Jonathan Bydlak Named Director of R Street Institute’s Governance Program
WASHINGTON (March 8, 2021)—The R Street Institute promoted Jonathan Bydlak today to director of the organization’s Governance program. Bydlak previously served in an interim capacity for the department.
Over the last few months, Bydlak worked aggressively to expand the budget of the department and build out a new focus on electoral reform, and to increase the department’s congressional expertise and relationships with Capitol Hill further, including by hiring budget policy expert Nan Swift from the Senate Budget Committee.
“Jonathan brings substantial expertise in the many areas of our Governance program and has established himself as a respected thought leader on budget and fiscal issues. His respect across the political aisle is critical and I look forward to seeing the realization of his strategic vision in the months and years ahead,” said Eli Lehrer, president of the R Street Institute. “The Governance program is a critical area of study for R Street and we will continue to expand our efforts as the program continues to grow.”
“If there’s one thing the last few months have made obvious, it’s that there is nothing more important than addressing the systemic problems that plague our system of government,” said Bydlak. “Advancing realistic solutions to our nation’s governance issues is critical at the moment, and I’m thrilled to continue working alongside so many across the aisle to improve our system of governance. We have an incredible team, and I’m excited for what we will accomplish in the months and years to come.”
Bydlak is the former head of the Institute for Spending Reform, which he founded to raise awareness of fiscal and budgetary issues. His work at R Street has been featured in publications ranging from The Washington Post to Politico and Roll Call to the Washington Examiner. He is also the creator of SpendingTracker.org, which tracks the fiscal records of all 535 members of Congress, and a co-founder of the Power of the Purse coalition, which aims to restore balance between the legislative and executive branches over tax and spending issues.
Bydlak holds an A.B. in economics with minors in finance and political economy from Princeton University. He previously worked at Bridgewater Associates and oversaw Ron Paul’s 2008 presidential fundraising operation.
