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Internal Operations
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House Committees on Rules and Administration |
No legislation required. |
Committee-Only Time
Floor time is a major competitor for committee work, often with votes and roll calls interrupting hearings and members dashing in and out. That makes it hard for members to take a deep dive into the issues before the committee and exacerbates the tendency of hearings to devolve into competing soundbites rather than substantive fact-finding. Dedicating certain weeks or days of the work-week for committee-only work could limit distractions and interruptions.
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House Committees on Rules and Administration |
No legislation required. |
Reduce Travel Days
Partial work days and disjointed work weeks all mean more travel for members. Time in the air or on the road is time members aren't spending at work either in their districts or in D.C. Reorganizing the calendar to maximize the time members have while they are in Washington and limiting the constant back and forth could help members be more productive - and better rested.
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Committee on House Administration |
No legislation required. |
Unified Committee Calendar
A common online portal for scheduling committee activities - one that tracks and cross-checks the availability of members' obligations to all committees - could help avoid scheduling conflicts.
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Committee on House Administration |
No legislation required. |
Standardized Continuity of Operations Plans
The ongoing pandemic and national security threats has brought to light the need for standardized continuity of operations plans for all member offices, both on the Hill and back in districts. It should be clear to employees how work will go forward when there is an interruption or emergency. Apart from some customization, the plans should be similar office-to-office to prevent confusion and potentially contradictory instructions, particularly at a time of high stress. Telework, emergency communications, call forwarding and other basic tools should all be covered under these new policies.
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Committee on House Administration |
No legislation required. |
Comprehensive Bipartisan Telework Policies for Committees
Due to the nature of committee work, separate detailed policies for telework and remote hearings should be established on a bipartisan basis to maintain uniform practices across the entire staff. This should include policies on everything from data retention, to external communications with agencies, to the possibility of remote voting and hearings. This way committees can maintain their important oversight roles - which are even more essential during times of emergencies - uninterrupted.
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House Committee on Rules |
No legislation required. |
Continue Electronic Submission of Committee Reports
In response to the coronavirus pandemic, the House experimented with the option to have committee reports submitted to the House clerk electronically. As there have been no problems with this change, it should be made permanent regardless of whether the committee is working remotely or on-site.
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House Committees on Rules and House Administration |
No legislation required. |
Permit Use of Digital Signatures
Even when many staff and members aren't working remotely, getting cosponsor signatures on (or off) bills, and signatures on numerous other legislative minutae, such as constituent communications, is a clunky process at best. Creating an online portal to gather electronic signatures and designating a staff member who can use the digital signature would make this process more effecient and less burdensome.
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House Committee on Rules |
No legislation required |
Post-Pandemic Task Force and Study
It's important to seek out lessons learned during the extraordinary challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. A bipartisan, bicameral task force should investigate how Congress responded, particularly regarding the continuity of Congress. A study on House operations would also help evaluate how new practices are working and whether they should be kept or shelved.
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Committee on House Administration |
No legislation required. |
Blocked Scheduling for Committee Work
It can be difficult for Members to meet all their committee and subcommittee obligations, often due to overlapping schedules. That means Members are missing out on important information at hearings, and critical steps in the legislative process. Some states have already demonstrated that blocked scheduling for committees - specific chunks of time set aside for what committees can meet when - can resolve a lot of this frustration.
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Committee on House Administration |
No legislation required. |
Schedule Time for Bipartisan Member Retreat
Members - old and new - have a full slate at the start of each Congress. However, in order to improve bipartisan cooperation and relationships, it's essential that the Congressional Calendar make time for a bipartisan member retreat. Time is precious, and this is an investment that will pay off in the halls of Congress in myriad ways.
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Committee-Only Time 
