Post by bot on Jun 11, 2015 16:39:54 GMT -5
Hoyer Unveils New “Whip Watch” App to Make the House of Representatives More Open, Accessible
“Whip Watch” Provides Real-Time Updates on
What’s Happening on the House Floor
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) released a video unveiling a new, free app, called “Whip Watch,” to provide Members of Congress, staff, the press, and the public with live updates and news on what’s happening on the Floor of the U.S. House of Representatives.
www.democraticwhip.gov/content/hoyer-unveils-new-app-make-house-representatives-more-open-accessible-0
The new app developed by the office of the Democratic Whip will help make government more open and transparent by making it easy for anyone to follow action on the House Floor. The app includes real time updates on what’s happening on the Floor; access to the House calendar, which is updated in real time; access to House Floor schedules for both the day and the week ahead; access to press releases and videos from the Whip’s Office; and, for the first time, the ability to view job openings in House Democratic offices. Users can customize how much information they want – and when they want it – by setting notification controls. Initially available for iOS, the app can be downloaded for free directly on any iPhone or iPad.
itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=995281189&mt=8
“Today, I’m proud to announce a new app called ‘Whip Watch’ that will be a great resource for our Members and staff, while also making the House of Representatives more open and accessible to the public,” stated Whip Hoyer. “By downloading this app, any American interested in the day-to-day workings of the House Floor can receive the latest updates and news in real time. It is an important step in my efforts to make this institution more open and transparent, and I encourage Members, staff, the press, and public to download the new app today.”
Many of the functions of the “Whip Watch” are newly available to the public, including the ability to access real-time updates on what’s happening on the House Floor throughout the day through real-time “Floor Update” alerts that were formerly only available through email to House Democratic staff. Additionally, the public could only get notice of the House Floor schedule by signing up to receive emails, called the “Daily, Nightly, and Weekly Whip,” through the Democratic Whip’s website. Now, the public can view these schedules through the app.
The app also features a first-of-its-kind official job announcements board for House Democratic offices, which builds off the successful Resume Bank launched by the office of the Democratic Whip in November 2012. The Resume Bank has been in continual use for over 2 years, with over 6,000 resumes submitted, over 5,000 unique visits by House Democratic staff to browse resumes, and over 400 personalized recommendations left on resumes from current offices and staff. The public can now view job announcements from House Democratic offices through the new app.