The Hoover Institution hosted "How to Fix Congress—And Why: A Conversation with Rep. Mike Gallagher" on Wednesday, June 5, 2019 from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM EDT.
The Constitution's authors expected Congress to be the first branch of our federal government. But today it serves less as a deliberative body legislating on matters of national importance, and more as ombudsman for the administrative state-a platform for cable television appearances.
"How did an institution that was once admired around the world become so toothless?" This was the question posed by Rep. Mike Gallagher, in a widely read article last November in The Atlantic. "I have come to believe that the problem is not the people," he explained. "The problem is a defective process and a power structure that, whichever party is in charge, funnels all power to leadership and stifles debate and initiative within the ranks."
To explore these questions and the path to reform, the Hoover Institution welcomed Rep. Gallagher for a conversation on how to fix Congress-and why. He was interviewed by Hoover Institution research fellow Adam White.
