In episode 2 of the Federal Society’s Necessary & Proper podcast, the R Street Institute’s Kevin Kosar discusses the Congressional Research Service, a nonpartisan government think tank in the Library of Congress. CRS assists Congress in lawmaking and oversight, and lamentably Congress has downsized the agency. CRS also has struggled to adapt to the hyper-partisan, Internet-connected Hill environment.
The full episode is embedded below:
Featured Publications
Trump’s Plan to Cap Credit Card Interest Rates Won’t Fix Affordability Issues
Caroline Melear
Jan 13, 2026
R Street’s 2026 Insurance Agenda: Look Back, Look Ahead
Jerry Theodorou
Jan 12, 2026
Common Sense in 1776 and 2026
Jonathan Madison
Jan 10, 2026
Real Solutions Energy and Environment, Federal Government Affairs, Fossil Fuels, Low-Energy Fridays
Low-Energy Fridays: How will the capture of Venezuela’s Maduro impact energy markets?
Philip Rossetti
Jan 9, 2026





