Legislative procedure is one of the most important but least understood aspects of Congress. I'm excited to be hosting this NCAPSA roundtable on the origins and evolution of House procedure through the lens of Brian Alexander's and Lauren Bell's new books! Details 👇

Members of Congress with prior public service backgrounds tend to be more effective because they know the importance of building bipartisan relationships & right-sizing their issue portfolios! www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/house/3...

Today, the Senate Rules Committee will vote on freezing senatorial pay during a partial gov't shutdown. This bad faith resolution may stoke some populist support, but it's terrible policy. It puts pressure on senators to change their votes even when the holdup is the House or the president.

It’s not just that the number of filed discharge petitions is up this year (though it is; see below).

I often get asked questions about the role and function of Congress's numerous support agencies. So, here's my attempt at a concise explainer on *some* of these vital institutions that help Congress do its job. 🔗👇🏻

Updated over the weekend to include full 118th data and added the 119th. Reminder, this chart tracks introductions not votes/passage.

Congress has been responding to increased threats of political violence by boosting member security in a variety of ways. While good, I argue there’s more they could be doing to preserve representation & institutional functioning during potential crises. bipartisanpolicy.org/article/afte...

Censure resolutions are back in the limelight in the House. Last year I wrote about how the increased introduction of accountability tools has led to a decline in their meaning. A short 🧵

The interbranch conflict over spending--rescissions, impoundments, etc.--has thrust a less well-known figure into the spotlight: the Comptroller General of the United States. My @bipartisanpolicy.org colleague @michaelthorning.bsky.social & I break down what the CG does & the appointment process.

Congress has been responding to increased threats of political violence by boosting member security in a variety of ways. While good, I argue there’s more they could be doing to preserve representation & institutional functioning during potential crises. bipartisanpolicy.org/article/afte...

I don’t believe we should be reading too much into what missing this month of session will mean for the larger congressional agenda. As I told @justinjpapp.bsky.social, “Congress always finds a way to get itself out of the predicaments that it puts itself in.” rollcall.com/2025/10/29/h...

An interesting discussion emerging on the implications of Loper Bright & Sen. Schmitt’s report at the Yale Journal on Regulation’s Notice & Comment blog. Today my @bipartisanpolicy.org colleagues and I added our thoughts on the implications for congressional capacity www.yalejreg.com/nc/congress-...

An interesting discussion emerging on the implications of Loper Bright & Sen. Schmitt’s report at the Yale Journal on Regulation’s Notice & Comment blog. Today my @bipartisanpolicy.org colleagues and I added our thoughts on the implications for congressional capacity www.yalejreg.com/nc/congress-...

❔Do members of Congress get paid during a federal shutdown? ❔How does the 27th Amendment impact congressional pay? ❔What are the differences between the House and Senate? Our JD Rackey breaks down these frequently asked questions and more in Marketplace ➡️ https://ow.ly/juTW50X75PP

I was a little surprised when I got this inquiry that anyone would care about this level of minutiae but yes, members of Congress use direct deposit. www.marketplace.org/story/2025/1...

Happening today!!

Next We’d. is the Congresional Hackathon 7.0! This event is not only a critical venue for ongoing modernization efforts but it is also a lot of fun! If you care about improving congressional operations this is a must-attend event, I hope to see you there! bipartisanpolicy.org/blog/moderni...

Our own J.D. Rackey joined @wsj.com's Kim Strassel to discuss efforts to strengthen productivity and collaboration in Congress, including the work of the bipartisan Subcommittee on Modernization & Innovation. 🔊 Listen:

NEW: Turnover among chief local election officials continued to climb following the presidential election, reaching 41% in 2024—up from 39% in 2022. 🧵New analysis by @RachelOrey, @Jferrer505, and @danmthomp explores how turnover trends evolved through 2024.

Happy to share my first @brookings.edu FixGov piece was published today. I take stock of the Senate confirmation process at the 200-day mark of the Trump administration. Among the key findings is the unprecedented degree to which Trump’s nominees have faced procedural barriers.

Congratulations to the Senate for passing Legislative branch appropriations bill (along with veterans affairs and agriculture) w/o including the House's awful cuts in funding for the GAO + Library of Congress and for protecting GAO's impoundment authority. @heinrich.senate.gov @murray.senate.gov

I just posted a new paper on @ssrn.bsky.social, titled "The Chadha Presidency". Here's the link, and I'll post the abstract in the next post. papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....

Such a huge win for Congress!! LegiDex not only helps improve work efficiency for congressional staff but it also means Congress no longer needs to pay outside vendors for access to its own data in usable formats! cha.house.gov/2025/7/subco...

