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GAI on Federal News Radio
Hosts Bob Leins and Tammy Flanagan of the For Your Benefit program welcomed Dr. Kenneth Gold, director, and Dr. Marian Currinder, senior fellow and curriculum chair, from the Government Affairs Institute at Georgetown University. The discussion focused on today’s political environment and the state of affairs of the federal government budget. The political dynamics of the 113th Congress
Grijalva Unapologetic Over Missed Votes
GAI Senior Fellow Susan Lagon, Ph.D. spoke with AZ Central about why Members of Congress — such as Rep. Raúl Grijalva — miss floor votes and what that means. Read the full article, or the following excerpt: Floor votes are one of the most visible jobs for a member of Congress,
Last One Out…
This week has been a big one for congressional retirements (Coburn, McCarthy, McKeon, McIntyre, Moran, Owens). Many we have heard about, including half a dozen Members, for various reasons but at least one columnist has speculated that it is the working conditions. Other departures have been more quiet as three senior House Appropriations Committee staffers
The 2014 Elections: An Early Forecast
This is one of a series of posts from the Congressional Update As we talked about earlier this morning, the 113th Congress has passed a historically low number of bills. For this and other reasons, it’s not a surprise that some members of Congress are deciding not to run for reelection in 2014. Here is
Obama Administration’s 2014 Agenda
This is one of a series of posts from the Congressional Update We’re one year into President Obama’s second term and, as we saw this week, many Americans and those in the media are starting to look towards 2016. So how does a president (with an approval ratings of 42%) set an agenda
The Challenges of House Leadership
This is one of a series of posts from the Congressional Update The biggest challenge in the House belongs to John Boehner. The speaker and his leadership team have been dealt a divided caucus, consisting of many members who are conservatives first, and Republicans second. In 2010, many of the most conservative members who rode the
The Budget and Appropriations Process In 2014
This is one of a series of posts from the Congressional Update This talk took a look at the fiscal situation in the US as it concerns Congress, budgeting, and legislation. For context, take a look at this slide from the Concord Coalition, which looks at expenditures in terms of discretionary spending, mandatory spending,
Status Report On The 113th Congress
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’s Pump the Brakes on Congressional Approval Bashing
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 with poor approval. Research tells
Optimism for Productivity Wanes
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 also mentioned possible action on