Kevin R. Kosar

House GOP shuts down Democrats’ oversight of Trump
House GOP shuts down Democrats’ oversight of Trump

House Republicans recently sank numerous Democratic efforts to investigate President Donald Trump’s administration, but anyone who is not a close watcher of Congress would ...

May 12, 2025
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Congress and regulation: How to bolster legislative oversight capacity
Congress and regulation: How to bolster legislative oversight capacity

The Constitution designates Congress as the lawmaking institution in our federal government. Yet, an enormous amount of lawmaking gets done ...

May 6, 2025
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Video: Congress: Legislation vs. Regulation 
Video: Congress: Legislation vs. Regulation 

On April 14, 2025, the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) released this educational video. The Constitution designates Congress as the primary ...

April 18, 2025
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Can Congress Keep Up with President Trump?
Can Congress Keep Up with President Trump?

Near the outset of Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There, Lewis Carroll’s sequel to Alice in Wonderland, Alice ...

April 14, 2025
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Congressional republicans aim to nix Biden regulations. But enduring regulatory reform requires a new law
Congressional republicans aim to nix Biden regulations. But enduring regulatory reform requires a new law

Late in March, Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives turned their energies to appliances. They passed two resolutions to strike down energy ...

April 11, 2025
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Jay Cost, How Congress Lost, Part VI: Madison, Monroe, and the Republican Presidency
Jay Cost, How Congress Lost, Part VI: Madison, Monroe, and the Republican Presidency

Jay Cost, How Congress Lost, Part VI: Madison, Monroe, and the Republican Presidency, American Enterprise Institute, March 2025. Jay Cost reminds ...

March 28, 2025
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Lawmakers Try to Stop the Hundreds of Billions in Fraudulent and Improper Spending
Lawmakers Try to Stop the Hundreds of Billions in Fraudulent and Improper Spending

Last year, the U.S. government made at least $162 billion in improper payments, according to a nonpartisan government watchdog. Kristin Kociolek of ...

March 21, 2025
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The Reconciliation Process: Frequently Asked Questions
The Reconciliation Process: Frequently Asked Questions

Congressional Research Service, The Reconciliation Process: Frequently Asked Questions, report R48444, Congressional Research Service, March 6. 2025. CRS The Reconciliation Process ...

March 10, 2025
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How Congress Lost, Part V: Politics and Presidential Power Under Adams and Jefferson, 1797-1809
How Congress Lost, Part V: Politics and Presidential Power Under Adams and Jefferson, 1797-1809

Jay Cost, How Congress Lost, Part V: Politics and Presidential Power Under Adams and Jefferson, 1797-1809, American Enterprise Institute, February ...

February 25, 2025
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Where can I find the rules of the House of Representatives?
Where can I find the rules of the House of Representatives?

You cannot really understand the House of Representatives without some familiarity with its rules. They affect everything---who acts as leaders, ...

February 7, 2025
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House Leadership Structure: Overview of Party Organization
House Leadership Structure: Overview of Party Organization

Congressional Research Service, House Leadership Structure: Overview of Party Organization, Congressional Research Service, report RS20930, July 10, 2003. Congressional Research Service ...

February 2, 2025
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Executive Actions Will Only Take Trump So Far
Executive Actions Will Only Take Trump So Far

Sen. Katie Boyd Britt (R-AL) recently took to X.com to celebrate the Immigration and Customs Officials arrests of more than ...

January 31, 2025
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The Federal Budget: Serious Issues and Unserious Politics
The Federal Budget: Serious Issues and Unserious Politics

Annual deficits make for growing deficits. Source: Wikipedia. There are serious issues with America’s federal budget. Very serious issues. Where to begin? Let ...

January 10, 2025
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Event: The Woebegone 118th Congress—and What to Expect for the 119th
Event: The Woebegone 118th Congress—and What to Expect for the 119th

Source: Philip Wallach. The 118th Congress was historically unproductive. In some ways, though, it was one for the history books, featuring ...

January 8, 2025
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House committee tries to rein in a VA loan program
House committee tries to rein in a VA loan program

The House Committee on Veterans Affairs met recently to discuss the topic of regulation and to pick a bone with ...

January 3, 2025
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There is no substitute for Congress legislating
There is no substitute for Congress legislating

The author observes in his written testimony before the House Committee on Veterans Affairs that when agencies issue regulations that ...

December 23, 2024
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Trump-picked federal budget-cutters Musk and Ramaswamy face challenge of challenge of convincing lawmakers
Trump-picked federal budget-cutters Musk and Ramaswamy face challenge of challenge of convincing lawmakers

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has been much in the news since its creation was announced in mid-November by ...

December 6, 2024
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McConnell leaves Senate leadership legacy pleasing to conservatives
McConnell leaves Senate leadership legacy pleasing to conservatives

The day after the election, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) stood before assembled reporters. “Good morning, everyone,” he said with a slight smile ...

November 16, 2024
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Event: Can we revive the Senate?
Event: Can we revive the Senate?

The Senate did not pass a budget resolution in spring of 2024, nor did it enact any of the dozen ...

November 8, 2024
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How one congressional staffer made a difference
How one congressional staffer made a difference

Buy it. It is not easy being a staffer on Capitol Hill. No, the work is not road paving or ditch ...

November 4, 2024
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