U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood (R-IL) is leading the charge to establish a bipartisan and bicameral committee that would explore ways to reform Congress and alleviate dysfunction in order to restore the public’s confidence.
The legislation, H. Con. Res. 28, would establish a Joint Committee on the Organization of Congress, a legislative tool that was used successfully three times in the 20th century to improve congressional efficiency. It has been 25 years since the last joint committee convened.
“Congress must earn America’s trust back,” LaHood said. “At this pivotal time in our nation’s history, the legislative branch must function effectively to address the challenges we face. No matter how good our intentions, noble our cause, or hard we work, problems won’t be solved if the institution doesn’t function. There is a plethora of reform ideas, but there is not an official mechanism to motivate Congress to evaluate those recommendations holistically, transparently, and speedily.”
The Joint Committee on the Organization of Congress would be comprised of 24 members from the House and 24 members from the Senate. Democrats and Republicans would have equal representation on the committee.
“This bill is a simple first step towards addressing the dysfunction that the American people see and what we, as representatives, experience in Congress,” LaHood said. “Whether reform requires changes in law, like evaluating the budget process, changes in procedure such as committee structure or changes in the operation between the House, the Senate and the White House, we need to take a hard look at what systemic improvements are necessary to overcome gridlock, to govern effectively, and restore America’s confidence in our first branch of our government.”
LaHood introduced the bipartisan measure with U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-IL).
Mark Strand, president of the Congressional Institute, said the formation of a joint committee to reform Congress would be a positive step toward eliminating the gridlock and partisanship that has infected Congress. A joint committee could recommend reforms to the bill-making process, improve the budget process and revitalize the standing committees in the House and Senate so they function appropriately.