Regulatory Policy Internship - Fall 2013 Term

  • Intern

Company Description

The American Action Forum is a non-profit “think-tank” in Washington, DC dedicated to thoughtful, timely, politically informed policy analysis.  Our interns will have the opportunity to work with top issue experts as they apply our research to breaking current events, network with DC leaders, and publish their own public policy research.

 

Every American Action Forum issue expert joined the Forum with an exceptionally distinguished background. Some of the experts you will have the opportunity to work with include Doug Holtz-Eakin, President of the American Action Forum and Sixth Director of the Congressional Budget Office, Cameron Smith, Chief Operating Officer for the American Action Forum, who was recently named to “The 25 Most Influential Washington Women Under 35” list by the National Journal, and Dan Conston, Communications Director for the American Action Forum, who was recently named to Red Alert Politics “30 Under 30” list.

 

This is a paid internship.

 

What our intern alumni are saying about their time at the American Action Forum:

 “Currently, I am in law school and one of my classes requires that I come up with legislation.  The skills I learned at the Forum helped me research the regulatory field and develop the law I plan to draft for my class.  Moreover, the research and writing skills which the Forum demands have assisted me in not only my current role, but will stick with me throughout my career.” – Bijan

 

“Working at AAF helped me develop the research and writing skills necessary to succeed in Washington D.C. At the Forum, I became familiar with the political scene in the city and the different career options on the Hill and in policy. The staff was very welcoming and gave me valuable work that helped me build a portfolio for the future.” – Elizabeth

 

“The Forum is a great way to learn about many of the policy areas that influence Washington politics. I have a background in Health Care, but by working at the Forum, I became more aware of policy issues relating to Education, Energy and the Environment and Housing.” – Katherine

 

“Here at the Forum as an intern in Health Care Policy, I’ve really been able to develop my understanding of the inner workings of Washington. The opportunities provided here from attending events on the Hill and at other think tanks to researching the daily developments in my policy area have been tremendous.” – Aditya

 

“Working at the Forum has helped me understand so much more about how the Washington think tank community operates and about what it takes to succeed in it.  My research, writing, and networking skills have all improved, through the meaningful responsibilities and opportunities given to me as an intern and the mentorship of staff members.  This internship offers the rare chance to contribute in a substantial way to an organization that makes a real impact on shaping and informing the broader policy discussion, while developing the personal attributes and connections important to a fruitful career.” – Mitch

Job Description

As an intern in the regulatory policy issue area, you will report directly to Sam Batkins, the Director of Regulatory Policy at the American Action Forum.  Batkins focuses his research on examining the rulemaking efforts of administrative agencies and Congress.  His work has appeared in Politico, National Review Online, Reuters, and Investor’s Business Daily, among other publications.

 

Batkins publishes a weekly regulation roundup and ongoing regulatory burden database on the American Action Forum website.  His work highlights the incredible burden placed on small businesses by drawing attention to additional paperwork burden hours, currently more than 10.3 billion. The regulation issue area often interacts with other Forum issue areas heavily impacted by federal rulemakings, such as healthcare, environmental, energy, and tax policy.

 

A few examples of projects completed by previous interns in the Regulatory Policy Internship Program include:

  • Wrote issue briefs on pending regulatory reform legislation in the House
  • Aided with formal comment letters to administrative agencies
  • Compiled vote database on important regulatory votes in the House and Senate

 

Responsibilities

As part of the internship, your responsibilities will include but are not limited to the following:

  • Research assistance: Interns will provide research assistance and data collection for their issue area director when in the office
  • Event attendance: Interns will attend Capitol Hill hearings, private speaker events, and events held by other DC think tanks to analyze and report on the information presented
  • Forum event support: Interns will help promote, run, and evaluate all Forum events
  • Semester project: Interns will write a paper on a topic of their choice to be completed by the end of the semester. Issue area directors will assist the interns with their research and writing - the final papers will be published on the Forum’s website.

 

Hours and Compensation

  • Interns must be available for 20 to 32 hours per week
  • Interns will be provided an hourly wage to cover transportation and living expenses
  • Interns will be responsible for bringing their own computer/equipment

Qualifications

Requirements

  • Excellent writing ability and communication skills
  • An interest in the politics and policies of center-right conservatives
  • Ability to work independently and develop new research ideas
  • Quantitative skills are desired but not required
  • Basic knowledge of federal regulatory process

Additional Information

Please include in your application a preferred start date, resume, cover letter, and writing sample of less than 1,000 words.