FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017
MEDIA CONTACT: Jessica R. Towhey | jessica@2eCommunications.org | 202-294-0492
Congressional Institute Praises Introduction of Resolution to Create Joint Committee to Reform Congress
Bipartisan, Bicameral Joint Committee Will Help Streamline & Simplify How Congress Operates So It Becomes Efficient, Effective
ALEXANDRIA, VA – The Congressional Institute hailed the introduction of a resolution to form a bipartisan, bicameral Joint Committee on the Organization of Congress that will be empowered recommend reforms to Congress so that lawmakers can have greater participation in the legislative process.
“The American public deserves an effective, efficient Congress that pays attention to the voters who sent lawmakers there to represent them,” said Mark Strand, president of the Congressional Institute. “While there is some work getting done, legislative accomplishments that move our country forward are becoming few and far between. Because of years of gridlock and worsening partisanship, too many Americans believe that their government doesn’t value their opinion and finds little worth in their contributions. Refocusing Congress on doing its core job and simplifying rules, procedures and processes so that everyone can see progress being made will be a great step toward achieving an effective legislature.
“Previous Joint Committees have ushered through significant reforms that have helped Congress get back on track and to do its job. It’s time for this to happen again. I commend Reps. Darin LaHood and Dan Lipinski for their efforts to create a Joint Committee on the Organization of Congress.”
Research commissioned by the Congressional Institute shows that a majority of Americans do not believe their federal representatives pay attention to them. What’s more, middle-class families value their own work but do not believe the nation’s elites and institutions value them. A report on focus groups conducted in Pittsburgh and Orlando elicited comments such as, “Something has to change. The middle class is shrinking and this is our last chance.”
The Congressional Institute’s mission is to help Members of Congress better serve their constituents and to help the American public better understand the operations of Congress. A Joint Committee can recommend the reforms necessary to make Congress effective again and provide the transparency and accountability the public deserves from their federal representatives.
The Institute has developed a list for ideas and concepts for reforming, among other things, the budget process, authorizations and appropriations, regular order, and the rules in the U.S. House and U.S. Senate. Go here for more information and to see the reform ideas. Go here to read a letter the Congressional Institute delivered to Capitol Hill asking Members of Congress to support the formation of a Joint Committee.
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Founded in 1987, the Congressional Institute is a not-for-profit corporation dedicated to helping Members of Congress better serve their constituents and helping their constituents better understand the operations of the national legislature. The Institute sponsors major conferences for the benefit of Members of the U.S. Congress as well as a number of smaller gatherings, all devoted to an examination of important policy issues and strategic planning. The Institute also conducts important research projects consistent with its mission, develops resources such as a House Floor Procedures Manual and sponsors Oxford-style bipartisan Congressional debates.