This book evaluates the impact of a series of legislative development projects funded by the United States Agency for International Development beginning in the early 1990s and lasting until the mid 2000s in the Republic of El Salvador and the Republic of Nicaragua. Using a qualitative, case study methodology, the study examines the projects' impact in the areas of representation, lawmaking ability, and balance of power. The study concludes that the projects had a positive impact in both of the cases analyzed. The study also makes several comparative observations in an effort to contribute to middle-range theory in the field of legislative development.

Gerald Reed has over 25 years of public sector experience in the U.S. and internationally. A primary focus of his work has been in legislative development. He holds a BA from Prescott College, a Masters in International Management from the Thunderbird School of Global Management, and a Ph.D. in Public Administration from Tennessee State University.