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This is one of a series of posts from the Congressional Update Marian Currinder opened the Congressional Update with a status report on the 113th Congress. The current Congress, she points out, has been defined by its dividedness and lack of legislative traction. The 112th Congress was the least productive
Let me start with this: yes, America hates Congress. With few exceptions Congress very rarely enjoys high job approval. Job disapproval is in some ways built into the institution’s DNA. However, recently it has been common for people to equate what they – rightly – perceive as poor legislative performance
The new year gave reasons for hope that the 113th Congress may finally find its stride. Four bills appear to be on the fast-track for passage at the opening of the 2nd Session: unemployment insurance, appropriations, the debt limit, and the Farm bill. Some of the more optimistic members have
Competition for power, gerrymandering, disappearing marginal districts define Congress’s electoral landscape. Today, the American electorate is both closely divided and increasingly uncompetitive. In other words, partisan majorities are narrower today than at any time since the Civil War but congressional districts are also safer – there are fewer competitive seats.
On January 13, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear a much-watched case interpreting the president’s appointment power. Written at a time when it could take weeks for members of Congress to get to the capital, Article II, section 2 of the Constitution allows presidents to fill vacancies temporarily during recesses
Just this afternoon, the Washington Post ran a story on their web site titled “Senate Moves to Extend Jobless Benefits.” Most readers would surmise that the chamber had in fact voted to extend the emergency legislation that provided unemployment benefits beyond the traditional 26 weeks to the 1.3 million Americans
Both parties electoral fortunes reached highs and lows October 2013. During the government shutdown it was obvious to many commentators that Democrats would steamroll Republicans. Two weeks later after the rough roll out of the Affordable Care Act, Republicans were on the verge of a landslide victory. Now it appears
Don Wolfensberger wrote a nice piece on the parallels between Majority Leader Reid’s nuclear option and Speaker Reed’s ruling in 1890 that eliminated dilatory motions in the House. Both are good examples of rules changes through precedent. The two were so similar it was the first example that came to
In a rare moment of cooperation, Congress looks ready to pass a bipartisan budget bill that will ease sequester cuts and keep the government running for the next two years. Orchestrated by Democratic senator Patty Murray and Republican representative Paul Ryan, the bill would reduce the federal deficit by $20
Since Democrats invoked the nuclear option, reducing cloture on judicial and executive nominations, there are serious concerns that those actions would result in fallout. Would the Republican minority, in retaliation to losing significant leverage in the nominations process, attempt to drag out every nomination and/or bill? So far, that can’t
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