Articles & commentary

Analysis, reporting, and contributed commentary on Republican leadership, policy, and governance.


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How Congress Works

Understanding Congressional Committees

Congressional committees are the workhorses of the United States Congress, responsible for reviewing legislation, conducting oversight of the executive bra...

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How Congress Works

How Senate Confirmation Works

The Senate confirmation process is the constitutional mechanism through which the United States Senate reviews and approves or rejects presidential appoint...

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How Congress Works

The Role of the Speaker of the House

The Speaker of the House is the presiding officer of the United States House of Representatives and is second in the presidential line of succession, after...

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Political Glossary

What Is Gerrymandering?

Gerrymandering is the practice of drawing electoral district boundaries in a way that gives one political party an unfair advantage over the other.

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Political Glossary

What Is the Debt Ceiling?

The debt ceiling, also known as the debt limit, is the maximum amount of money that the United States Treasury is authorized to borrow to meet the governme...

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Political Glossary

What Is a Government Shutdown?

A government shutdown occurs when Congress fails to pass appropriations legislation or a continuing resolution to fund federal government operations, resul...

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Political Glossary

What Is a Continuing Resolution?

A continuing resolution, commonly referred to as a CR, is a temporary spending measure passed by Congress to fund the federal government when the regular a...

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Political Glossary

What Is Cloture?

Cloture is the procedural mechanism in the United States Senate used to end debate on a matter and bring it to a vote.

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Political Glossary

What Is a Filibuster?

A filibuster is a procedural tactic used in the United States Senate to delay or block a vote on legislation, nominations, or other matters by extending de...