Category Archives: legislation and legislatures
“As Gridlock Deepens in Congress, Only Gloom Is Bipartisan”
“California must elect 12,000 people to end ‘corruption,’ candidate for governor says”
SacBee:
John Cox, a Republican running for governor, has a radical plan to shake up politics in California. He’s explaining it to everybody who will listen.
Running on the slogan “Clean Out the Barn,” a pastoral-themed variation of President Donald… Continue reading
“The House-Senate Tax Conference: A Byrd’s Eye View”
Technical but important post from Daniel Hemel and Ellen Aprill.
“Menendez could remain in Senate even if he’s convicted”
Politico:
But expelling Menendez — even if he is convicted of a felony — might not be that easy.
Republicans need a two-thirds majority in the Senate to agree to expel a member, which means they would need Democratic votes.… Continue reading
McConnell’s Spokesperson Backpedals on McConnell Killing Blue Slips for Judges
Following up on this post, HuffPost reports:
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) will continue to honor the blue slip rule ― an arcane but hugely consequential Senate tradition that lets lawmakers block a president’s judicial nominees from their… Continue reading
Sen. McConnell Says He’s Killing Blue Slips for Judicial Nominees, with Potential to Shift Federal Appeals Courts to Far Right
Weekly Standard:
No longer will “blue slips” be allowed to deny a nominee a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing and vote on confirmation. In the past, senators have sometimes barred a nominee from their state by refusing to return their slip… Continue reading
“Menendez Is Denied Reprieve From Corruption Trial to Cast Senate Votes”
NYT:
When the 115th Congress returns to Washington on Sept. 5, Senator Robert Menendez will likely be absent: His federal corruption trial is set to begin here the following day.
But when the Senate moves to vote on major bills… Continue reading
The End of the Blue Slip Looks Like It’s Coming for Circuit Court Nominees
This is expected, and it will mean a big shift in the courts to the right.
“While Trump tweets about seemingly irrelevant stuff, his team is fundamentally reshaping US health, safety, environmental rules.”
Key Eric Lipton thread on twitter.
“AALS Call for Papers: “New Voices in Legislation””
Announcement via email:
AALS Call for Papers: “New Voices in Legislation”
AALS 2018 Annual Meeting
The AALS Section on Legislation & Law of the Political Process is pleased to announce that it will host a “New Voices in Legislation” program… Continue reading
“Why American Democracy Is Broken, and How to Fix It”
Jeet Heer in TNR:
Richard Hasen, a law professor at the University of California, wondered in a 2013 article whether this called for drastic measures: “The partisanship of our political branches and the mismatch with our structure of government raise… Continue reading
“Due Process of Lawmaking and the Obamacare Repeal”
Abbe Gluck:
So what will they do instead? Instead of having the hard debate about what a health care system really is supposed to do for its citizens (this is the debate about the tension between solidarity and “every man… Continue reading
“Tracking Congress’s Library of Secret Law: Legislative Update for the 114th and 115th Congresses”
Dakota Rudesill:
This week, three national security committees are “marking up” drafts of their annual bills. Based on the early drafts (the “Chairman’s marks”), this year will likely see Congress continuing to write Public Law provisions creating secret… Continue reading