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One thing that confuses a lot of people—and also happens to be pretty hard to get a good layman’s explanation of on the internet—is what exactly is happening on the House floor day-to-day. Honestly, the easiest way to get the rhythm of the House is to actually just sit down
Mike Johnson has had a rough time leading the House of Representatives. Under his speakership, Republicans set the record for the number of failed special rules (votes speakers use to bring bills to the floor), set the modern record for successful discharge petitions to bring bills to the floor over
Guest Post by Dr. Adriana Bankston, 2024-2025 AAAS-ASGCT Congressional Policy Fellow* This has not been a typical year for science in America. Going beyond the headlines is important to understand what policymakers, scientists, and scientific institutions have built over generations. America is a scientific powerhouse, with federal funding fueling research
In late September, I went on C-SPAN’s Washington Journal to talk about the impending government shutdown. After a discussion with the program host, guests get to answer questions from viewers who call into the program. I expected to be challenged on something, but did not anticipate that on that list
So far, the most surprising thing about the shutdown is Democrats’ early polling advantage. A Washington Post poll finds 47% of the public blaming Republicans, versus only 30% for Democrats. The New York Times/Sienna poll conducted before the shutdown puts more blame on Republicans (26%) than Democrats (19%). G. Elliott
Congressional appropriations are having a year. The second Trump administration kicked things off by engaging in a spree of unconstitutional impoundments of congressionally appropriated funds. The Republican Congress followed that up with a rarity: a full-year Continuing Resolution to finish out the fiscal year: unusual in itself, but in covering
On Friday, President Trump endorsed a full-year CR for the FY25 appropriations, which will likely end the appropriations process for this fiscal year. After its failure to enact full year appropriations bills by October 1, Congress has passed a series of continuing resolutions (the first through December 20; a second
Last December, shortly before House Majority Leader Steve Scalise released the Republican Steering Committee’s recommendations for committee chairs in the incoming 119th Congress, former Republican representative from Virginia, Barbara Comstock, objected strongly to initial reporting that no women were being selected for these positions. Two days later when the majority
Guest Post by Lorelei Kelly , Research Faculty Lead on Congressional Modernization at GeoDES, Georgetown Democracy, Education + Service, McCourt School of Public Policy Hidden beneath divisive campaign season headlines, Congress has a positive story to share. Prompted by an inefficient, outdated workflow and historically low public trust in government,
Election Day 2024 is behind us. The country is taking stock of who we are and where we might be going. The final calls on some congressional races are still forthcoming, as predicted. There are many ways of viewing the political moment we’re in, but any reading of political history
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