by jpitney | Jul 9, 2024 | Congress, House of Representatives
Don Wolfensberger at The Ripon Forum: In the mid-20th Century, a conservative coalition of southern Democrats and Republicans became a dominant ruling group in the House. On the Rules Committee, two southern Democrats, “Judge” Howard Smith of Virginia and Bill Colmer...
by jpitney | Jun 23, 2024 | Congress, House of Representatives, Military
Don Wolfensberger at The Hill: Around the turn of this century we saw evolve a more partisan Congress with the prospect looming large every two years of either or both chambers flipping party control. In the case of the more stalwart committees like Armed Services,...
by jpitney | Jun 20, 2024 | Congress, House of Representatives, Senate
Paul Kane at WP: It’s been 15 years since members of the House and Senate allowed their federally mandated cost-of-living adjustment (often referred to as COLA) to take effect. Since then, their pay has been set at $174,000. Out of political fear from voters in both...
by jpitney | Jun 18, 2024 | Congress, Debate, Deliberation, House of Representatives
At The Washington Examiner, Ben Jacobs reports on covering the House floor for a week: It’s possible I picked a slow week. Perhaps if I sat through another week, I would witness important and substantive things happening. I doubt it, though. Instead, it often felt...
by jpitney | Jun 7, 2024 | Congress, House of Representatives
Don Wolfensberger at The Hill: The importance of requiring members’ presence in the chamber to vote was highlighted last Wednesday when the House narrowly adopted a special rule (H. Res. 1243) making in order three measures for floor consideration that week. The vote...
by jpitney | May 31, 2024 | Congress, House of Representatives
Jordain Carney at Politico: The governing-minded Main Street Caucus has formed an internal working group to come up with potential changes to the Republican Conference and House rules. The group of approximately 10 members is being led by Rep. Nick LaLota (R-N.Y.)....
