“Future-Proofing Congress” Catalogs Golden Age of Congressional Modernization and Provides Guidance on Strengthening the Legislative Branch
POPVOX Foundation Cites the Overturning of the Chevron Deference as Necessitating Expanded Congressional Capacity
POPVOX Foundation just published “Future-Proofing Congress: How Member-Led Upgrades Are Optimizing Legislative Branch Capacity and Resilience,” the definitive guide to understanding how Members of Congress from across the ideological spectrum have worked together since 2019 to improve how Congress functions. The interactive report:
summarizes recent advancements in the US House of Representatives to improve technological innovation, Congressional capacity, and constituent engagement;
describes enacted initiatives in detail — like the creation of House Digital Services, the new House HR Hub, new US Capitol ADA transit zones, and more in progress;
reviews the history of the former Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress (ModCom) and the work of the current Committee on House Administration Subcommittee on Modernization (ModSub); and
provides recommendations for Members of Congress to advance more institutional improvements across both chambers.
“The House of Representatives is in the midst of a golden age of modernization and renewal driven by Members from both parties who champion proactive, ongoing operational upgrades so Congress can keep pace with the innovation happening beyond the walls of the Capitol and nimbly adapt to the challenges of our times,” said Marci Harris, cofounder and executive director of POPVOX Foundation. “In the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision overturning the Chevron doctrine, Congress must capitalize on this capacity-building renaissance so it can exercise its Article One responsibilities.”
According to POPVOX Foundation’s report, future-proofing is about Congress’ ability to engage in an agile process of continuous improvement so it can make better policy, increase its effectiveness, and better meet the needs of constituents. “Future-Proofing Congress” also underscores the importance of recent reforms that have strengthened Capitol security and accessibility, as well as how revamped personnel policies are helping Congress better meet the needs and expectations of a 21st century workforce so it can retain its institutional knowledge.
During the 116th and 117th Congresses, the ModCom approved 202 recommendations — in a bipartisan and often unanimous fashion — to make the House more efficient, transparent, and responsive to the needs of its members and the public. Of those, more than sixty have been enacted, and the work continues with the ModSub under the leadership of Rep. Stephanie Bice [R, OK], and Rep. Derek Kilmer [D, WA] (who also chaired the ModCom).
This report describes how this prepared Congress to adjust its operations when the COVID pandemic hit, and it lays out how continuing the modernization movement will help Congress navigate future disruptions. Even without unexpected change, institutional capacity development is an imminent need:
Today, each Representative represents 761,169 constituents on average.
The Executive branch employs 2.97 million individuals across all federal agencies and the White House.
The Legislative branch, by comparison, has 31,000 employees of which only 18,500 work for a Member or Congressional committee directly.
POPVOX Foundation will update “Future-Proofing Congress” as new developments arise so it can be an evergreen resource on all things Congressional modernization. Its authors are Taylor J. Swift, director of government capacity and Aubrey Wilson, director of government innovation at POPVOX Foundation. POPVOX Foundation will also launch a new “Future-Proofing Congress” newsletter for Congressional staff focused on reporting on Hill-centric tech tools, professional development opportunities, and other improvements to make their jobs easier.
POPVOX Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with a mission to inform and empower people and make government work better for everyone. This includes reimagining the concept of civic infrastructure, and providing new ways for government to share information and engage the public, with an emphasis on diverse participation and rebuilding public trust.
