers follow the link to a page on the Montana Manufacturing Center Web site. From the Web site, the researchers learn that the Montana Manufacturing Center is a business consulting organization.

   

4. Mr. Heckerman is listed as President of American Eagle Instruments. Sunlight researchers then visit the American Eagle Instruments home page, to verify that he is still listed as President. Sunlight researchers also make note that American Eagle Instruments is also located in Missoula, MT.

   

   Side Note: If Sunlight researchers do not find search results for a Brad Heckerman of Missoula, MT that link him to an organization, they plot his meeting in Missoula, MT and only list the meeting as one with Brad Heckerman of Missoula, MT.

5. From their research, Sunlight researchers verify that Brad Heckerman is, in fact, the president of a Missoula-based company. They also know that he served on the Montana Manufacturing Center’s Advisory Board.

   The next step is to find the company’s address, located under the “Contact Us” link, and input both the address and a link to the American Eagle Instruments home page into the scheduled meeting making it appear in our schedule database, which is linked to the Punch Clock Map, like this: