About “Gavel In”
Gavel In Season 1 was produced in support of the 119th Congressional Freshman Class and is back for Season 2 in fall 2026. Listen to Season 1 here.
“Gavel In” is a limited-run explainer podcast series to mentor new Members Elect of the incoming Congress, their staff, and families, to help them prepare for the whirlwind of establishing their new offices, teams and roles in our nation’s capital.
It augments the House of Representatives’ official New Member Orientation and breaks down complex topics in short, easy-to-understand lessons on House Floor operations, office structure and hiring, budgeting, technology, security, ethics, and also the intricacies of parliamentary procedure, rules, and how a bill becomes a law.
Cohosted by POPVOX Foundation’s Managing Director Aubrey Wilson, “Gavel In” is a nonpartisan resource to demystify the experience of working in Congress.
Episode topics from Season 1 included:
Government 101 Refresher
Standing up your office; hiring and managing staff
How committees work and how to be an effective committee member
Congressional procedures and rules
Understanding your office budget (the Member Representational Allowance)
Working with and overseeing federal agencies
Constituent engagement
Building relationships and rapport within the chamber
“I wish I knew then that I know now” from former Members of Congress
Leveraging emerging technologies to improve efficiency and capacity
“Gavel In” Season 2 builds on these topics and more, supporting incoming Members and their families with lessons learned by both current Freshmen and departing Members.
Season 2
In Session with Jeff Hurd
Rep. Jeff Hurd [R, CO] joins Gavel In to share what he's learned in his first year on the Hill: from managing a fragmented schedule and building a cohesive team, to redefining what success in Congress actually looks like. Spoiler: it's a lot more than how many bills you pass (although as a Freshman, Rep. Hurd has been successful according to that metric regardless).
ListenIn Session with Dave Min
Rep. Dave Min [D, CA] brings a mix of perspectives to Capitol Hill as a former SEC attorney, US Senate staffer, think tank scholar, and law professor. In this episode, he opens up about the frenetic pace of Congress, balancing family life across time zones, building bipartisan relationships, and what it has been like for him to pursue his policy agenda while serving in the minority.
ListenIn Session with Rep. John Mannion
Before Congress, Rep. John Mannion [D, NY] was a science teacher. Now he represents New York's 22nd District — and he's brought that same classroom instinct to Capitol Hill. In this episode, he talks staffing, constituent access, disability advocacy, and why good people are increasingly reluctant to run for office.
ListenIn Session with Max Spitzer
Max Spitzer spent nearly two decades in the House Parliamentarian’s Office and wrote the book on House procedure. He joins Gavel In to unpack the rules package new Members adopt on day one, how the Rules Committee became the House’s gatekeeper, and why rules, not people, drive gridlock.
November 17In Session with Maya Kornberg
Dr. Maya Kornberg has interviewed hundreds of Members of Congress across five decades — and she’s back on Gavel In for season two. The Brennan Center senior fellow and author of Stuck joins host Aubrey Wilson to talk mentorship, money, social media, political violence, and what it really takes to survive — and make change — as a freshman Member.
November 24In Session with Ashley Nagel
Ashley Nagel went from software engineer at Apple to AI policy fellow in the US Senate — and never looked back. In this episode, she joins host Aubrey Wilson to discuss what Congress can learn from the tech industry, and the new interactive database she built mapping over 350 ideas for how Congress can work better.
December 1In Session with Anne Meeker
Anne Meeker, Founder and Director of the Constituent Service Institute, started as a district office intern and fell in love with casework. She explains how to build a strong casework team, why caseworkers make Congress smarter, and how a single lost package can uncover a problem worth Congressional oversight.
December 8In Session with Amanda Patarino
Passing a bill is only the beginning. Amanda Patarino, deputy director of state capacity at the Niskanen Center, joins Aubrey Wilson to explain what happens after the signature — and how Members of Congress can draft smarter laws, get useful technical assistance from agencies, and conduct oversight focused on outcomes.
December 15In Session with Molly Reynolds
Dr. Molly Reynolds, vice president and director of governance studies at the Brookings Institution, joins Aubrey Wilson to share what Member-elects should know before January 3: managing a Congressional office, tapping institutional resources, understanding the Senate, and why almost nothing in Congress is ever truly new.
