Hill Still Doesn't Get the Web

Web sites developed by U.S. senators and representatives still have a long way to go to take full advantage of the Internet, according to a recent report released by the Congressional Management Foundation, a non-profit, non-partisan group advocating a more effective Congress.

In its fourth report on congressional Web sites, CMF concluded, "Despite some bright spots, overall the quality of congressional Web sites continues to be disappointing. The most common letter grade earned by congressional Web sites in 2007 was a “D”â€" the same as in 2006." (While CMF identified the gold, silver and bronze winners -- those Web sites that received an A+, A, or A-, respectively , it did not identify those Web sites receiving an F or a D, which accounted for about 42 percent of all congressional Web sites.)

Who are more technically adept, Democrats or Republicans? House Democrats slightly edged out their Republican colleagues in getting a larger share of CMF's top award, the Gold Mouse Award, given the proportion of seats they hold. Democrats were awarded 57 percent of the gold awards vs. 43 percent for the Republicans. (Democrats hold 54 percent of the House seats.)

It was the opposite story in the Senate, with three of the four Gold Mouse Awards going to the Republicans. (Democrats hold a slight majority in the Senate, 51 - 49.)

Also, only 6 percent of all U.S. representatives received a Gold Mouse Award, while only 4 percent of senators did.

Those receiving CMF's Gold Mouse Award for 2007 include:

Rep. Tom Allen (D-ME)

Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)

Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-CA)

Rep. John Boozman (R-AR)

Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite (R-FL)

Rep. Dan Burton (R-IN)

Rep. Christopher P. Carney (D-PA)

Rep. Bud Cramer (D-AL)

Rep. Brad Ellsworth (D-IN)

Rep. Anna G. Eshoo (D-CA)

Rep. Mike Ferguson (R-NJ)

Rep. J. Randy Forbes (R-VA)

Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC)

Rep. Mike Honda (D-CA)

Rep. John Linder (R-GA)

Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY)

Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA)

Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA)

Rep. Jerry Moran (R-KS)

Rep. Patrick J. Murphy (D-PA)

Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ)

Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI)

Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA)

Rep. Hilda L. Solis (D-CA)

Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-FL)

Rep. Mike Thompson (D-CA)

Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX)

Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT)

Sen. Orrin G. Hatch (R-UT)

Sen. John Thune (R-SD)

CMF, in partnership with Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, the University of California-Riverside, and Ohio State University, measured Web sites in six areas: legislative content, press resources, state or district information, constituent services and communication tools.