Government Reform

The President and Constitutional Violations: Will the Federal Courts Contain the President’s Power Grabs?

It is up to the U.S. Supreme Court to do its duty to uphold constitutional checks and balances on President Donald Trump’s efforts to expand his powers beyond what the U.S. Constitution allows.

Reconciliation Provision Would Let Executive Branch Dismantle Nonprofits Under Pretext of Fighting Terrorism

The House’s tax portion of the reconciliation bill would give unprecedented power to the executive branch and allow it to unilaterally designate nonprofits as “terrorist supporting organizations,” possibly silencing them overnight.

Trump’s First 100 Days: Creating an Imperial Presidency That Harms Americans

President Donald Trump is smashing constitutional and legal guardrails to build an authoritarian presidency that cements his political power and ultimately harms Americans.

Trump’s Unlawful Removal of Independent Agency Leaders Threatens Hard-Won Protections

Join the Center for American Progress for a panel discussion about the vital role that independent agencies play in protecting Americans.

How Congress Can End Trump’s Trade War

Congress should focus on actions that immediately end the harm the Trump administration is imposing on American workers, businesses, and consumers.

DOGE Cuts by City, State, and Congressional District

Find out how the Trump administration’s DOGE cuts to grants and federal real estate are affecting your community.

How Democracies Defend Themselves Against Authoritarianism

Democracies facing authoritarian threats from within have found ways to push back by strengthening institutions, reinforcing democratic norms, and building popular resistance against encroaching autocracy. Understanding these strategies is vital to learning how to fight back.

Andrew Miller: Radically downsizing the government will only hurt the public

Andrew Miller writes in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette about why American civil servants deserve respect.

Trial Court Appears Skeptical of Trump Interpretation of Humphrey’s Executor

The judge in Wilcox v. Trump seems sympathetic toward the NLRB board member in a case that could reshape independent agencies’ ability to protect Americans.

What Is Humphrey’s Executor and Why Should You Care About It?

The Supreme Court case Humphrey’s Executor v. United States properly insulates independent agencies from undue presidential influence as they help protect Americans’ health, safety, and prosperity.

What To Read Before Donald Trump’s 2025 Address to Congress

The Trump administration’s implementation of the harmful Project 2025 agenda, the unconstitutional dismantling of critical federal agencies, and a forthcoming budget reconciliation battle will serve as key messaging pillars in the president’s address to Congress on March 4.

The Freedom To Vote: The Power of Casting a Ballot

Stephanie Hicks’ story of re-enfranchisement in Alabama speaks to how the lives of more than 3 million disenfranchised Americans could be transformed.

The Freedom To Vote: The Pride and Empowerment That Come With the Right To Vote

Ronald McKeithen’s story of re-enfranchisement in Alabama speaks to how the lives of more than 3 million disenfranchised Americans could be transformed.

The Freedom to Vote: How Re-enfranchisement Would Strengthen Democracy

Timothy Lanier’s story of disenfranchisement in Alabama speaks to the reality of the more than 3 million Americans who are denied their right to vote.

Project 2025 Would Destroy the U.S. System of Checks and Balances and Create an Imperial Presidency

Far-right extremists have a plan to shatter democracy’s guardrails, giving presidents almost unlimited power to implement policies that will hurt everyday Americans and strip them of fundamental rights.

A Roadmap To Ensure All Americans Are Effectively Represented by Their Government

A commonsense and bold set of reforms can build a strong democracy for the 21st century and a government that is responsive to everyday people.

Democracies Deliver Better Economic Opportunities, Rights, and Health for Their People

7 Reasons Americans Should Care About Their Democracy

Core shared values are foundational to a strong American democracy that reflects the will of the people.

Government Is Failing Many Americans, But Rejecting Democracy Is Not the Answer

The solution to an unresponsive democracy is not replacing it with autocracy, but instead building a stronger system answerable to the people.

