About Us
Government Relations and Business Development services to clients in the defense, energy, healthcare, homeland security and technology sectors.
Helping clients navigate the federal sector since 2000.
In the competitive and ever-changing federal market and legislative landscape, effective representation is not merely an option; it’s a strategic necessity.
Recognizing this reality, Congressional Strategies helps organizations to achieve their goals through effective planning and engagement with key decision-makers in Congress and the federal government.
Our bipartisan team brings many years of experience from senior level positions on Capitol Hill, the U.S. military and in Government Affairs. This includes extensive experience and knowledge of the federal budget process and Congressional authorization and appropriations legislation.
Calling upon this unique skillset and relationships built over time, we specialize in developing, implementing and promoting our clients’ specific objectives before federal agencies and the U.S. Congress. Actively representing the interests of corporations, associations, state and local governments, and educational institutions, Congressional Strategies strives to be trusted advisors and partners with our clients to advance their funding and policy priorities in Congress and with the federal government.
Our Commitment
Congressional Strategies is committed to our clients’ growth and success. We maintain high professional standards in doing business with Congress, the federal government, the U.S. military and clients who share that commitment.
Please let us know how we may be able to advance your goals at the federal level.
The CS Team
Edward H. Edens IV
Edward Edens has more than 20 years’ experience working with clients to promote their objectives before Congress and the federal government. Edward served as a senior staff member on Capitol Hill for 17 years with his areas of expertise including defense, the National Guard, homeland security, intelligence, counterterrorism, counterdrug and foreign policy concerns.
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Edward H. Edens IV
Edward Edens has more than 20 years’ experience working with clients to promote their objectives before Congress and the federal government. Edward served as a senior staff member on Capitol Hill for 17 years with his areas of expertise including defense, the National Guard, homeland security, intelligence, counterterrorism, counterdrug and foreign policy concerns.
Edward served as a professional staff member on the Senate Armed Services Committee from January 1999 until January 2003. His areas of responsibility included combating terrorism, National Guard CBRNE response team’s establishment, training and exercises, homeland security, counterdrug and regional foreign policy issues. In carrying out these duties he traveled extensively both nationally and overseas. Additionally, he served as the lead Republican staff member for the Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities.
He was responsible for coordinating all activities of the Subcommittee, including establishing priorities and developing
hearing topics and goals in preparation for consideration of the annual Department of Defense authorization bill.
Preceding his service on the Senate Armed Services Committee staff, Edward served as the Deputy Staff Director for the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration from 1995 through 1998. His responsibilities included managing the Committee’s legislative and oversight agenda, as well as developing and coordinating numerous hearings. He also worked with the Chairman and Staff Director to coordinate all Committee operations.
Before serving on the staff of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, Edward served on the personal staff of Senator John Warner from 1986 to 1995. During this time he served as a legislative assistant responsible for defense and foreign policy related issues. This included drafting and monitoring legislation, developing legislative strategies for key pieces of legislation and representing the Senator before federal agencies and constituents.
During the 1988 presidential campaign, Edward served as a member of President Reagan’s Presidential Advance Team. In this capacity he served as a site advance man for President Reagan at campaign stops throughout the United States. Edward earned a BA in Government from St. Lawrence University in 1986.
Melissa Koloszar Gatewood
Melissa Koloszar Gatewood brings 20 years of experience in the federal budget and Congressional legislative process, having served in senior positions on Capitol Hill and in the government relations arena. She has deep experience in the areas of defense, veterans, healthcare, energy and environment.
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Melissa Koloszar Gatewood is a Principal at Congressional Strategies, LLC, where she has worked since May 2009 providing customized government relations and business development services to the firm’s clients. She has worked with other government relations firms specializing in the federal budget and annual appropriations process and has senior management experience advising clients in the defense and national security sector, information technology, education, health care, energy, as well as municipalities. She enjoys working with clients to understand and advocate for their priorities and advance their financial and business goals.
