A Program of the Franklin Initiative Fixing Congress
Primary Nav Penn Washington
The first program established under Penn Washington's Franklin Initiative, Fixing Congress seeks to foster greater bipartisan cooperation and effectiveness within the legislative branch of U.S. government.
About
Fixing Congress seeks to drive meaningful reforms in the U.S. legislative system by creating a series of forums for ongoing debate and collaboration. Programming is anchored by an annual spring workshop, which brings together former lawmakers to discuss strategies to reduce gridlock and enhance Congress's ability to address national issues effectively.
As the series progresses, future convenings will address the systemic issues that have led to legislative gridlock and inspire a renewed commitment to collaborative problem-solving among elected officials. The program aims to contribute to a more functional and responsive Congress, reflecting the public's desire for effective governance in an increasingly polarized political landscape.
Insights and recommendations from this program will contribute to ongoing efforts to reform and revitalize the legislative process.
Launching Fixing Congress
On April 25, 2024, Penn Washington hosted the inaugural workshop of Fixing Congress. The event focused on the need for structural reforms to address extreme partisanship that has hindered effective governance.
Speakers highlighted the importance of incentivizing collaboration across party lines and increasing transparency in legislative processes. Suggestions included revising congressional rules to promote compromise and implementing measures to reduce the impact of partisan gerrymandering.
Read the latest blog posts by Penn Washington Senior Fellow Steven Pearlstein. "Fixing Congress," the first program under Penn Washington's Franklin Initiative, aims to promote bipartisan cooperation and improve the effectiveness of the U.S. legislative branch.
An Agenda for Fixing Congress
This agenda was drafted by former House members Jim Cooper (D-TN) and Charlie Dent (R-PA) and former Senator Byron Dorgan (D-ND), with the input and support of the following former colleagues and congressional experts:
House
David Cicilline (D-RI) Tom Davis (R-VA) Donna Edwards (D-MD)
Mickey Edwards (R-OK) John Katko (R-NY) Andy Levin (D-MI)
Tom Reed (R-NY) Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) Fred Upton (R-MI)
John Yarmuth (D-KY)
Senate
Thomas Daschle (D-SD) Mark Udall (D-CO)
Experts
Elaine Kamarck (Brookings) Yuval Levin (AEI) Norm Ornstein (AEI)
-
Reconfigure the calendar: three five-day weeks in Washington followed by one-week district work period, with extended recesses over summer and year-end holidays
-
Provide adequate reimbursement for Members who choose to move family to Washington, funded from current congressional appropriation
-
No recess after Oct. 1 unless government is funded for fiscal year
-
Reduce size of committees by limiting members to one “major” and one “minor” committee
-
In House, require membership ratios and budgets on committees reflect the partisan balance of chamber
-
Chairs and ranking members selected by committee members (except Rules)
-
Require sixty percent majority to take up bills not approved by committee
-
In both chambers, create petition process to allow committee member to bring to the floor any matter approved by the committee with bipartisan support
-
Require committees to hold private all-Member planning retreats at the beginning of each session
-
Allow committees to hold Members-only executive sessions for deliberation
-
Restructure hearing format to reduce partisanship and political posturing
-
At markups, prioritize amendments with significant bipartisan support
-
Streamline budget/appropriation/authorization process around a two-year budget cycle
-
In both chambers, guarantee debate and votes for germane floor amendments with significant bipartisan support
-
In both chambers, guarantee debate and vote for at least one germane minority party floor amendment or motion to recommit
-
In Senate, limit number of amendments that can be controlled by any senator or either party
-
In both chambers, create, simplify and strengthen petition process to allow a majority of members to bring any matter to the floor
-
In Senate, limit debate on motions to proceed to one hour
-
In Senate, return to talking filibusters and require 41 votes to continue debate rather than 60 votes to end it
-
In House, require petition of 50 members of majority party to take up a motion to vacate chair
-
Non-partisan seating in chambers and committees
-
In Senate, limit regular party caucus lunches/meetings to one per week
-
In both chambers, hold weekly “question time” for party leaders
-
In Senate, hold private monthly Members-only discussion sessions
-
In House, hold annual private retreat for Members and families
-
In both chambers, revitalize Members-only dining rooms
-
End partisan domestic/overseas trips
-
Expand non-partisan orientation for new Members
Upcoming Events
Future "Fixing Congress" events will build upon the momentum generated by the April 2024 workshop, focusing on translating discussions into actionable reforms. Future events will convene former and current policymakers to explore and implement strategies aimed at overcoming the challenges identified during the inaugural workshop.