R Street Institute

Real Solutions

Does Congress have the capacity it needs to conduct oversight?

May 24, 2017
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issues: Federal Government Affairs, Restoring the First Branch
Envisioned by the founders as the “first” branch of government, Congress has the responsibility of overseeing and managing the other two arms of our constitutional system. And yet, as the executive branch has grown in power and prestige, Congress has increasingly lost its authority.

What resources does Congress currently employ when overseeing federal agencies? Which current resources are well-used; which are under-utilized? What additional tools and resources does Congress need to engage in truly effective oversight? The Legislative Branch Capacity Working Group recently hosted a panel on these questions, moderated by R Street’s Kevin Kosar and featuring Morton Rosenberg of The Constitution Project and Justin Rood of the Project on Government Oversight. Video of the panel is embedded below:

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