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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
Congressional pay is a victim of excessive transparency
It happened again last month. Despite the efforts of dozens of thoughtful reformers, risky political moves by leadership and incisive op-eds, legislators once again proved incapable of voting themselves a… Read More
The evolving role of the Senate parliamentarian
The Senate’s parliamentarian is an influential figure in present-day Washington. In 2016, former Speaker, Paul Ryan, R-Wis., reportedly recommended to Republicans that they closely follow the position’s current… Read More
The House is more courteous than you might imagine
Debate on the House floor heated up Tuesday over Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s comments regarding recent controversial tweets by President Donald Trump. During consideration of a Democratic resolution to… Read More
ICYMI: Top Reads on Congress
Casey Burgat, “The case against congressional term limits,” R Street Policy Study, July 18, 2019: “Put simply, term limits have proven to be a brain drain on legislatures. Naomi… Read More
Bring back the OTA? Not without a few changes
This spring, the House included $6 million to revive the Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) in its draft appropriations. The nonpartisan agency, defunded in 1995, was responsible for helping… Read More
The take down that wasn’t: Pelosi and yesterday’s House kerfuffle
Official portrait of Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, photographed January 11, 2019. Late Tuesday afternoon, a rare level of excitement hit the floor of the House… Read More
Congress and the electoral college
https://www.legbranch.org/app/uploads/2019/06/Episode-1-The-Electoral-College.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 and… Read More