On Doing Your Own Investigation: An Interesting Connection at the USITC

Richard E. Cohen has been congressional reporter for National Journal since 1977. In that position, he writes about both legislative and electoral politics and deals regularly with a broad cross-section of Members of Congress. He joined the magazine's staff in 1973. He was the 1990 winner of the Everett McKinley Dirksen Award for distinguished reporting of Congress.

In addition to his magazine work, Cohen is an author of numerous books about Congress. Since 2001, he has been co-author with Michael Barone of The Almanac of American Politics, the biennial "bible" of 535 Members of Congress and their districts, which is published by National Journal Group. His biography of former Rep. Dan Rostenkowski (D-IL), the long-time chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, was published by Ivan R. Dee Publisher of Chicago in 1999. His previous titles include Washington at Work: Back Rooms and Clean Air, on the enactment of the 1990 Clean Air Act, which was initially published by Macmillan Publishing Co. in 1992. In 1993, he authored another book for Macmillan, Changing Course in Washington: Clinton and the New Congress, on how President Clinton and the Democrats in Congress initially sought to change the direction of government. In 1981, he wrote Congressional Leadership: Seeking a New Role, a monograph published by Georgetown University's Center for Strategic and International Studies. He also has been a frequent contributor to other publications, and he has been a regular guest on TV and cable news programs. He has served many years as a member of the executive committee of the congressional periodical galleries, including as chairman.

He graduated in 1969 from Brown University, where he was publisher of the Brown Daily Herald, and in 1972 from Georgetown University Law Center. During law school, he was an aide to U.S. Senator Edward W. Brooke (R-MA). A native of Northampton, Massachusetts, he attended local schools there. Cohen is married to Lyn Schlitt, who is Director of External Relations at the U.S. International Trade Commission.

http://www.americanprogress.org/events/2007/09/obeybook.html