Prodasen: The congressional information system of the Federal Senate of Brazil

The centerpiece of the efforts of the National Congress to build its staff and information capabilities was the establishment of the Centro de Informática e Processamento de Dados do Senado Federal (Prodasen) or Center for Data Processing of the Federal Senate. The establishment of Prodasen was to spearhead the reform movement of the Senate administration and operation, and to provide the Congress with up-to-date, timely, and relevant information to enable the members to exercise their constitutional function. Because of the centrality of Prodasen, both as an information provider and as an example of a modern congressional staff unit, examining its creation, goals, and operations can illustrate the promises and dilemmas of congressional staff in Brazil, their present role in the legislative process, and the challenges they face under the new democratic regime.