The ‘World’s Greatest Deliberative Body’? Yeah, right.
It’s hard to imagine the Senate being any more dysfunctional than it already is. And yet here we are. Reports indicate that Republicans, frustrated by how long it takes to confirm… Read More
Precedents: What they are and how they are created
Senate Republicans are not yet convinced that they can amend a resolution to terminate a presidential declaration of a national emergency under the National Emergencies Act. While the… Read More
Why Pelosi doesn’t want to change the rules
A little-known procedural tool called the “motion to recommit” is suddenly all over the news. This is because House Republicans have successfully used the motion twice this year to force politically… Read More
Motions to Recommit: A brief history and reform options
Republicans in the House of Representatives are using a procedural motion to frustrate the chamber’s Democratic majority. To date, two Republican-sponsored motions to recommit have passed the chamber, even though… Read More
Recent work supports “structured consent” approach to decision-making
Nearly ten years ago, I set out to tell a story about the Senate that was not being told. I wanted to understand better how the Senate actually worked at… Read More
R Street Explainer: How the minority party can impact legislation in today’s Congress
The House of Representatives is fundamentally a majoritarian institution. That is, any coalition or party with the majority of votes can largely dominate the chamber’s agenda, scheduling, procedure and outcomes. Read More
McConnell maintains firm grip despite pledging to restore the Senate
In January 2014, then-Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., made the case that Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., was running the “World’s Greatest Deliberative Body” into the… Read More
Rule on start-up funding for Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress approved
On January 29, Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), chair of the Committee on House Administration, introduced H. Res. 86, “providing amounts for the expenses of the Select Committee… Read More
Senate rules of procedure
The Senate’s rules of procedure are comprised of five parts: the Constitution; Standing Rules; statutory rules; standing orders; and precedents. The interaction of these component parts creates the procedural architecture… Read More
Republicans propose using standing order to nuke Senate rules
Senate Republicans are threatening to go nuclear if Democrats do not support a deal to lower the maximum amount of debate time that presidential nominations can receive after cloture is… Read More