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Is Majority Leader McConnell blocking elections security legislation?
Democrats want the Senate to debate legislation that they say is needed to secure American elections against outside interference. But they say Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., is standing… Read More
Reclaiming Congress’ war powers
July 29, 2019 The Honorable Mitch McConnell Senate Majority Leader 317 Russell Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510 The Honorable Nancy Pelosi Speaker of the House… Read More
ICYMI: Top Reads on Congress
James Wallner, “The Senate is gridlocked but not for the reason you might think,” LegBranch Blog, July 31, 2019: “Given this, gridlock, properly understood, only arises in those situations… Read More
Pelosi’s ruled out of order, Democratic chaos, and a historic moment
Source: Kevin Lamarque, Reuters The other week, the House passed a resolution denouncing President Trump’s racist tweets. But what stole some headlines were the events surrounding Speaker… Read More
Congress and political realignment
https://www.legbranch.org/app/uploads/2019/06/Episode-4-Realignment.mp3 Should the electoral college be abolished? Prof. Julia Azari (Marquette University), Lee Drutman (New America), and James Wallner (R Street Institute) debate and discuss the electoral college… Read More
The Senate is gridlocked but not for the reason you might think
The Senate is gridlocked. But not in the way we think. Gridlock arises whenever senators choose not to act- to debate legislation in committee and on the floor, offer amendments,… Read More
Why is the Senate gridlocked?
The Senate is gridlocked. Political scientists do not fully understand why. More than twenty years ago, Keith Krehbiel observed that “no existing theory or school of thought provides a… Read More
Blocking critics on Twitter: What Congress should know
Good news, D.C.: August recess is around the corner. For many, it is a time to escape the Beltway for some much sought-after R&R. For members of Congress, it is… Read More
ICYMI: Top Reads on Congress
Chris Marquette, “Office of Congressional Ethics has undertaken 9 investigations since April,” Roll Call, July 25, 2019: “The independent, non-partisan investigative entity has moved seven matters to a second-phase… Read More
New legislation to end government shutdowns
The below text comes from Sen. James Lankford (R, OK) and Maggie Hassan (D, NH). It’s a sad but true reality: Congress functions best on a deadline. In theory,… Read More