Press Releases

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Congresswoman Kay Granger (TX-12) today was identified in a non-partisan, independent study as having one of the best 15 web sites in Congress. The site https://kaygranger.house.gov received the first Congress Online Gold Mouse Award from the Congress Online Project, a joint research project of the Congressional Management Foundation and the George Washington University, funded by the Pew Charitable Trusts.

"It's a great honor to have our website recognized. We have worked very hard to keep the site new and fresh. Our goal is to offer maximum information in a user-friendly format. This website is my direct connection with constituents and I want it to be the very best," Congresswoman Granger said.

The report found the Twelfth District’s site was: "business-like, but with a touch of whimsy added through colors and icons, which makes the site welcoming and makes Rep. Granger seem approachable."

Congresswoman Granger was one of a select few sites to be recognized by the study, "Congress Online: Assessing and Improving Capitol Hill Web Sites." Overall, the report found a "disconcerting digital divide within the Congress" between a small group of congressional offices that host "good to excellent" Web sites that meet citizens’ online needs and the vast majority that host "fair to failing" sites. More specifically, the study determined that while 10% of congressional office Web sites received a grade of A or B, 90% received a grade of C, D, or F.

The study found that, "if Congress and the nation are to enjoy the significant benefits of digital communication - better informed citizens, improved communications between the elected and the electorate, greater accountability and trust in government, and increased operational efficiency - congressional offices must bridge this digital divide within the Congress."

The study evaluated 605 Web sites in Congress to determine which sites were the best and to assess how well Congress was using this new medium. This research is the first to combine a comprehensive analysis and grading of all congressional Web sites. The study awarded 15 sites with the Congress online Gold Mouse Awards and 20 sites with Silver Mouse awards.