Rebecca Kysar has posted this draft on SSRN (forthcoming, U, Pa. L. Rev.). Here is the abstract: To overcome congressional gridlock, lawmakers have developed devices that, under certain conditions, provide easier paths to policy change. Procedural mechanisms may eliminate the… Continue reading

New data analysis in The Upshot.

After a vote on a tax treaty with Japan, Vermont’s only Democratic Senator ever is now one of four Senators in history to reach the 16,000-vote plateau.

See Lavergne v. U.S. House of Representatives. See my earlier coverage: Litigating to a Larger House of Representatives Based on a Secretly Ratified Constitutional Amendment?

James D’Angelo and Brent Ranalliwrite in Foreign Affairs.

Politico: Senate Republicans used the “nuclear option” Wednesday to unilaterally reduce debate time on most presidential nominees, the latest in a series of changes to the fabric of the Senate to dilute the power of the minority.The move by… Continue reading

USA Today: Each year, state lawmakers across the U.S. introduce thousands of bills dreamed up and written by corporations, industry groups and think tanks.Disguised as the work of lawmakers, these so-called “model” bills get copied in one state Capitol… Continue reading

Carl Hulse NYT column:  Members of Congress like to say that governing is not a game, but they are increasingly playing round after round of gotcha.As a watershed election looms next year and little of real significance is happening on… Continue reading