by jpitney | Mar 13, 2024 | Congress, Oversight
Despite a large increase in federal spending and administrative rulemaking, Congress’s capacity to oversee the executive branch has diminished. Congress has fewer committee staff and nonpartisan wonks to help it than it did in 1990. Source:...
by jpitney | Jul 27, 2021 | Congress, Constitution, Oversight
Jonathan Bydlak at LegBranch.org: Dear Vice Chair Shelby and Ranking Member Braun, We the undersigned right-of-center organizations and individuals write to express our support for strengthening Congress, and rebuilding its capacity for policymaking and oversight....
by jpitney | Jun 18, 2021 | Budget, Congress, Oversight
Dylan Hedtler-Gaudette and Jonathan Bydlak at Roll Call: There are several ways for Congress to regain power over our federal spending, one of which is to pass the Congressional Power of the Purse Act, a comprehensive reform bill that enjoys broad bipartisan...
by jpitney | Feb 12, 2021 | Congress, Impeachment, Oversight
George F. Will: The presentation by the House impeachment managers was a demonstration, the more welcome for its rarity, of congressional conscientiousness and meticulousness. Congress is an investigating institution, for three purposes: To establish the need for...
by jpitney | Feb 7, 2021 | Budget, Congress, Oversight
From First Branch Forecast: For decades, Congress has undercut its ability to meet its Constitution obligations by providing itself inadequate resources to meet its legislative, constitutional, and oversight responsibilities. Discretionary Executive branch resources,...
by jpitney | Jan 11, 2021 | Congress, Crime, Oversight
Amelia Strauss and Daniel Schuman at First Branch Forecast: With an abundance of resources, how is it possible the [Capitol Police] department wasn’t prepared for [Wednesday’s] events? The answer could be, in part, insufficient accountability mechanisms. The...
