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How the Senate keeps track of its precedents

April 22, 2019  ·  James Wallner
An intricate architecture of rules and practices governs the legislative process in the Senate. The institution’s procedural structure rests on five interlocking supports: the Constitution; the Standing Rules of the… Read More

ICYMI: Top reads on Congress

April 19, 2019  ·  Marian Currinder
Katherine Tully-McManus, “IG Report: Some members of Congress sexually harassed night-shift custodians,” Roll Call: “Members of Congress allegedly sexually harassed night shift custodial staff while they cleaned their offices. Read More

How centralized or decentralized should power be in the House of Representatives?

April 18, 2019  ·  James Curry
To:             The Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress From:       James M. Curry, University of Utah Reform:  How centralized or decentralized should… Read More

Create a Professional Advisory Council for committees, remove cameras from hearings (at least some of them), reform committee jurisdictions

April 17, 2019  ·  Maya Kornberg
To:             The Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress From:       Maya Kornberg, Ph.D. candidate, Oxford University Reform:   Create a Professional Advisory Council… Read More

Potential non-salary staffing reforms

April 16, 2019  ·  Casey Burgat
To:             The Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress From:       Casey Burgat, Senior Fellow, R Street Institute Reform:   Potential non-salary staffing reforms… Read More

Automatic CRs treat the symptom, not the disease

April 15, 2019  ·  Sarah Binder
To:             The Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress From:       Sarah Binder, Brookings Institution and George Washington University Reform:   Automatic CRs treat… Read More

ICYMI: Top reads on Congress

April 12, 2019  ·  Marian Currinder
Eliza Collins, “How Nancy Pelosi is leading divided Democrats through political turmoil, Trump’s administration,” USA Today: “The only woman to become speaker of the House – not once, but twice –… Read More

Options for increasing congressional capacity on complex regulatory matters

April 11, 2019  ·  Philip Wallach
To:             The Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress From:       Philip Wallach, R Street Institute Reform:   Options for Increasing Congressional Capacity on… Read More

Make Congress (properly) political again

April 10, 2019  ·  Philip Wallach
Chris DeMuth’s new essay powerfully and convincingly argues that well-functioning representative government is a necessary condition for national cohesion in our democratic age. DeMuth is not starry-eyed about legislatures, or… Read More

The value of seniority in today’s House of Representatives

April 10, 2019  ·  Andrew Taylor
During the “Textbook Congress” era from roughly the late-1940s to the early-1970s, seniority was tremendously valuable to members of Congress, particularly in the House.  Since World War II, data demonstrate… Read More