An American Democracy Built for the People: Why Democracy Matters and How To Make It Work for the 21st Century

Although democracy is failing to meet the needs of many Americans, it is far preferable to an autocratic system, and it can be modernized with a compelling set of reforms.

Reforming Elections for a Better Democracy: Alaska as a Case Study

This video about Alaska’s “Final Four” election system brings together Alaskan legislative leaders from across the aisle to discuss how this system works and early results indicating this reform can create a more representative democracy, decrease polarization, and help incentivize consensus building and more bipartisan governing.

CAP Comment to NIST Advocates for Artificial Intelligence Mitigation To Include Third-Party Deployment

The Center for American Progress submitted a response to the National Institute for Science and Technology’s plan for mitigating the misuse of artificial intelligence.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics Must Be Adequately Funded To Preserve Economic Data and Improve Americans’ Financial Security

Accurate U.S. Census Bureau data are essential to understanding how Americans are doing financially; a lack of proper investment puts it at risk.

We can mend our national division

In an op-ed published by The Baltimore Sun, Michael Sozan, Cissy Jackson, and the Cato Institute’s Walter Olson offer guidance on how to turn down the temperature in this fraught political moment.

Project 2025 Will Undermine America’s National Security

The far-right policy proposals in Project 2025 will fundamentally undermine the national and economic security of the United States, benefiting its adversaries and making all Americans less safe.

Trump v. United States: A Foundation for Authoritarian Actions an American President Can Now Commit with Impunity

The majority of the Supreme Court granted presidents an unprecedented amount of power, with far-reaching consequences for the American system of government and democracy itself.

Despite Defying His Own Lawful Subpoena, Rep. Jim Jordan Has Issued At Least 91 Subpoenas to Others

Accountability is needed for Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), who has created an antidemocratic, two-tiered system of justice as chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.

Combining Ethics and Term Limits Strengthens Efforts To Rein in a Supreme Court Run Amok

Supreme Court decisions undermining the rule of law and weakening constitutional checks and balances exemplify the need for term limits for justices, a binding code of ethics, and additional reforms to rein in an out-of-control judiciary.

Why the crypto industry doesn’t want to be regulated by the SEC

In an op-ed published in The Hill, Alexandra Thornton explains why the crypto industry is pushing so hard to be regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

Project 2025 Compels Local Prosecutors To Enforce Extreme Right-Wing Laws

Project 2025 seeks to impose a right-wing policy agenda by threatening federal legal action against local officials who refuse to enforce abortion bans.

Project 2025: The Plan To Seize Power by Gutting America’s System of Checks and Balances

Project 2025—and the budget plans it has spawned—would erode Americans’ personal freedoms and harm the middle class, starting by consolidating power in the presidency just as authoritarian governments have done in other countries around the world.

CAP Authors Letter Addressing Public Interest Research in the American Privacy Rights Act

The Center for American Progress authored a letter to Congress about improving researcher access in the American Privacy Rights Act federal data privacy bill.

How the Racist History of the Filibuster Lives on Today

By blocking the passage of the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, the filibuster continues its long history as an institutional tool used to oppress Black and brown Americans.

CAP Joined by Gun Violence Victim Advocates To Comment on OVC’s Proposed Rules on Victim Compensation Grant Program

The Center for American Progress, along with 47 organizations, submitted a comment letter advocating on behalf of victims to the U.S. Office for Victims of Crime on the agency’s proposal to replace the existing Victim Compensation Grant Program guidelines and clarify program requirements.

Companies will soon have to disclose how they’re managing climate-related risk. That’s good news for stock investors.

Alexandra Thornton writes in MarketWatch about why a new climate disclosure rule from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is good news for stock investors.

CAP Comment Recommends Key Risk Mitigation Strategies for NIST’s Generative AI Companion Resource

The Center for American Progress submitted comments to the National Institute of Standards and Technology recommending strategies to identify and mitigate harms from generative artificial intelligence.