Behind the scenes, congressional modernization is still happening this Congress! Good piece by @justinjpapp.bsky.social rollcall.com/2025/07/07/t...

I'm reading GAO targeted by House Republicans, by @ktullymcmanus.bsky.social

What is common knowledge in your field, but shocks outsiders? Term limits are all bad. They have a dozen deleterious effects on government and zero good ones. They achieve none of the goals their proponents say they do. No one should ever advocate for term limits.

A leg branch budget perspective on the proposed budget of the military parade, 🧵

The U.S. GAO and Inspectors General have issued 19,000+ unaddressed recommendations to address federal waste, fraud, and abuse. But #oversight hearings and expert testimony have long been in decline. @jdrackey.bsky.social explores how Congress can restore its oversight role ➡️ bit.ly/4j8ISU8

✔️ Maine does not use a nonpartisan primary system. 🔎 @jdrackey.bsky.social, Michael Thorning, and Joshua Ferrer analyzed over two decades of election data to explore how primary election formats impact voter participation and representation. Learn more. bit.ly/3ShH9kA

It sounds counterintuitive but Congress should invest in itself *more* if it wants to better oversee, control, and even downsize executive branch agencies. Good reporting by Justin Papp & @jimsaksa.com

🔎 Nonpartisan watchdogs across the federal government issue hundreds of reports and recommendations annually to combat waste, fraud and abuse. But data suggests these recommendations aren't effectively entering the policymaking process. NEW by @jdrackey.bsky.social👇 bit.ly/4j8ISU8

A lot has been said about DOGE, its operations, and the efficiencies it may (or may not) be unlocking. In my new piece for @bipartisanpolicy.org , I take a step back to consider why policymakers thought we needed DOGE in the first place. 🧵1/4

Another great piece by Yuval Levin: “Congress’s weakness is our deepest constitutional problem…” www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...

As Congress heads into reconciliation season there will be, as always, a lot of attention on the Senate Parliamentarian. The process can be a little opaque so @michaelthorning.bsky.social & I put together this brief explainer on some of the common FAQs about the Office of the Senate Parliamentarian:

A good write up on yesterday’s hearing. Congress can do better, but it needs more resources to do so.

I’m testifying in front of the House Legislative Branch Appropriations Subcommittee at 11am! I’ll be discussing why Congress needs to invest more in itself if it wants to live up to its constitutional responsibilities & constituent expectations.

Please join us! Very excited for this convo!

SCOTUS has ended Chevron deference, reshaping how Congress and federal agencies interact. How can Congress respond and reclaim its constitutional responsibilities? Our new report dives into what Congress can do after the end of the Chevron. Read it in full: bipartisanpolicy.org/report/final...

Skowronek described 19th century Americans as lacking “a sense of the state.” He presumed that was no longer true by the later 20th. Trump’s gambit is a kind of bet that 21st century Americans still lack day-to-day connections to the govt that they’ll miss when they’re destroyed.

Partisanship is at record highs and the animosity felt between the parties is palpable. In this environment, BPC’s ACE program facilitates building bipartisan relationships which helps Congress better deliver for the American people. bipartisanpolicy.org/blog/fellow-...

Plenty of doom fodder in Levitsky and Way's new piece on competitive authoritarianism in America but don't sleep on their points about sources of resilience in U.S. institutions and society--and on the need to stay in the fight. www.foreignaffairs.com/united-state...

“If Congress is to effectively give voice to the people, both the institution and its members must have the ability to adapt and the willingness to change.”

There’s a lot happening in the news lately about the role of Congress and its ability to exercise its Article I authorities. A missing piece of that convo has been a look at Congress’s capacity. My latest provides a recap of recent progress & offers ideas about the future. 🧵

Recent behavior from some congressional staff has caricatured them as activist, self-involved, and unindustrious. We know this isn’t true & that there are proven ways to improve Congress's staffing challenges. Latest from me & @michaelthorning.bsky.social bipartisanpolicy.org/blog/congres...

I had a blast joining the GAI folks on Congress, Two Beers In to discuss my recent report on congressional primaries and their impacts on member behavior! Fun to be a guest on a pod I’ve long listened to! podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/c...

As Rep. Kilmer often says, “like pets or children, if you don’t give members a productive way to expend their energy they tend to chew the furniture.” Open processes incentivize treating the role of legislator more like a job and less like tv punditry.

Excited to be headed to #SPSA2025! This is my 10yr anniversary w/ SPSA from when I attended my first conference as an undergrad (pic of the program back then)!! I’m not sure I knew then that I’d make this my career but what a ride it’s been!

Days 3 & 4: Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers.

Day 2: Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers.