From various United States Capitol Historical Society conferences between 1994 and 2001, ten essays explore how the two legislative bodies of the US transformed the interests of the powerful into public policy during its earliest years. They consider the constitutional origins of the bodies, efforts to empower it, the mechanics of petitioning and lobbying, and the evolution of such institutions as political parties and congressional leadership. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)