Extension of the House Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress
We write to express our support for the extension of the House Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress through the second session of the 116th Congress.
We are a diverse mix of individuals and organizations with decades of experience in congressional operations, procedure, technology, and public policy. We thank you both for your leadership in creating the Select Committee, which had the support of an overwhelming majority of legislators on both sides of the aisle. We strongly urge you to extend the Select Committee’s mandate for one additional year, so that it may continue its important work to drive the conversation on modernizing and improving our first branch of government.
The Select Committee, in fulfilling its mandate to study and report on reforms that would promote a more modern and efficient Congress, has made significant progress within a short span of time. It has held a dozen hearings and produced 29 unanimous, bipartisan recommendations to improve House technology, transparency, staff diversity and retention, accessibility and constituent engagement. In doing so, the Select Committee has reinforced and added to the already significant steps taken by the Committees on Rules, House Administration, and Appropriations to improve the institution.
These efforts to modernize Congress are an excellent start, but more work is needed to ensure a responsive, modern and accountable legislature. While other institutional challenges may dominate the headlines, the Select Committee is well-positioned to drive reforms that will benefit Congress and the American people into the future. Moreover, our interactions with dozens of members on both sides of the aisle indicate a wide spectrum of the House supports and is encouraged by the Committee’s work.
We thank you for your leadership and urge bipartisan agreement to extend the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress.
Sincerely,
American Library Association
Bipartisan Policy Center Action
College to Congress
Congressional Management Foundation
Data Coalition
Demand Progress
Democracy Fund Voice
Lee Drutman, Senior Fellow, New America*
FreedomWorks
GovTrack.us
Government Accountability Project
Marci Harris, CEO and Cofounder, POPVOX*
Issue One
The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies
Lorelei Kelly, Fellow, Beeck Center for Social Impact + Innovation at Georgetown University*
Leadership Now Project
Lincoln Network
NALEO Educational Fund
Partnership for Public Service
Protect Democracy
Public Citizen
R Street Institute
Rebuild Congress Initiative
Senior Executives Association
Mark Strand, President, Congressional Institute*
*Affiliation listed for identification purposes only.
cc: Hon. Steny Hoyer, House Majority Leader
Hon. Steve Scalise, House Minority Whip
Hon. Zoe Lofgren, Chairperson, Committee on House Administration
Hon. Rodney Davis, Ranking Member, Committee on House Administration
Hon. Nita Lowey, Chairwoman, House Committee on Appropriations
Hon. Kay Granger, Ranking Member, House Committee on Appropriations
Hon. Jim McGovern, Chairman, House Committee on Rules
Hon. Tom Cole, Ranking Member, House Committee on Rules
Hon. Derek Kilmer, Chair, Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress
Hon. Tom Graves, Vice Chair, Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress
