Congress today is falling short. Fewer bills, worse oversight, and more dysfunction. But why? In a new volume of essays, the contributors investigate an underappreciated reason Congress is struggling: it doesn't have the internal capacity to do what our constitutional system requires of it. Leading scholars chronicle the institutional decline of Congress and the decades-long neglect of its own internal investments in the knowledge and expertise necessary to perform as a first-rate legislature. Today's legislators and congressional committees have fewer--and less expert and experienced--staff than the executive branch or K Street. This leaves them at the mercy of lobbyists and the administrative bureaucracy. The essays in Congress Overwhelmed assess Congress's declining capacity and explore ways to upgrade it. Some provide broad historical scope. Others evaluate the current decay and investigate how Congress manages despite the obstacles. Collectively, they undertake the most comprehensive, sophisticated appraisal of congressional capacity to date, and they offer a new analytical frame for thinking about--and improving--our underperforming first branch of government.

About the Author
Timothy M. LaPira is associate professor of political science at James Madison University. He is coauthor, with Herschel F. Thomas, of Revolving Door Lobbying. Lee Drutman is a senior fellow in the Political Reform Program at the New America Foundation think tank. He is the author of The Business of America Is Lobbying. Kevin R. Kosar is vice president of policy at the R Street Institute think tank in Washington, DC, where he directs its Alcohol Policy Program. He is the author of Moonshine and Whiskey, both published by Reaktion Books.

Reviews
"Congress Overwhelmed brings together a strong set of congressional scholars addressing some of the most important issues facing the institution today. It will appeal not just to other scholars but also to observers of Congress, such as members of the media, staffers, and anyone working in and around Capitol Hill. The book offers an honest assessment of existing congressional limitations and how Congress can become more productive and functional." -- Josh Ryan, Utah State University
"Congress Overwhelmed brings together the leading experts on Congress to address a critical issue facing American democracy: what can be done to ensure that Congress fulfills its role as a coequal branch in our political system? The volume provides a clear and compelling account of the many challenges facing today's Congress and offers valuable lessons for reformers seeking to improve the legislative branch's capacity." -- Eric Schikler, University of California, Berkeley
"The United States Congress is a dysfunctional institution. Congress falls short on just about every measure of its myriad responsibilities. But how is Congress broken and why? Moreover, what can be done about it? These are the critical questions that Congress Overwhelmed seeks to address." * Congress & the Presidency *



Book Information
ISBN 9780226702575
Author Timothy M Lapira
Format Paperback
Page Count 352
Imprint University of Chicago Press
Publisher The University of Chicago Press