Graham-Cassidy Promises States More Flexibility; Leaves Washington Fully in Charge of Americans' Health Care
The limited amount of federalism in the Graham-Cassidy bill would come only with the expressed permission of the federal government.
Congress
Congress Does Not Want Its War Power
A Senate vote shows that even Trump critics are happy to let the president use the military as he pleases.
Congress to Trump: Reform Surveillance Authorities or Lose Them
FBI, Intel want broad snooping powers to stay intact. That may not be an option.
Yes, Licensing Boards Are Cartels
The case for why Congress should get involved.
House Rules Committee Blocks Amendment Protecting Medical Marijuana
The rider could still be renewed if a conference committee decides to put it in the final bill.
Instead of Filling Vacancies, Congress Should Abolish the NLRB
The NLRB's "arbitrary and capricious" decision-making no longer represents the interests of the public. It's been politicized to the point of no return.
Hurricane Harvey and the National Flood Insurance Fiasco
Don't build in flood plains, and especially don't rebuild in flood plains
Why Trump's Wall Is Not Going to Happen
Plenty of GOP members would rather put Barack Obama on Mount Rushmore than underwrite this addled project.
Anti-Interventionists in Congress Respond to Trump's Afghanistan Strategy
Amid efforts to get Congress to vote on a new Authorization for Use of Military Force
Canadians Can Eat Genetically Enhanced Salmon; Americans Can't
Because Congress requires the FDA to come up with a "frankenfish" labeling scheme
Trump Launches a Suicidal War on His Own Party
Instead of striving to ingratiate himself with those who hold his fate in their hands, the president seems determined to antagonize them.
Unconstitutional State Food, Agriculture Crackdowns Spur Congress to Act
States like Massachusetts attempt to control how farms outside their borders operate.
Trump Needs Congressional Authorization for Pre-Emptive Strike on North Korea
But Congress has to assert its role if that's to mean anything.
Regular Cars Didn't Need Federal Regulation; Neither Do Driverless Vehicles
New federal legislation is more likely to hinder rather than help the development of autonomous vehicles.
Lawmakers Demand Sessions Investigate Backpage's 'Criminal Role in Sex Trafficking' in Wake of Misleading Washington Post Article
Post says Backpage hired a contractor that catfished on foreign competitors' sites.
Congress Wants to Make It Harder for Trump to Pursue Peace, Easy as Ever for Trump to Pursue War
Congress limiting president's power to loosen sanctions, but not to pursue military adventurism.
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
Senate Republicans Aim to Block New Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Rule
It's the latest effort to use the Congressional Review Act to assert the authority of elected lawmakers over appointed bureaucrats.
Open the Yucca Mountain Nuclear Waste Repository
The Washington Post is right: "Put Yucca Mountain to work. The nation needs it."
GOP Pushes Bad, Punitive Anti-Federalist Immigration Bills Through the House
Rep. Justin Amash breaks from party and rejects both bills, citing constitutional violations.
Airport Scrutiny to Get Worse as House Moves to Mandate Sex-Trafficking Training
FAA reauthorization bill would require airline ticket-counter and gate agents to be trained on reporting "potential human trafficking victims."
Democrats Accuse Republicans of Mass Murder
The argument carries a powerful emotional charge but it isn't a particularly constructive or clear-minded way to think or talk about writing laws.
The Illusory Savings From Cutting Medicaid
Congressional Republicans promise to achieve greater frugality in Medicaid without inflicting more hardship. It's not gonna happen.
Politicians Choosing Their Voters vs. Voters Choosing Their Politicians
The Supreme Court to decide if gerrymandering is unconstitutional
Cindy McCain: Crony Philanthropist
From pill theft to cozying up to authoritarians, Trump's pick for U.S. ambassador on human rights has a long history of abusing the system.
Freedom Caucus Conservatives Break from Trump, Want More Surveillance Reform
Some legislators want more privacy protections from unwarranted snooping of U.S. citizens.
Congress Wants to Let Cops Wiretap Sex Workers, the CDC Study Them, and Homeland Security Screen Them
A batch of frightening new bills take aim at all sorts of civil liberties under the guise of stopping sexual exploitation.
The Financial Choice Act Doesn't Repeal Dodd-Frank, but It's Still a Big Deal
The House approved the bill with a party line vote on Thursday, but it's prospects are dim in the Senate.
Will Congress Finally Pass 'Audit the Fed' Legislation?
The Federal Reserve Transparency Act would not politicize the Fed, but will provide Congress with more information.
The New Book Alyssa Milano Thinks Every Congressman Should Read [Reason Podcast]
Katherine Mangu-Ward interviews Cornell Law's Josh Chafetz about his new book, Congress's Constitution
The Battle of Budget Ideas Rages On
The 2018 federal budget suggests small but necessary reforms.
House Overwhelmingly Supports Bill Subjecting Teen Sexters to 15 Years in Federal Prison
The bill was requested by the Department of Justice after federal prosecutors bungled a child exploitation case.
Trump's Repeal of a Welfare Drug-Testing Regulation Backfires (Thankfully)
Arguably the most questionable of the 14 new Congressional Review Act regulatory repeals may have the unintended consequence of limiting states' ability to drug-test those seeking unemployment benefits.
New CBO Report Says House-Passed Health Care Plan Would Leave 23 Million More Uninsured, Cut $119 Billion Off Federal Deficit
It would leave slightly fewer people without insurance coverage than under the original version of the bill, but would trim less from the federal deficit.
These Republican Lawmakers Will Happily Abandon Federalism to Deport More Immigrants
Bill would keep states and cities from restraining police cooperation.
How To Impeach the President (Or Not)
It's more complicated than you think and one method involves a constitutional amendment invoked when presidents get colonscopies.
Rand Paul: Budget Deal Should Be Renamed 'The Status Quo Protection Act'
Libertarian-leaners are lonely voices on Capitol Hill opposing the latest bipartisan spending spree
Trump's Mixed Messages on North Korea Show Importance of Congress' Role in War Making
Checks and balances are there for a reason.
Democrats Push for National Ban on LGBT Conversion Therapy
Should Congress be allowed to forbid a private voluntary treatment because it's bad and discredited?
New College Crime Bill Deputizes Professors as Campus Security, Further Federalizes Campus Rape Investigations, and Adds Huge Fines for Schools That Don't Comply
The bipartisan Campus Accountability and Safety Act could cost colleges millions for failure to follow complex and costly new sexual-misconduct policies.
Why Disgraced Congressman Trey Radel Went Crazy (And America Will Too)
Democrazy, his new memoir, explores the hidden side of Washington, D.C. where it's all about money, power, and...finger food.
Proposed Tweak to Internet Law Could Spur Seismic Shifts in Web as We Know It
A bill related to sex trafficking and Section 230 could have far-reaching consequences for web content, publishers, and apps.
Turns Out Congressional Republicans Don't Really Want to Cut Spending
GOP politicians admit that President Trump's draconian cuts to the regulatory state aren't going to happen.
This Former Congressman Is Against the War on Drugs
Trey Radel explains why he's not "just another tea party asswipe who got busted for drugs and voted to drug test food stamp recipients."
Will the Prospect of Taking Trump Down Ruin Chances for Surveillance Reform?
Privacy concerns that are worth debating get sucked into White House fight.
Congress' Libertarianish Members Might Sink the GOP Obamacare Replacement
"I think there are going to be some very confusing votes in here," Rep. Thomas Massie predicted in January. Here's how we got from there to here.
