In late March, the House Problem Solvers Caucus sent a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy asking them to give rank-and-file members a greater voice in the legislative process by returning to “regular order.” Here are five facts on regular order: According to the Congressional Research Service, regular order is “a …
Six votes decided the 2020 U.S. House election for Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District. Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks won, and she has been seated, but Democratic challenger Rita Hart is asking a congressional committee to investigate the results. Here are five facts on contested congressional elections: The authority for the House to overturn election results comes from …
Inflation has been low in the U.S. for decades. But amid a rebounding economy and a new burst of spending from Washington, some economists are raising concern about the prospect of rising prices. Here are five facts on inflation: The Federal Reserve defines inflation as the “increase in the prices of goods and services over time.” …
One of the most contentious parts of the recently passed $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill is the state and local government aid provision, with critics noting that many localities are in decent financial shape amid a rebounding economy. Here are five facts on state and local government aid: The COVID-19 relief bill provides $350 billion …
In 2020, Congress passed five pieces of legislation allocating some $4 trillion for COVID-19 relief. As America’s public health and economic picture improves, it is bringing renewed attention to the nation’s fiscal situation. Here are five facts on the U.S. national debt: In 2020, the U.S. federal government ran a deficit of $3.1 trillion. The …
President Biden has already issued a flurry of executive orders and actions on various topics relating to the Coronavirus, immigration, racial and economic equity, and foreign policy. While the use of executive orders is commonplace for presidents, their origin and pattern of use have varied significantly throughout the past two centuries. Here are five facts …
Many Americans have probably never heard of the Senate parliamentarian. But this person is about to play an outsized role in the debate over COVID-19 relief. The looming $1.9 trillion COVID bill pushed by President Biden and congressional Democrats through a process called budget reconciliation will require rulings from the parliamentarian about whether certain policies …
Last week, the House and Senate moved ahead with a budget reconciliation process that could lead to passage of another COVID-19 relief deal. Here are five facts on the bills Congress has passed to date to address the health and economic consequences of the pandemic. 1. Since March 2020, Congress has passed five COVID-19 relief …
After weeks of wrangling, Senate party leaders Chuck Schumer and Mitch McConnell are close to a power sharing agreement for the 50-50 Senate that retains the legislative filibuster requiring 60 votes for the passage of most legislation. Here are five facts on the history and use of the filibuster. 1. The filibuster is not mentioned …
Last Wednesday, Joe Biden was inaugurated as the 46th president of the United States. Here are five facts on inaugurations. A president assumes the presidency after taking the oath of office. Enshrined in the Constitution, the oath reads, “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the …
