Congressional Member Organizations, better known as caucuses, are advocacy organizations in the House of Representatives who claim Representatives as members. There are many CMOs that appeared to exist in the 110th Congress of 2007-2008, but which have not been renewed their registration in the 111th Congress of 2009-2010. Is it lack of interest that suffocated each caucus, or were these caucuses murdered? There are no bullet casings here; only the dead bodies.

Here is a small sample of The Dead Caucuses, Here in the 110th, Gone in the 111th:

9/11 Health Caucus
Afghanistan Working Group
Afterschool Caucus
Appalachian Caucus
Albanian Issues Caucus
America Supports You Caucus

Cement Caucus
Cerebral Palsy Caucus
Chesapeake Bay Watershed Task Force
Class of 2006 Caucus
Coalition for the Freedom of American Investors and Retirees
Commission on Divided Families
Congressional Air Medical Caucus
Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus
Congressional Automotive Caucus
Congressional Azerbaijan Caucus
Congressional Battlefield Caucus
Congressional Book Club on National Security Issues
Congressional Border Caucus
Congressional Brain Injury Task Force
Congressional Brazil Caucus
Congressional Cancer Action Caucus
Congressional Career and Technical Education Caucus
Congressional Caucus for Freedom of the Press
Congressional Caucus on Algeria
Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues
Congressional Caucus on Central and Eastern Europe
Congressional Caucus on Community Health Centers
Congressional Caucus on Drug Policy
Congressional Caucus on the European Union
Congressional Caucus on Korea
Congressional Caucus on the Netherlands
Congressional Caucus on Religious Minorities in the Middle East
Congressional Caucus on Swaziland
Congressional Caucus on Turkey
Congressional Caucus on Youth Sports
Congressional Children’s Caucus
Congressional Children’s Health Care Caucus
Congressional Children’s Study Working Group
Congressional China Caucus
Congressional Climate Change Caucus
Congressional Coalition on Adoption
Congressional Coastal Caucus
Congressional Coast Guard Caucus
Congressional Czech Caucus
Congressional Dairy Farmers Caucus
Congressional Dialogue Caucus
Congressional Dietary Supplement Caucus
Congressional Documentary Film and Book Caucus
Congressional DTV Caucus
Congressional E-911 Caucus
Congressional Entertainment Task Force
Congressional Fire Services Caucus
Congressional Former Mayors Caucus
Congressional French Caucus
Congressional Friends of Animals Caucus
Congressional Friends of Liechtenstein Caucus
Congressional Glaucoma Caucus
Congressional Hearing Health Caucus
Congressional Hispanic Conference
Congressional H.R. 676 Caucus
Congressional Human Rights Caucus
Congressional Hydropower Caucus
Congressional Insurance Caucus
Congressional Israel Allies Caucus
Congressional Kidney Caucus
Congressional Life Insurance Caucus
Congressional Long Island Sound Caucus
Congressional Malaria Caucus
Congressional Manufacturing Task Force
Congressional Men’s Health Caucus
Congressional Mining Caucus
Congressional Missing and Exploited Children’s Caucus
Congressional Motorcycle Safety Caucus
Congressional Native American Caucus
Congressional Navy-Marine Corps Caucus
Congressional Nuclear Cleanup Caucus
Congressional Organ and Tissue Donation Caucus
Congressional Pro-Choice Caucus
Congressional School Health & Safety Caucus
Congressional Sugar Reform Caucus

…

The list goes on, dozens and dozens of House caucuses that apparently are no more. In many cases, such as the Silk Road Caucus, it’s hard to find any evidence of legislative impact in its nominal life during the 110th Congress. Was it alive? Or was it undead, a legislative zombie? Zombies can do lots of damage even if everyone calls them dead. The Republican Study Committee is, according to the Committee on House Administration, nonexistent. But try telling that to the Republican Study Committee, which has a current list of members updated this year, along with a series of media releases and abstracts of member activity in the 111th Congress.