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We The People
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Article 1, Section 1 | vesting clause-states “All legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress…”Shows Congress is supposed to be the primary policymaker; lacking staff undermines its constitutional role. |
| Article I, Section 8 | necessary and proper clause- Allows Congress to take actions needed to carry out its powers. Supports the idea that investing in staff, research agencies, and oversight capacity is constitutionally legitimate |
| Article I, Section 5 | Power to Determine Rules & Discipline Members-Congress controls its internal operations- Implies responsibility to maintain adequate staff, expertise, and resources. |
| Article I, Section 6 | Compensation Clause-Members are paid from the Treasury. Historically interpreted to support the idea that Congress may also fund support staff for legislative work. |
| McCulloch v. Maryland (1819) | Broad reading of “Necessary and Proper.”- Congress has constitutional authority to create strong support institutions (e.g., Congressional Budget Office, national bank). |
| 1995 Gingrich Reforms | Abolished the Office of Technology Assessment (OTA)-Cut committee staff by ~30%-Reduced institutional expertise - Example often cited as the start of “congressional capacity crisis.” |
| House Modernization Committee | highly successful, passing many unanimous, bipartisan recommendations, making it a rare example of bipartisan success in a polarized era. , unanimously endorsed reestablishing the OTA |
| Medicare part D | - help seniors pay for prescription meds- congress didn't know how medicine business worked- so lobbyists from pharmaceutical companies helped inform- congress made Medicare modernization act of 2003 |
| Dodd-Frank act | partisan-aligned lobbyists influenced Congress. lobbyists working w Republicans pushed for lighter regulation, other lobbyists pressured Democrats to support stronger consumer protections. The final Dodd-Frank Act reflected these pressures |
| International Example of increasing resources helping | Chile- problem was limited capacity to analyze national budgets- created joint budget office which consisted of non partisan staff to provide independent analysis- result was improved oversight on government spending/ a stronger check on the executive |
| International Example of increasing resources hurting | Italy-( 2008-2003)- Italian MP'S were some of highest paid in Europe as they voted themselves higher salaries/perks- backlash from people, trust and political stability were broken- BUT this is money to congressmen NOT of increasing resources for staff |
| 27th amendment | these resources would not increase congressional salaries, since the 27th Amendment prohibits any immediate changes to congressional pay making it more difficult. , investment would go to professional staff and oversight capacity |
| INS vs Chadha | Congress use one-house “legislative veto” to overturn executive decisions w/o bicameralism- made it easier for congress by not having follow normal procedures- shortcuts undermine checks and balances that save people from imbalance of power- court say no |
| By increasing the staff of congress can you see a path forward where that does not become a partisan fight? | focus on nonpartisan support agencies and committee staff(GAO,CRS)-package reforms as improving oversight and reducing reliance on lobbyists-route recommendations through a bipartisan commission to keep the politics neutral |
| FDR's internment of Japanese Americans | Example of executive overreach- FDR incarcerated 120,000 Japanese Americans due to racial bias, violating the constitution (5th amendment). Example of congress failing with oversight, constitutional rights not being protected |
| What do you think about term limits in congress? | It can limit corruption as legislators in office for decades may become too cozy with lobbyists-Regular turnover can help reduce the risk of entrenched networks of influence- increase effectiveness, deliver results quicker |
| Watergate Scandal | Example of successful oversight on executive (historical)- Senate hearings uncovered President Nixon's involvement in the break-in and cover-up, leading to his resignation |
| January 6th Investigation | Example of successful oversight on executive(modern day)- investigation exposed wrongdoing, created a public record, and applied political pressure-fulfilling a core constitutional check |
| Pre-9/11 Intelligence | Congress failed to ensure proper coordination between the CIA, FBI, and other agencies-Warning signs were missed due to fragmented oversight and insufficient questioning. |
| Why can AI not replace congress? | Congress is the branch closest to the people, making accountable, value-based decisions that reflect constituents’ needs—such as after Hurricane Katrina, when lawmakers prioritized disaster relief for their districts—something AI could not replicate. |
| Congressional approval vs re election rates | in 2024, approval rate was 17% but re-election rate was 96.6% |
| Impeachment Power | Donald Trump (2019 & 2021) — First impeachment for Ukraine aid pressure; second for incitement of insurrection after Jan. 6. |
| Funding Power (“Power of the Purse”) | Defunding U.S. involvement in Vietnam (1973) — Congress cut funds through the Case–Church Amendment. |
| War Authority | Declaration of war in WWII (1941). |
| What are checks that congress has on the executive? | Impeachment, funding power, war authority, executive appointments |
| Constitutional Amendments | Congress can override Supreme Court rulings by proposing amendments-16th Amendment — Allowed income tax despite earlier Court rulings. |
| How does not having the OTA harm congress now? | lack of adequate testing during the COVID-19 pandemic was a major reason for the slow U.S. response; Congress could have used an OTA to assess testing technologies and put effective programs in place, potentially saving lives and dollars. |
| What incentive does congress have to increase resources? | Better policy outcomes & fewer mistakes, increased legislative power relative to the executive, |
| Does congress rely on lobbyists because of lack of information or because of money? | Information is the primary mechanism of influence for most lobbying.-congress must constantly fundraise- Money amplifies that influence by ensuring that the information gets delivered and listened to.- |
| How do you do it in such a way that the American people are sure that the money is going where they want it to go? | Require independent, nonpartisan audits by the GAO or a new congressional inspector general. |
| What's a bigger issue, funding or partisanship? | The bigger issue is funding but partisanship but the lack of funding leaves congress dependent on partisan lobbyists. |
| How does the lack of bipartisanship and the influx of polarization disregard constituents in congress | 2013, Congress’s intense partisan fight over funding the Affordable Care Act led to a government shutdown, even though the shutdown harmed millions of constituents through job and service closures- Just one example -polarization main cause govt shutdown |
| Why could congress choose personal staff over committee staff? | Members of Congress choose personal staff because they’re politically useful, electorally valuable, and directly controlled by the member—while committee staff primarily serve the institution, not the individual. |
| Example from article about house employment rates when we have more to worry about now | As of 2014, the U.S. House employed 9,175 individuals (along with 435 members). That is fewer than the 9,341 individuals the U.S. House employed in 1980 - when the demands on Congress were far less. |
| Example from article about committee staff | most notable declines have been in committee staff. problematic, because committees are where work of policy development and oversight happen. Declines in committee staffing have especially strikes in House, where committees half of 1980 staffing level |
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