Statement on House “ModCom” recommendations to strengthen Legislative Branch capacity and effectiveness through collaboration, expertise, technology and data
We congratulate Chair Kilmer, Vice Chair Timmons, and all of the Members of the House Select Committee on Modernization on the approval of new recommendations to strengthen Legislative Branch capacity and effectiveness through collaboration, expertise, technology and data.
We especially note the recommendation to establish a bipartisan, bicameral Commission on Evidence-Based Policymaking to encourage and facilitate better use of data in the legislative process and recommendations clarifying legislative support agencies’ need to access federal data to advise legislators and facilitate oversight. Additional work in this area is essential to addressing the “pacing problem” whereby Congress lags the private sector — and the executive branch — in making use of updated technology and analysis to increase the accuracy and effectiveness of its work. These recommendations are an important first step in what must be a long-term commitment by the institution to fundamentally upgrade the legislative process to meet the challenges of our ever-changing world.
The ModCom continues to provide a welcome oasis of bipartisan comity and institutional foresight. These recommendations — if embraced by the committees of jurisdiction and relevant agencies — have the potential to substantively improve the institution and the quality and effectiveness of the work of the People’s House for decades to come. We commend the committee and its dedicated staff for this exceptional work.
— Marci Harris, Co-founder, POPVOX Foundation