December 22In Session with Jackson Gode
Jackson Gode, a former GAO analyst now at Inclusive Abundance, joins Aubrey Wilson to explain how Congressional offices can get more from CRS, CBO, and GAO. He shares tips on oversight letters, technical assistance, and shifting oversight from pointing fingers to delivering results for constituents.
December 29Season 1
Schoolhouse Rock: A Refresher and Reality Check for the Modern Legislative Process
For the inaugural episode of Gavel In, we pull back the curtain on Members’ and staffers’ real experiences in navigating the legislative process.
ListenThe Structure of a Congressional Office and How to Boost Effectiveness Out of the Gate
In this episode, we glean insight from seven guests – three sitting Representatives, two former members of House, and two experienced Chief of Staff – about how to approach hiring staff at the start of a new Congress.
ListenHow Committees in the House Work and How to be an Effective Committee Member
In this episode, we discuss the ins and outs of the committee process, how to best prepare for hearings, and how to foster a productive relationship with committee staff.
ListenHouse Rules: What Procedures to Become a Pro on Pronto
In this episode, we demystify the House Rules and share resources available to Members and staff of Congress to help them become pros – fast – on rules and procedure.
ListenUnderstanding Your Office Budget (“MRA”)
In this episode, we interview current and former Chiefs of Staff and Congressional experts about strategies to make the most out of the Members Representational Allowance (MRA).
ListenHow to Work With and Oversee Federal Agencies
In this episode, we speak with experienced Congressional staff and scholars about the House’s oversight powers, strategies for effective interactions between the branches, and recent changes to Congressional authorities due to the overturning of the Chevron doctrine.
ListenReaching Your Constituents and Translating Your Impact to the District
In this episode, a bipartisan mix of current Members of Congress and former Chiefs of Staff share advice on how to make your work in Washington more accessible and relevant to the folks back home.
ListenBuilding Relationships and Rapport Within the Chamber
In this episode, we dig into how new Members and staff can overcome partisan challenges by seeking the advice of seasoned current and former Representatives and staff.
ListenI Wish I Knew Then What I Know Now
Across their conversations with current and former Members of Congress, Aubrey and Taylor asked them, “What do you wish you knew during your freshman term that you know now?”
ListenHow to Approach the House as a Modern Institution
For this episode, we spoke with the champions of the House modernization movement to discuss some of the biggest changes that have recently come to fruition.
ListenAbout the Hosts
Aubrey Wilson
Aubrey Wilson served as former Deputy Staff Director for the Committee on House Administration (CHA) in the 118th Congress under Chairman Bryan Steil. In this role, she coordinated efforts to make the House work more effectively, including overseeing the inaugural session of CHA’s bipartisan Subcommittee on Modernization. Prior, Aubrey served as Director of Oversight and Modernization for CHA under Ranking Member Rodney Davis during the 117th Congress. She is a former House legislative assistant and member of the R Street Institute Governance Policy and federal affairs team. Aubrey’s work remains focused on supporting Congress’ and other parliaments’ internal operations and innovation.
Taylor J. Swift
Taylor J. Swift was cohost of “Gavel In” Season 1 and returns for a couple episodes of Season 2 to join Aubrey in discussing life within Congress with recently elected Members of the House. Taylor is Federal Government Affairs Director at Recoding America, and previously served as the Director of Congressional Engagement for the Rebuild Congress Initiative (RCI). Before joining RCI, Taylor was the Director of Government Capacity at the POPVOX Foundation, where he focused on strengthening institutional capacity and improving the digital tools available to Congress and its constituents. Earlier in his career, Taylor worked for the House of Representatives Democratic Caucus under Leader Hakeem Jeffries, focusing on issues ranging from budget and appropriations to education, labor, environmental, and tax policy. He helped establish the House Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress (ModCom), holding dozens of listening sessions with Congressional staff to provide critical insights into operational and technological shortcomings within the institution. Taylor has also advocated for improving conditions for Congressional staff, including submitting testimony that contributed to the creation of the House Intern Resource Office. He holds a master’s degree from The University of Akron, where he worked as a Teaching Assistant at the Bliss Institute of Applied Politics.