ICYMI: Top reads on Congress

Mark Leibovich, “This Is the Way Paul Ryan’s Speakership Ends,” NYT Magazine:

“Ryan should, by rights, be riding out of town at the pinnacle of his starlit Washington career. Yet he remains a distinctly awkward match to a moment — and president — that seem certain to define much of his legacy.”

Daniel Drezner, “The invisible heroism of Paul Ryan,” Washington Post:

“The very fact that Ryan talks as if he is Trump’s subordinate suggests the degree of supplication he has accepted in the Age of Trump.”

Nathan Gonzales, “Congress Isn’t Perfect but the Politicians Aren’t Always to Blame,” Roll Call:

“But whether it’s money, maps, media, mingling or masochism, there are no easy solutions. Nor are they entirely the responsibility of the politicians to address.”

Mona Charen, “The Corruption of Congress,” National Review:

“This tendency among legislators to grandstand and to posture as the brave truth tellers condemning the “dysfunction” of their own institution is actually the true dysfunction.”

Jennifer Shutt, “More Than Just ‘Regular Order’ at Stake in Senate Spending Push,” Roll Call:

“Molly Reynolds, a Congress expert at the Brookings Institution, said this year’s appropriations process represents an opportunity for both parties to benefit from showing their ability to govern.”

Patricia Murphy, “Change the Rules Already, So We Can Get Back to the Congressional Chicken Caucus,” Roll Call:

“Changing the House rules isn’t anything new, of course, and neither are calls for bipartisanship. But now that some House members are threatening to withhold votes from any speaker candidate who won’t agree to the changes, it adds a twist to potentially wound-up leadership races on both sides of the aisle in 2019.”

Tory Newmyer, “The Finance 202: Collins’s indictment raises new questions about financial dealings of members of Congress,” Washington Post:

“But Collins’s status as a member of Congress (and outspoken champion of President Trump) sets it apart and raises new questions about the propriety of lawmakers both serving on public boards and trading stock.”

Katherine Tully-McManus, “Office of Congressional Ethics Sees Huge Uptick in Citizen Outreach,” Roll Call:

“The Office of Congressional Ethics saw a considerable uptick in citizen outreach in the second quarter of 2018. At the same time, three referrals were sent to the House Ethics Committee for action.”

Jean Parvin Bordewich, “How effective are former governors as legislators in Congress?” Hewlett:

“Governors form a subset of senators with the unique experience of serving as chief executives of their states. Adapting to a legislative body requires a different way of solving problems and getting things done for their constituents. How do they stack up as legislators compared to senators with other backgrounds?”

Georgetown Institute for Technology Law and Policy, ” Time to revive OTA? Institute publishes report from workshop on improving tech policy resources for Congress.”

“The report provides a framework for evaluating tech assessment programs, then summarizes participants’ discussion of several potential sources of tech expertise: the National Academies, CRS, GAO, and a revived OTA. It discusses strategies to muster support for renewed tech assessment capabilities, and finally shares considerations for decision-makers who are evaluating the best avenues for improving tech assessment.”

Scott Levy, “Congress needs a commission, not the pharma industry, for its drug policy ideas,” STAT:

“Even if Congress can’t stop drug companies — or any other businesses — from flooding it with donations, it needs to stop relying on the pharmaceutical industry for its drug policy ideas. To do this, Congress should consolidate and strengthen the legislative process by creating and maintaining a permanent advisory commission on drug policy.”

James R. Rogers, “Congress Has Never Given the Supreme Court a Free Ride,” Law and Liberty:

“Contrary to the belief that attempts to discipline the Court are few and far between, and largely ineffectual, evidence shows there have been numerous measures introduced in Congress to respond to contested actions by the Court.”

John M. Donnelly, “GOP Congress Tries to Rein In Trump on Foreign Policy,” Roll Call:

“The Republican-led Congress is increasingly writing and occasionally passing legislation to prevent President Donald Trump from taking what members believe would be ill-advised actions abroad.”

Shawn Zeller, “Democratic Aides on Hill Sour on Pelosi, Survey Finds,” Roll Call:

“In a sign of the growing unrest on the left, a plurality of Democratic congressional aides surveyed by CQ Roll Call last month said the party should replace Nancy Pelosi as leader whether Democrats win a House majority in November or not.”

Mike Lillis, “Women poised to take charge in Dem majority,” The Hill:

“If Democrats win the House in November, 35 women are poised to lead committees and subcommittees in the next Congress — an historically high figure that would put female lawmakers in the driver’s seat for some of the most pressing issues facing Congress and the country.”

Li Zhou, “It’s official: women have been nominated for a record number of House seats,” Vox:

“As of Tuesday night, at least 168 women have captured a Democratic or Republican nomination for the House, surpassing the previous record of 167.”