	Introduction

From postal mail to social media, Members of Congress have regularly adopted and utilized new communications tools to better inform constituents about the workings of Congress and important policy matters. Many people are familiar with congressional video because it is continually broadcast on the privately operated, nonprofit Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network (C-SPAN). One C-SPAN channel was created for House proceedings in 1979, another for Senate proceedings in 1986, and a third for additional congressional or public affairs programming in 2001. Congressionally produced video feeds are available for free to any accredited news organization. Beginning in 2011 and 2012, respectively, the House and Senate began streaming their floor video feeds directly to the public over the Internet, in addition to allowing C-SPAN and other media outlets to rebroadcast their video feeds. Most committees also provide Internet video broadcasts of their open proceedings. Additional technological advancements in recent years, like the ubiquity of smartphones with video cameras and the ability to broadcast over wireless networks, may challenge the ability of the House and Senate to maintain exclusive control over video coverage of their proceedings. For example, the House Recording Studio generally operates the video equipment to film the House floor and the Clerk of the House maintains the online video services provided by the House. House Committees

Section 116(b) of the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1970 enabled House committees to allow photographic, radio, and television coverage of their proceedings. House Floor Proceedings

By the 1970s, many House Members were interested in television as a means to better inform the public about the workings of Congress, yet others were concerned that cameras in the chamber might be distracting or cause disruptions. Senate Broadcast Operations

Video broadcasts and recordings of Senate floor proceedings and many Senate committee proceedings are available to the media and the public. People outside of the House chamber, however, still watched the sit-in occur live, as some Members broadcast video from the floor via Facebook Live and Twitter's Periscope. Concerned that video coverage may be restricted arbitrarily, some believe that there should be an alternative means to provide real-time information about what is happening in Congress, like allowing credentialed press to record and broadcast their own footage. 5 , language was added to Rule II, clause 3, authorizing and directing the Sergeant at Arms to impose a fine against Members who use an electronic device in the House chamber for photographs, audio or video recordings, or broadcasts in violation of Rule XVII, clause 5. Since the decisions were made to broadcast from the House and Senate, the cameras have operated with little controversy. Video broadcasts have become a common part of congressional life, valued for facilitating public information about Congress and information within Congress. The House and Senate initially sought the commitment of a network to ensure an audience for their broadcasts, and C-SPAN needed access to the video content exclusively provided by the House and the Senate. As video footage becomes easier for anyone to produce and broadcast, the House and Senate may continue to address institutional rules regarding technology use and video coverage of their proceedings.
Video broadcasts of congressional proceedings enable constituents, policy professionals, and other interested individuals to see Congress at work, learn about specific Members, and follow the legislative process. Members of Congress have always considered communication with constituents an essential part of their representational duties. Members also often utilize new tools and technologies to reach and engage their constituents and colleagues.
Background
The Legislative Reorganization Act of 1970 first enabled congressional committees to broadcast their proceedings, if desired. Separate decisions were then made by the House and the Senate in 1977 and 1986, respectively, to provide audio and video broadcasts of chamber proceedings.
Congressional video and audio feeds are operated by the House and Senate but are available for any credentialed press gallery member to broadcast. Many Americans are familiar with these feeds in video format, as the primary content on the privately operated, nonprofit Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network (C-SPAN). C-SPAN launched a dedicated television channel for House proceedings in 1979 and another for Senate proceedings in 1986, and they continue to be key information resources for Congress and the public.
Live broadcasts provided real-time information about Congress to anyone outside of the Capitol. Previously, only credentialed press or members of the public seated in the galleries could see floor proceedings as they occurred. In addition to augmenting the legislative information available to the public, these broadcasts arguably were also of value to Congress. Broadcasts diminished the need to wait for transcripts or a reporter's account of events. Members and congressional staff could follow a variety of live proceedings from their offices or elsewhere.
Key Issues
Technological advancements over the last decade have presented new considerations for congressional video broadcasting. The House and Senate video feeds and C-SPAN all originated in an era when television was the presumed source for video-based news, and the ability to record or transmit video required specialized equipment. As the Internet became an influential medium, the House, Senate, and C-SPAN each adjusted and began to provide online access to live video streams and past recordings. These online videos expand the potential reach of congressional video, as cable television subscriptions are no longer required to watch Congress in action.
The House and Senate continue to maintain exclusive control over their video and audio feeds, whether they are broadcast on television, radio, or over the Internet. Yet technology now exists enabling anyone with a smartphone to produce and broadcast an online video. This creates a greater potential for unauthorized videos to be broadcast from the House and Senate chambers. Some believe that these videos may disrupt decorum in Congress, while others view them as an essential alternate means of distributing congressional information. In light of these new technological capabilities, the use and regulation of wireless devices or broadcasting from the chambers may be reexamined. New rules adopted by the House at the start of the 115th Congress, for example, enable the Sergeant at Arms to impose fines on Members who disrupt decorum by taking photographs, recording audio or video, or broadcasting using an electronic device.