ICYMI: Top reads on Congress

Kia Rahnama, “What Congress cans do when Trump appointees defy it,” The Atlantic:

“The legal framework governing situations such as this is seldom used and little known…Although the Constitution does not expressly provide Congress with investigatory power, it is a logical extension of the power to legislate.”

Elaine Godfrey, “The moderate House women who want voters to know they exist too,” The Atlantic:

“Five female military veterans, who represent one-eighth of the seats Democrats flipped from red to blue during the 2018 midterm elections, have launched a joint fundraising effort, the Service First Women’s Victory Fund, to highlight their experiences in the military and to raise money collectively for their reelection campaigns.”

“Congress is winning the legal battle against the White House,” The Economist:

“The barricades are up at the White House, where President Donald Trump has vowed to fight “all the subpoenas” flying from Democrats in the House of Representatives. Early engagements have not gone well for Mr Trump. This week he lost two crucial skirmishes.”

Mark Dent, “Why nobody wants to be a Senator anymore,” Fortune:

“A Democratic politician saying “no” to a Senate campaign has become nearly as common as one saying “yes” to a presidential run. Georgia’s Stacey Abrams said she won’t try for the Senate. Neither will Texas U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, Iowa U.S. Rep. Cindy Axne, or Montana Gov. Steve Bullock…Their commitments to not run come at a time when Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer has said, ‘If we should get a Democratic president and retain a Democratic House, if Mitch McConnell stays the majority leader, nothing will get done.'”