Melissa’s professional experience includes 10 years on Capitol Hill as Chief of Staff (2002-2005) and Legislative Director (1998-2001) to former Congressman Jim Moran, a senior Member on the House Appropriations Committee.
Melissa managed the Congressman’s Capitol Hill and district offices, including the oversight of budget and personnel matters, and the planning and execution of the Congressman’s legislative, press and constituent outreach activities. In this capacity, she worked extensively with federal, state and local officials on a variety of legislative matters and policy initiatives. During her tenure, Melissa served as Associate Staff to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense and advised the Congressman on a range of defense appropriations and national security matters.
From 1996 through 1998, Melissa worked for former Congressman Paul McHale who served on the House Armed Services Committee and House Science Committee. During her work as his Legislative Director, Melissa oversaw the Congressman’s legislative agenda, advised him on key legislation and votes and prepared speeches for his public appearances.
Melissa received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government/International Studies and French from the University of Notre Dame and a Master of Arts degree in International Commerce and Policy from George Mason University.
MajGen James Lariviere USMC (Ret.)
Jim has over 20 years of senior civilian and military experience in national security affairs. As a Major General in the Marine Corps Reserve his active and Reserve service as a combat arms officer includes command at every level from reconnaissance platoon through Marine division and participating in contingency operations in Lebanon and Afghanistan.
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Jim has over 20 years of senior civilian and military experience in national security affairs. As a Major General in the Marine Corps Reserve his active and Reserve service as a combat arms officer includes command at every level from reconnaissance platoon through Marine division and participating in contingency operations in Lebanon and Afghanistan.
His last active-duty assignment was as Deputy Director Politico-Military Affairs (Africa), J5 Strategic Plans and Policy, The Joint Staff. In civilian life Jim has more than a decade and a half of experience on Capitol Hill. He served as military legislative assistant to the Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Military Personnel, and later as a professional staff member on the Defense Policy Staff of the House Armed Services Committee. Finally, he served as the Staff Director and Minority Staff Director of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs with responsibility for legislative and policy oversight for all aspects of the second largest department in the Federal Government.
In the private sector, Jim most recently served as Senior Vice President of Department of Defense Operations, GardaWorld Federal Services leading nearly 1,000 armed security contractors protecting 18 DoD facilities in Afghanistan. He was previously Vice President (Government Relations) for Health Net Federal Services, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Centene Corporation, a Fortune 500 company, focused on TRICARE and VA health care issues.
Jim holds a B.A. in History from The Citadel, an M.A. in National Security Affairs from Georgetown University and is a graduate of the Air War College. He is the former President of the International Stability Operations Association.
COL M. James Littig, USA, Ret.
CoFounder
Colonel Littig is a principal and co-founder of Congressional Strategies, LLC. He was the vice president in an internationally-focused marketing and lobbying firm where he was instrumental in substantially expanding business by attracting new clients and in rejuvenating the firm’s relationships on Capitol Hill and in the executive branch.
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Col. M. James “Jim” Littig (Ret.)
M. James Littig is a principal and co-founder of Congressional Strategies, LLC. He previously was the vice president in an internationally focused marketing and lobbying firm where he was instrumental in substantially expanding business by attracting new clients and in rejuvenating the firm’s relationships on Capitol Hill and in the executive branch.
Mr. Littig has extensive experience in federal government relations spanning the past eighteen years, where he served in a variety of positions directly involved with congressional funding and as a senior aide to a high level Department of Defense official. In those assignments he was instrumental in developing selected defense policy and carrying those messages to Congress.
His achievements in obtaining congressional approval and the attendant funding led to his selection as Chief of the Army’s Legislative Liaison Office in the House of Representatives. During that period of time he led over forty delegations to sixty-two countries on five continents in support of fact finding and national defense objectives. The relationships and friendships developed on those visits remain strong and active today.
