A Gun Control Paradox? Four Reasons Why Congress Does Not Adopt Stricter Gun Laws

October 3, 2017
Source: Pew Research Center, 2013. By Jordan M. Ragusa In the days and weeks after any mass shooting, journalists, pundits, and other political observers often note a paradox on the… Read More

New LegBranch.com Resource: How Wealthy Are Our Representatives?

October 3, 2017
Graphic created by Trey Billing, @TreyBilling It likely wouldn’t surprise anyone, much less a congressional scholar, to learn that most members of Congress are wealthier… Read More

How Tuesday’s Primary Election in Alabama Could Shape the Future of the Senate—For the Worse

September 25, 2017
By Jordan M. Ragusa Member adaption vs. member replacement. Source: prof. Jordan M. Ragusa. A rare off-year special election in underway in Alabama to fill the Senate seat vacated by Jeff… Read More

ICYMI: House Goes to Court to Protect Secrecy of Records

September 22, 2017
Politico’s Josh Gerstein reports: “The House of Representatives is taking legal action to make sure that federal agencies don’t release congressional records to the public through the Freedom of… Read More

ICYMI: Why Are Moderates Disappearing from Congress?

September 21, 2017
Source: Prof. Danielle M Thomsen. Whither moderates? Well, analysis by Danielle M. Thomsen, an assistant professor of political science at the Maxwell School at Syracuse University, finds that fewer moderates… Read More

AEI Event: The Senate Filibuster: Tool of Mass Obstruction or Key to Deliberation?

September 18, 2017
Cots in the U.S. Senate, 1960. Source: Senate.gov Thursday, September 28, 2017 | 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm AEI, Auditorium1789 Massachusetts Avenue NW Washington, DC 20036 The Senate filibuster… Read More

Event: Launch of the Center for Effective Lawmaking

September 16, 2017
The Launch of the Center for Effective LawmakingAgenda WHEN: Tuesday, September 26, 2017 8:00 AM – 9:00 AMWHERE: 2043-2044 Rayburn Banquet Room, 45 Independence Ave SW,… Read More

BPC Event: Evidence-Based Policymaking: Next Steps

September 15, 2017
The final report is available at https://www.cep.gov/content/dam/cep/report/cep-final-report.pdf . Wednesday, September 20, 2017 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM Bipartisan Policy Center, 1225 Eye Street NW, Suite 1000, Washington,… Read More

From Staff Cuts to Lagging Technology, Congress Has a Capacity Problem

September 13, 2017
Casey Burgat writes at Brookings Institution’s FixGov Blog: “Congress has convened for one of the busier sessions it has faced in decades. But can it do its job? “A… Read More

Republicans’ Inability to Do Routine Things Is Scuttling Their Big Plans

September 8, 2017
Source: Gallup . By Joshua C. Huder The 2016 election was a near universal shock. President Trump beat (nearly) all prognosticators. House Republicans only lost 6 seats, retaining their 4th… Read More