Center for American Progress

Four changes in the day-to-day work of Congress that could meaningfully improve governance.
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Four changes in the day-to-day work of Congress that could meaningfully improve governance.

In a symposium published by NOTUS, Ben Olinsky argues that members of Congress from both parties should be guaranteed a fair opportunity to offer amendments and receive votes on them.

Americans can agree on at least one thing: Congress has become dysfunctional. Yet they might be surprised to learn that a simple procedural change — restoring the ability to amend bills — could reverse that trend.

Throughout the 20th century, legislators in both parties could offer amendments on the floor and receive votes on them. This forced negotiation and compromise. To pass a bill, the majority had to engage with the minority’s ideas, debating and often incorporating them.

The above excerpt was originally published in NOTUS. Click here to view the full article.

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Author

Ben Olinsky

Senior Vice President, Structural Reform and Governance; Senior Fellow

Department

Structural Reform and Governance

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