Following a twenty-six year career in the Army, Jim joined a major defense and technology firm’s Washington office and became an Associate Director of Government Affairs with primary responsibility for the House of Representatives. His portfolio ranged from compartmented access programs supporting the National Reconnaissance Office to the development of a mini-submarine designed to clandestinely deliver special operations personnel to targets worldwide.
His knowledge of the Pentagon and access within the administration permitted him to solve a wide variety of problems ranging the introduction of air traffic control equipment into the Republic of Georgia to successful program votes on both the House and Senate floors. He has served as Chairman of the National Defense Industrial Association‘s (NDIA) Legislative Committee and is currently on the Board of the City Club of Washington.
During his twenty-six year military career, Jim served two tours in the Republic of Vietnam as an infantry commander with both the 82nd Airborne Division and the 101st Airborne Division (Airmobile). He earned a MS in History from Utah State University with a specialty in Afro-Asian Affairs and a BS in Zoology and Entmology from the Universtiy of Utah.
He is a graduate of the Armed Forces Staff College and the United States Army War College. During his assignment at the War College he completed a yearlong fellowship with the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies in Washington, DC. The fellowship included on-site inspection of South African mines and his report detailed the importation of selected strategic minerals by the United States from the Republic of South Africa during the United Nations’ embargo.
Grayson Winterling
CoFounder
Grayson Winterling is a principal and co-founder of Congressional Strategies, LLC. His 17 years of experience with the executive and legislative branches provide keen insight into the congressional budget process, as well as the key players involved. He was previously president of an international consulting firm where he developed marketing and legislative plans for companies conducting business in the defense sector.
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Grayson Winterling is a principal and co-founder of Congressional Strategies, LLC. His seventeen years of experience with the executive and legislative branches of government provide him with keen insight into the congressional budget process, as well as the key players involved. Prior to forming his own firm, he was president of an international consulting firm where he developed marketing and legislative plans for domestic and foreign companies interested in conducting business in the US defense sector.
Grayson served as a staff director in the United States Senate for more than a decade. In this capacity he was responsible for a variety of critical issues, which included policy formulation and oversight for multi-billion dollar federal agencies. As a senior legislative practitioner, he devised, orchestrated and implemented complex strategies to ensure the timely passage of key funding bills. In recognition of his leadership ability, he was chosen to serve as the Director of the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies for the 1997 Presidential Inaugural.
During his 22-year active duty career as an officer in the United States Army, Grayson served in four infantry divisions with tours of duty of Vietnam and Korea. During his last six years in the military, he served in the Secretary of the Army’s Office of Legislative Liaison, where he assisted in planning and managing legislative strategies that secured congressional approval for military programs through the authorization and appropriations process. While in Legislative Liaison he organized, coordinated and participated in official United States Congressional fact-finding missions to 34 countries.
Grayson earned a BA in Political Science and a Master’s of Education from Western Maryland College. He is a graduate of the Harvard University Kennedy School of Government Management Program and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sloan School of Management Program on Executive Finance.
CS Affiliation
Congressional Strategies is affiliated with The Spectrum Group, one of the premier business consulting and government relations firms in the National Capital Region. The Spectrum Group’s members include more than 40 Generals and Admirals, senior military leaders, as well as former government officials and business executives. This comprehensive team brings unparalleled experience on a range of federal government budget and policy issues, with specific expertise in national security and defense-related matters.
Congressional Strategies’ affiliation with Spectrum Group offers clients a comprehensive approach to ensure success. By leveraging the combined experience and expertise of these dynamic professionals, we are able to address all of our client’s federal government relations and business development needs, ranging from identifying and positioning clients before appropriate Executive Branch agencies, to developing a strategic plan for how to make the case to key Congressional decision makers. This partnership and strategic approach to advancing clients’ goals in the federal sector is especially critical to overcoming the challenges faced by many organizations trying to work with the government and military in today’s uncertain business climate.